**1. Introduction**

In the beginning of the chapter, we want to clarify the concept and basic structure of cyberspace. The term cyberspace was used for the first time in 1984 by a sci-fi writer, Ford Gibson, in his novel *Neuromancer*. The etymology of this word reveals that it describes a cybernetic space that is not identical with three-dimensional physical space; it is a place that merely simulates the real one. Simulations may be visual or acoustic but also more sophisticated, for example tactile, when a special pair of sensory gloves is used. Cyberspace is constructed using communication technologies, particularly the Internet. Sometimes cyberspace and the Internet are understood as identical places. However, we think that the term cyberspace embraces more than just the Internet. We agree with D. Clark [1], who notices that we need to use the word cyberspace even in connection with discovery of telegraph. Two people in two different points on the globe enter the acoustic communication space that does not share three dimensions. However, modern media offer a superior kind of cyberspace—the Internet—that we can use to communicate not

only acoustically but also visually, through services such as skype, for example. We also need to distinguish cyberspace from other kinds of space, for example, social, economical, or mental space.

We should also distinguish cyberspace form virtual reality. The term "virtual reality" is used to describe something artificial, constructed, or less real. In contrast, cyberspace does not necessarily mean something unreal. When we make a phone call or use skype to communicate with somebody, we do not take it as something virtual, despite the fact that this communication takes place in cyberspace. Another difference is also in the sense of emphasis. Virtual reality emphasizes reality, while in the case of cyberspace, it is the actual place that we emphasize. Though the term reality incorporates also space, it spreads even further and gets closer to the philosophical term of being—existence or possible existence. Based on understanding such elementary terms as reality and space, the terms of virtual reality and cyberspace are derived from them. The meaning of virtual reality will be defined by the relation between reality and virtual reality and that of cyberspace by the relation space-cyberspace.

D. Holmes [2], in reference to Ostwald, states that cyberspace means communication space of a number of people: "individuals do not exist in cyberspace, but in virtual reality." In this case the term of cyberspace is limited to exist only for social communication. But why could not we call this space cyberspace, when all kinds of communication, individual or collective, happen in the same technological space? Why could not we call this space cyberspace, when all kinds of communication, individual or collective, happen in the same technological space? We believe we should think of cyberspace as of the traditionally understood physical space and not solely as something that we derive from social relationships; we should see it in a more contextual sense—in the sense of relations between objects. We borrow this term and use it to express the mental space in which we think and construct and then transfer our constructions into the technological world that could be properly seen as cyberspace.

In order to understand cyberspace better, it might be useful to learn more about its internal structure, or more precisely its hierarchy-based levels. According to Clark [1], there are four levels in cyberspace: physical level, logical level, information level, and human level.

The physical level of cyberspace is composed of physical devices that are interconnected. These are computers, servers, sensors, transmitters, the Internet, and communication channels. Communication "flows" between these technical devices through cables, optical fibers or electromagnetic waves. This physical level is the easiest to touch physically, especially devices, as they are easy to locate.

Cyberspace, according to Clark, is built from various components starting with the lowest level and ending with the highest one. The lowest level is represented by a program that performs basic operations, data transfer, and formatting. These services serve applications such as database or web. For example, by combining database and web, we get creative and active web content. On the top position of the web, we can find services such as Facebook, which is yet another platform for further applications. The essence of cyberspace lies in continual and rapid increase of possibilities and services that are based on creation and combination of new logical constructions. Cyberspace, as a logical level, then means a series of platforms for new creations and constructions that consequently become innovations. Cyberspace is very flexible and recursive, building platforms on further and further platforms.

Clark believes that creation, obtaining, and transfer of information are the essential functions of cyberspace. Information here takes various forms, for example, music, video, or websites. Information about information is generated here (metadata), and information that informs about other information is produced, for example, by Google. The character of information in cyberspace changed with

**15**

*Cyberspace as a New Existential Dimension of Man DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88156*

is used by people, thus creating their new living space.

**2. Information as the basic unit of cyberspace**

munication of information, rather than an independent entity.

Information that is stored in cyberspace can be seen as its basic building block.

What precisely is information that we communicate in cyberspace? We can see it as a correlation of two entities: physical and conceptual. By physical entity we can mean, for example, computer hardware or radio waves. Information, regardless of physical media that is used to spread it, is coded in a binary code or "binary digit" (0 and 1). New communication technologies that are based

Information, or more precisely communication of information, builds up the very cyberspace, and without this building block, cyberspace would remain just a possible construction (*in potentia*). Cyberspace thus presents a platform for com-

tion loses its importance.

computers being connected to other computers; they started processing the structure of data. Data is saved not only statically on hard drives or USB memory sticks, but more and more it is created dynamically on networks, where physical localiza-

Clark sees the highest level of cyberspace in people, who are not only passive users but also contributors to the content that it offers. If people contribute to Wikipedia, then Wikipedia exists. If people tweet, then also Twitter exists. Cyberspace is meant to serve people, for communication, for a content that is constantly refreshed. This is the reason why people are the most critical component in cyberspace. Also Cocking [3] sees it similarly, when he claims that today people present themselves more and are more engaged in various activities with others through computer technology. We can also state that the Internet, or cyberspace, offers a great way to express oneself and communicate in a modern society [4]. Ropolyi [5] contemplates the Internet in similar intentions, though with small variations. Ropolyi understands the Internet as a complex, multilayered system in which four levels are identified: the technological, communicational, cultural, and organismic levels. Ropolyi says—with respect to the first level—that the Internet is a system of computers that are able to rapidly and securely access information inside the worldwide network. As a technological tool, the Internet is connected to other technological tools that support different human and social needs, ranging from shopping to international financial transactions. Ropolyi understands the next level of the Internet as a space for different types of communication. He believes that the Internet represents an active agent within such communication, as it only facilitates, prompts, and enables specific types and forms of communication. A range of content, including text, audio, and image, can be communicated over long distances thanks to the Internet. The third level, according to Ropolyi, is cultural, which must be understood in the widest possible sense and which contains different human ambitions, intentions, values, plans, and products. The Internet as a universal medium may grasp the same cultural values and activities as the real world. It also creates a new cultural world in which self-realization can be accomplished in many different ways that would simply be impossible in the real world. Finally, according to Ropolyi, the Internet is an independent organism that can be examined separately from the technology inside its structure. This globally distributed organism develops in the same manner as any other evolutionary system. People themselves, along with their thoughts, actions, and ambitions, are a part of this organism. The structure of cyberspace represents a hierarchy-based system of technical and semantic layers (physical, logical, information, and human) that are heavily linked to each other. The most important goods in this space are information, which

*Cyberspace*

economical, or mental space.

the relation space-cyberspace.

tion level, and human level.

only acoustically but also visually, through services such as skype, for example. We also need to distinguish cyberspace from other kinds of space, for example, social,

We should also distinguish cyberspace form virtual reality. The term "virtual reality" is used to describe something artificial, constructed, or less real. In contrast, cyberspace does not necessarily mean something unreal. When we make a phone call or use skype to communicate with somebody, we do not take it as something virtual, despite the fact that this communication takes place in cyberspace. Another difference is also in the sense of emphasis. Virtual reality emphasizes reality, while in the case of cyberspace, it is the actual place that we emphasize. Though the term reality incorporates also space, it spreads even further and gets closer to the philosophical term of being—existence or possible existence. Based on understanding such elementary terms as reality and space, the terms of virtual reality and cyberspace are derived from them. The meaning of virtual reality will be defined by the relation between reality and virtual reality and that of cyberspace by

D. Holmes [2], in reference to Ostwald, states that cyberspace means communication space of a number of people: "individuals do not exist in cyberspace, but in virtual reality." In this case the term of cyberspace is limited to exist only for social communication. But why could not we call this space cyberspace, when all kinds of communication, individual or collective, happen in the same technological space? Why could not we call this space cyberspace, when all kinds of communication, individual or collective, happen in the same technological space? We believe we should think of cyberspace as of the traditionally understood physical space and not solely as something that we derive from social relationships; we should see it in a more contextual sense—in the sense of relations between objects. We borrow this term and use it to express the mental space in which we think and construct and then transfer our constructions into the technological world that could be properly seen as cyberspace. In order to understand cyberspace better, it might be useful to learn more about its internal structure, or more precisely its hierarchy-based levels. According to Clark [1], there are four levels in cyberspace: physical level, logical level, informa-

The physical level of cyberspace is composed of physical devices that are interconnected. These are computers, servers, sensors, transmitters, the Internet, and communication channels. Communication "flows" between these technical devices through cables, optical fibers or electromagnetic waves. This physical level is the

Cyberspace, according to Clark, is built from various components starting with the lowest level and ending with the highest one. The lowest level is represented by a program that performs basic operations, data transfer, and formatting. These services serve applications such as database or web. For example, by combining database and web, we get creative and active web content. On the top position of the web, we can find services such as Facebook, which is yet another platform for further applications. The essence of cyberspace lies in continual and rapid increase of possibilities and services that are based on creation and combination of new logical constructions. Cyberspace, as a logical level, then means a series of platforms for new creations and constructions that consequently become innovations. Cyberspace is very flexible and recursive, building platforms on further and further platforms. Clark believes that creation, obtaining, and transfer of information are the essential functions of cyberspace. Information here takes various forms, for example, music, video, or websites. Information about information is generated here (metadata), and information that informs about other information is produced, for example, by Google. The character of information in cyberspace changed with

easiest to touch physically, especially devices, as they are easy to locate.

**14**

computers being connected to other computers; they started processing the structure of data. Data is saved not only statically on hard drives or USB memory sticks, but more and more it is created dynamically on networks, where physical localization loses its importance.

Clark sees the highest level of cyberspace in people, who are not only passive users but also contributors to the content that it offers. If people contribute to Wikipedia, then Wikipedia exists. If people tweet, then also Twitter exists. Cyberspace is meant to serve people, for communication, for a content that is constantly refreshed. This is the reason why people are the most critical component in cyberspace. Also Cocking [3] sees it similarly, when he claims that today people present themselves more and are more engaged in various activities with others through computer technology. We can also state that the Internet, or cyberspace, offers a great way to express oneself and communicate in a modern society [4].

Ropolyi [5] contemplates the Internet in similar intentions, though with small variations. Ropolyi understands the Internet as a complex, multilayered system in which four levels are identified: the technological, communicational, cultural, and organismic levels. Ropolyi says—with respect to the first level—that the Internet is a system of computers that are able to rapidly and securely access information inside the worldwide network. As a technological tool, the Internet is connected to other technological tools that support different human and social needs, ranging from shopping to international financial transactions. Ropolyi understands the next level of the Internet as a space for different types of communication. He believes that the Internet represents an active agent within such communication, as it only facilitates, prompts, and enables specific types and forms of communication. A range of content, including text, audio, and image, can be communicated over long distances thanks to the Internet. The third level, according to Ropolyi, is cultural, which must be understood in the widest possible sense and which contains different human ambitions, intentions, values, plans, and products. The Internet as a universal medium may grasp the same cultural values and activities as the real world. It also creates a new cultural world in which self-realization can be accomplished in many different ways that would simply be impossible in the real world. Finally, according to Ropolyi, the Internet is an independent organism that can be examined separately from the technology inside its structure. This globally distributed organism develops in the same manner as any other evolutionary system. People themselves, along with their thoughts, actions, and ambitions, are a part of this organism.

The structure of cyberspace represents a hierarchy-based system of technical and semantic layers (physical, logical, information, and human) that are heavily linked to each other. The most important goods in this space are information, which is used by people, thus creating their new living space.
