Over forty texts are presented in chronological order, beginning with some precursors to cyberspace. Writing by early theoreticians such as Charles Babbage and Alan Turing, or authors such as EM Forster, help to give a historical perspective to the subject. Each extract is prefaced by a short introduction by editor Neil Spiller to explain the key themes and terms alluded to in the extract, and cross-refer it to other texts in the book.
Cyber Reader is an essential initial source book, introducing students and researchers to the broad premise of cyberspatial theory and practice. It will help readers understand the wealth of opportunities, both practical and theoretical, that cyberspace engenders and enable them to chart its impact on many disciplines.
| Introduction | 6 | |
| Of the Analytical Engine, 1864 | 22 | |
| The Machine Stops, 1909 | 28 | |
| As We May Think, 1945 | 34 | |
| Essays of Operation, 1989 | 40 | |
| Organization of the Message, 1950 | 46 | |
| Man-Computer Symbiosis, 1960 | 52 | |
| Augmenting Human Intellect: A Conceptual Framework, 1962 | 60 | |
| The Gadget Lover: Narcissus as Narcosis, 1964 | 68 | |
| The Architectural Relevance of Cybernetics, 1969 | 76 | |
| Generator Project, 1976 | 84 | |
| The Aesthetics of Disappearance, 1980 | 90 | |
| A Thousand Plateaux: Capitalism and Schizophrenia, 1980 | 96 | |
| Neuromancer, 1984 | 102 | |
| A Cyborg Manifesto, 1985 | 108 | |
| Engines of Abundance, 1990 | 116 | |
| Queen of Angels, 1990 | 126 | |
| The Difference Engine, 1991 | 132 | |
| The Origins of Drama and the Future of Fun, 1991 | 138 | |
| Policing the Spectrum, 1991 | 144 | |
| Liquid Architectures in Cyberspace, 1991 | 150 | |
| An Empirical Theory of the Mind: The Evolution of Consciousness, 1992 | 158 | |
| Snow Crash, 1992 | 164 | |
| The Strong Claim, 1992 | 170 | |
| Life in a Computer, 1993 | 178 | |
| Stash Riders, 1993 | 184 | |
| Techgnosis: Magic, Memory, and the Angels of Information, 1993 | 190 | |
| Terminal Resistance/Cyborg Acceptance, 1993 | 196 | |
| Feminism for the Incurably Informed, 1993 | 202 | |
| Constructions and Reconstructions of the Self in Virtual Reality, 1994 | 208 | |
| An Open Universe, 1994 | 216 | |
| Permutation City, 1994 | 222 | |
| Soft Cities, 1995 | 230 | |
| When I Enter Virtual Reality, What Body Will I Leave Behind?, 1995 | 238 | |
| A Natural Model for Architecture/The Nature of the Evolutionary Body, 1995 | 246 | |
| Iconographics, 1995 | 256 | |
| Towards the Post-Human, 1995 | 262 | |
| A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace, 1996 | 270 | |
| Robocopulation: Sex Times Technology Equals the Future, 1996 | 274 | |
| The Senses Have No Future, 1998 | 280 | |
| The Virtual Reality of the Tea Ceremony, 1998 | 286 | |
| Hertzian Space, 1999 | 292 | |
| The Pearly Gates of Cyberspace, 1999 | 298 | |
| Vacillating Objects, 1999 | 304 | |
| Acknowledgements | 310 | |
| Bibliography | 312 | |
| Index | 316 |
Overview
Over forty texts are presented in chronological order, beginning ...