In revising my actual / virtual Harbin Hot Springs' 9 chapters' manuscript (without having built a virtual Harbin as field site for comparative, ethnographic research, in this first book), I wanted to revisit the definitions of:
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actual, communication, counterculture, culture, cyber-, digital, information, technology, information technology, multimedia, real, Techne, virtual, virtual world, visionary -
in the online, Chambers 21st Century dictionary {e.g.
http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=virtual&title=21st} (by contrast to mostly Apple dictionary 2.x definitions on my MacBook Pro laptop), which I also explored in different ways in my July 9, 2013 blog entry here:
"Loulu: Anthropology of virtual worlds, the Virtual and Techne for Boellstorff, Boellstorff video interview, Defining and thinking through the Virtual vis-a-vis information in my Harbin ethnographic book" (I've posted again Tom Boellstorff's video interview about some of these questions below).
http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2013/07/loulu-anthropology-of-virtual-worlds.html(See also - in my August 18, 2013 blog entry -
"Akia - Wikstroemia uva-ursi: In looking up the word 'virtual' in the great "Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary" (1901), I came across the entries of 'virtu' and 'virtue,' in which I found some relevant definitions, Under the entry 'virtue,' ... [a few definitions in] 'virtual' - "having virtue or efficacy: having the efficacy without the material part: in effect though not in fact; unreal but capable of being considered as real for some purposes" ... [and a few definitions further along] 'virtuality,' - "essential nature; potentiality," Defining and thinking through the 'Virtual'"
http://scott-macleod.blogspot.com/2013/08/akia-wikstroemia-uva-ursi-in-looking-up.html*
Here are my current working definitions of 'virtual' from about draft manuscript p 15 of 400 pages in my book:
"
Virtual Harbin in this book refers to 6 aspects of conceiving of the virtual (the virtual is defined in my manuscript on pp. 39, 76, 122-123, 377, … ), as
a) “computing slang referring or relating to interaction, connection, use, etc. via the Internet” (Chambers’ 21st century dictionary online: http://www.chambers.co.uk/search.php?query=virtual&title=21st );
b) “something not physical, but created by software to appear so” (Apple dictionary 2.x), both metaphorically, and especially vis-a-vis Harbin Hot Springs, as visionary, too; visionary here includes giving shape or form to what could be in a shared sense among human bodyminds in culture, and in Harbin's counterculture, vis-a-vis its pool area, can give this form in virtual expressions”;
c) as something “that is so in essence or effect, although not formally or actually,” so something not physical, but also “almost” or “nearly as described”;
d) “One useful definition of “virtual” is “a philosophical term meaning 'not actually, but as if'” (Boellstorff 2008:377?) especially vis-a-vis digitally constructed and informational processes, and
e) primatologically, “ … referring or relating to interaction, connection, use,” again, but here in my interpretation, symbolically or language-wise, and across primate species that use symbols (e.g. humans, orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas, for example);
f) "having virtue or efficacy: having the efficacy without the material part: in effect though not in fact; unreal but capable of being considered as real for some purposes" ... [and a few definitions further along] 'virtuality,' - "essential nature; potentiality," (Chambers, 1956, within the definition of “virtue”)."
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So,
- actual, communication, counterculture, culture, cyber-, digital, information, technology, information technology, multimedia, real, Techne, virtual, virtual world, visionary -
actual adj 1 existing as fact; real. 2 not imagined, estimated or guessed. 3 current; present.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c as actuel, meaning 'demonstrated by one's actions': from Latin actualis.
communication noun 1 a the process or act of communicating; b the exchanging or imparting of ideas and information, etc. 2 a piece of information, a letter or a message. 3 social contact. 4 (communications) the various electronic processes by which information is conveyed from one person or place to another, especially by means of wires, cables or radio waves. 5 (communications) means or routes used for moving troops or supplies. 6 (communications) the science and activity of transmitting information, etc.
counter-culture noun a culture or way of life that deliberately rejects the perceived social norm.
ETYMOLOGY: 20c.
culture noun 1 the customs, ideas, values, etc of a particular civilization, society or social group, especially at a particular time. 2 appreciation of art, music, literature, etc. 3 improvement and development through care and training • beauty culture. 4 also in compounds the cultivation of eg plants, trees, animals, etc, especially for commercial purposes • horticulture. 5 biol a population of micro-organisms (especially bacteria), cells or tissues grown in a culture medium usually for scientific study or medical diagnosis. verb (cultured, culturing) to grow (micro-organisms, cells, tissues, etc) in a culture medium for study.
ETYMOLOGY: 15c: from Latin cultura, from colere to cherish or practise.
cyber- combining form denoting computers or computer networks, especially the Internet • cyberspace • cybercafe • cyberbabble.
ETYMOLOGY: From cybernetic.
digital adj 1 showing numerical information in the form of a set of digits, rather than by means of a pointer on a dial, eg as on a digital watch. 2 denoting a process or a device that operates by processing information that is supplied and stored in the form of a series of binary digits • digital recording • digital computer. 3 electronics denoting an electronic circuit that responds to and produces signals which at any given time are in one of two possible states. 4 belonging to or involving digits in any way. Compare analogue.
information noun 1 knowledge gained or given; facts; news. Often shortened to info. 2 the communicating or receiving of knowledge. Also as adj • information desk • information centre. 3 especially N Amer directory enquiries. 4 especially telecomm, computing a signal or character which represents data. 5 law an accusation made before a court or magistrate. informational adj.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from Latin informatio conception of an idea.
technology noun (technologies) 1 the practical use of scientific knowledge in industry and everyday life. 2 practical sciences as a group. 3 the technical skills and achievements of a particular time in history, of civilization or a group of people. technological adj. technologically adverb. technologist noun someone skilled in technology and its applications.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c: from Greek technologia systematic treatment, from techne 'art' or 'skill'.
information technology noun, computing (abbreviation IT) the use, study or production of a range of technologies (especially computer systems, digital electronics and telecommunications) to store, process and transmit information.
multimedia adj 1 in entertainment, education, etc: involving the use of a combination of different media, eg TV, radio, slides, hi-fi, visual arts. 2 computing said of a computer system: able to present and manipulate data in a variety of forms, eg text, graphics and sound, often simultaneously. singular noun a number of different media taken collectively.
real adj 1 actually or physically existing; not imaginary. 2 actual; true • the real reason. 3 not imitation; genuine; authentic • real leather. 4 a great, important or serious; b deserving to be so called • a real problem. 5 law consisting of or relating to immoveable property, such as land and houses. See also real property. 6 said of income, etc: measured in terms of its buying power rather than its nominal value • in real terms. 7 math involving or containing only real numbers. adverb, N Amer, Scots really; very • real nice. realness noun. for real slang in reality; seriously. get real! originally N Amer slang, usually exclamation be realistic! the real McCoy see under McCoy.
ETYMOLOGY: 15c: from French réel, from Latin realis, from res thing.
Techne -
No exact matches for Techne, but the following may be helpful.
technetium noun, chem (symbol Tc, atomic number 43) a radioactive metallic element that was first produced artificially by bombarding molybdenum with neutrons (now produced from uranium and plutonium), used in nuclear medicine for diagnostic purposes.
ETYMOLOGY: 1940s: Latin, from Greek technetos artificial.
virtual -
virtual adj 1 being so in effect or in practice, but not in name • a virtual state of war. 2 nearly so; almost but not quite • the virtual collapse of the steel industry. 3 computing slang referring or relating to interaction, connection, use, etc via the Internet • pay by virtual money. 4 computing said of memory or storage: appearing to be internal but actually transfer-red a segment at a time as required from (and to) back-up storage into (and out of) the smaller internal memory.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c in sense 1: from Latin virtualis, related to virtue.
virtual world -
cyberpet noun an electronic device that simulates the behaviour and requirements of a pet. Also called virtual pet.
ETYMOLOGY: 1990s.
virtual adj 1 being so in effect or in practice, but not in name • a virtual state of war. 2 nearly so; almost but not quite • the virtual collapse of the steel industry. 3 computing slang referring or relating to interaction, connection, use, etc via the Internet • pay by virtual money. 4 computing said of memory or storage: appearing to be internal but actually transfer-red a segment at a time as required from (and to) back-up storage into (and out of) the smaller internal memory.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c in sense 1: from Latin virtualis, related to virtue.
virtually adverb 1 in practice, though not strictly speaking • was virtually in charge. 2 almost; nearly.
virtual reality noun (abbreviation VR) a computer simulation of a real or artificial environment that gives the user the impression of actually being within the environment and interacting with it, eg by way of a special visor that contains two tiny television screens and special gloves fitted with sensors, which are worn by the user.
visionary adj 1 showing or marked by great foresight or imagination. 2 possible only in the imagination; impracticable; fanciful. 3 capable of seeing supernatural images or apparitions.
Tom Boellstorff talks about "Coming of Age in Second Life"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XkZMXtDEWM*
Definitions are very fungible and can be also quite varied for any given word, and also change through time (e.g. the word 'virtual' in Chambers has changed a lot in its various editions in the past century or so, and differ from the Apple dictionary definitions)
To the definition of
technology above, I would add that technologies often facilitate reproducibility or replication by tools.
Innovations in 'defining,' and generating definitions, are creative.
In what ways is the act of 'defining' a creation of
virtuality, or a creation of '
the virtual,' language-wise?
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In virtual Harbin, with interactive movie realism from our home bath tubs with its correspondent relaxation response, perhaps in REI Glacier Glasses (or the in Oculus Rift goggles), in what ways will we be able to explore kinds of oneness and harmonizing effects that people already actually experience in the Harbin warm pool and while visiting Harbin, for example, and socially, as well?
...
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