David J. Gunkel - Böcker

Gaming the System takes philosophical traditions out of the ivory tower and into the virtual worlds of video games. In this book, author David J. Gunkel explores how philosophical traditions—put forth by noted thinkers such as Plato, Descartes, Kant, Heidegger, and Žižek—can help us explore and conceptualize recent developments in video games, game studies, and virtual worlds. Furthermore, Gunkel interprets computer games as doing philosophy, arguing that the game world is a medium that provides opportunities to model and explore fundamental questions about the nature of reality, personal identity, social organization, and moral conduct. By using games to investigate and innovate in the area of philosophical thinking, Gunkel shows how areas such as game governance and manufacturers' terms of service agreements actually grapple with the social contract and produce new postmodern forms of social organization that challenge existing modernist notions of politics and the nation state. In this critically engaging study, Gunkel considers virtual worlds and video games as more than just "fun and games," presenting them as sites for new and original thinking about some of the deepest questions concerning the human experience.

Gaming the System takes philosophical traditions out of the ivory tower and into the virtual worlds of video games. In this book, author David J. Gunkel explores how philosophical traditions—put forth by noted thinkers such as Plato, Descartes, Kant, Heidegger, and Žižek—can help us explore and conceptualize recent developments in video games, game studies, and virtual worlds. Furthermore, Gunkel interprets computer games as doing philosophy, arguing that the game world is a medium that provides opportunities to model and explore fundamental questions about the nature of reality, personal identity, social organization, and moral conduct. By using games to investigate and innovate in the area of philosophical thinking, Gunkel shows how areas such as game governance and manufacturers' terms of service agreements actually grapple with the social contract and produce new postmodern forms of social organization that challenge existing modernist notions of politics and the nation state. In this critically engaging study, Gunkel considers virtual worlds and video games as more than just "fun and games," presenting them as sites for new and original thinking about some of the deepest questions concerning the human experience.

In Hacking Cyberspace David J. Gunkel examines the metaphors applied to new technologies, and how those metaphors inform, shape, and drive the implementation of the technology in question. The author explores the metaphorical tropes that have been employed to describe and evaluate recent advances in computer technology, telecommunications systems, and interactive media. Taking the stance that no speech is value-neutral, Gunkel examines such metaphors as "the information superhighway" and "the electronic frontier" for their political and social content, and he develops a critical investigation that not only traces the metaphors' conceptual history, but explicates their implications and consequences for technological development. Through Hacking Cyberspace, David J. Gunkel develops a sophisticated understanding of new technology that takes into account the effect of technoculture's own discursive techniques and maneuvers on the actual form of technological development.

The most significant philosopher of Being, Martin Heidegger has nevertheless largely been ignored within communications studies. This book sets the record straight by demonstrating the profound implications of his unique philosophical project for our understanding of today’s mediascape. The full range of Heidegger’s writing from Being and Time to his later essays is drawn upon.  Topics covered include:- an analysis of Heidegger's theory of language and its relevance to communications studies- a critical interpretation of mass media and digital culture that draws upon Heidegger's key concept of Dasein- a discussion of mediated being and its objectifying tendencies- an assessment of Heidegger's legacy for future developments in media theory Clear explanations and accessible commentary are used to guide the reader through the work of a thinker whose notorious reputation belies the highly topical nature of his key insights. In a world full of digital networks and new social media, but little critical insight, Heidegger and the Mediashows how a true understanding of the media requires familiarity with Heidegger’s unique brand of thinking.

The most significant philosopher of Being, Martin Heidegger has nevertheless largely been ignored within communications studies. This book sets the record straight by demonstrating the profound implications of his unique philosophical project for our understanding of today’s mediascape. The full range of Heidegger’s writing from Being and Time to his later essays is drawn upon.  Topics covered include:- an analysis of Heidegger's theory of language and its relevance to communications studies- a critical interpretation of mass media and digital culture that draws upon Heidegger's key concept of Dasein- a discussion of mediated being and its objectifying tendencies- an assessment of Heidegger's legacy for future developments in media theory Clear explanations and accessible commentary are used to guide the reader through the work of a thinker whose notorious reputation belies the highly topical nature of his key insights. In a world full of digital networks and new social media, but little critical insight, Heidegger and the Mediashows how a true understanding of the media requires familiarity with Heidegger’s unique brand of thinking.

In Hacking Cyberspace David J. Gunkel examines the metaphors applied to new technologies, and how those metaphors inform, shape, and drive the implementation of the technology in question. The author explores the metaphorical tropes that have been employed to describe and evaluate recent advances in computer technology, telecommunications systems, and interactive media. Taking the stance that no speech is value-neutral, Gunkel examines such metaphors as "the information superhighway" and "the electronic frontier" for their political and social content, and he develops a critical investigation that not only traces the metaphors' conceptual history, but explicates their implications and consequences for technological development. Through Hacking Cyberspace, David J. Gunkel develops a sophisticated understanding of new technology that takes into account the effect of technoculture's own discursive techniques and maneuvers on the actual form of technological development.

In this short introduction, David J. Gunkel examines the shifting world of artificial intelligence, mapping it onto everyday twenty-first century life and probing the consequences of this ever-growing industry and movement.The book investigates the significance and consequences of the robot invasion in an effort to map the increasingly complicated social terrain of the twenty-first century. Whether we recognize it as such or not, we are in the midst of a robot invasion. What matters most in the face of this machine incursion is not resistance, but how we decide to make sense of and respond to the social opportunities and challenges that autonomous machines make available. How to Survive a Robot Invasion is a fascinating and accessible volume for students and researchers of new media, philosophy of technology, and their many related fields. It aims both to assist readers’ efforts to understand a changing world and to provide readers with the critical insight necessary for grappling with our science fiction-like future.

AI for Communication offers an engaging exploration into the diverse applications of artificial intelligence (AI) within the realm of communication. By bridging the gap between the scientific and engineering realms of AI and communication, this book reveals how AI, since its inception during the Dartmouth Summer workshop of 1956, has inherently been a science of communication. Exploring key advancements such as machine translation, natural language processing, large language models, computational creativity, and social robotics, this book shows how these innovations not only disrupt but also actively transform human communication.The book is designed for students, teachers, and general readers who want to know how the field of communication impacts and influences the theory and practice of AI and how recent developments in AI will affect all aspects of human social interaction.

AI for Communication offers an engaging exploration into the diverse applications of artificial intelligence (AI) within the realm of communication. By bridging the gap between the scientific and engineering realms of AI and communication, this book reveals how AI, since its inception during the Dartmouth Summer workshop of 1956, has inherently been a science of communication. Exploring key advancements such as machine translation, natural language processing, large language models, computational creativity, and social robotics, this book shows how these innovations not only disrupt but also actively transform human communication.The book is designed for students, teachers, and general readers who want to know how the field of communication impacts and influences the theory and practice of AI and how recent developments in AI will affect all aspects of human social interaction.

In this short introduction, David J. Gunkel examines the shifting world of artificial intelligence, mapping it onto everyday twenty-first century life and probing the consequences of this ever-growing industry and movement.The book investigates the significance and consequences of the robot invasion in an effort to map the increasingly complicated social terrain of the twenty-first century. Whether we recognize it as such or not, we are in the midst of a robot invasion. What matters most in the face of this machine incursion is not resistance, but how we decide to make sense of and respond to the social opportunities and challenges that autonomous machines make available. How to Survive a Robot Invasion is a fascinating and accessible volume for students and researchers of new media, philosophy of technology, and their many related fields. It aims both to assist readers’ efforts to understand a changing world and to provide readers with the critical insight necessary for grappling with our science fiction-like future.

Žižek Studies: The Greatest Hits (So Far) assembles and presents the best work published in the field of Žižek Studies over the last ten years, providing teachers, students, and researchers with a carefully curated volume of leading-edge scholarship addressing the unique and sometimes eclectic work of Slovenian philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Žižek. The chapters included in this collection have been rigorously tested in and culled from the (virtual) pages of the International Journal of Žižek Studies, a leading open access journal that began publication in 2007. The book is organized into three sections or subject areas where Žižek and his seemingly indefatigable efforts have had significant impact: philosophy, politics, and popular culture. As a "greatest hits," the book offers the long-time fan and uninitiated newcomer alike a comprehensive overview of the wide range of opportunity in the field of Žižek studies and a remarkable collection of truly interdisciplinary "hits" from a diverse set of innovative and accomplished writers.

This book addresses the multifaceted aspects of transgression in the digital age, from piracy to audio mashups. One doesn't need to look far to find examples of contemporary locations of cultural opposition. Digital piracy, audio mashups, The Onion and Wikipedia are all examples of transgression in our current mediascape. And as digital age transgression becomes increasingly essential, it also becomes more difficult to define and protect. The contributions in this collection are organized into six sections that address the use of new technologies to alter existing cultural messages, the incorporation of technology and alternative media in transformation of everyday cultural practices and institutions, and the reuse and repurposing of technology to focus active political engagement and innovative social change. Bringing together a variety of scholars and case studies, "Transgression 2.0" will be the first key resource for scholars and students interested in digital culture as a transformative intervention in the types, methods and significance of cultural politics.

Communication and artificial intelligence (AI) are closely related. It is communication – particularly interpersonal conversational interaction – that provides AI with its defining test case and experimental evidence. Likewise, recent developments in AI introduce new challenges and opportunities for communication studies. Technologies such as machine translation of human languages, spoken dialogue systems like Siri, algorithms capable of producing publishable journalistic content, and social robots are all designed to communicate with users in a human-like way. This timely and original textbook provides educators and students with a much-needed resource, connecting the dots between the science of AI and the discipline of communication studies. Clearly outlining the topic's scope, content and future, the text introduces key issues and debates, highlighting the importance and relevance of AI to communication studies. In lively and accessible prose, David Gunkel provides a new generation with the information, knowledge, and skills necessary to working and living in a world where social interaction is no longer restricted to humans. The first work of its kind, An Introduction to Communication and Artificial Intelligence is the go-to textbook for students and scholars getting to grips with this crucial interdisciplinary topic.

Communication and artificial intelligence (AI) are closely related. It is communication – particularly interpersonal conversational interaction – that provides AI with its defining test case and experimental evidence. Likewise, recent developments in AI introduce new challenges and opportunities for communication studies. Technologies such as machine translation of human languages, spoken dialogue systems like Siri, algorithms capable of producing publishable journalistic content, and social robots are all designed to communicate with users in a human-like way. This timely and original textbook provides educators and students with a much-needed resource, connecting the dots between the science of AI and the discipline of communication studies. Clearly outlining the topic's scope, content and future, the text introduces key issues and debates, highlighting the importance and relevance of AI to communication studies. In lively and accessible prose, David Gunkel provides a new generation with the information, knowledge, and skills necessary to working and living in a world where social interaction is no longer restricted to humans. The first work of its kind, An Introduction to Communication and Artificial Intelligence is the go-to textbook for students and scholars getting to grips with this crucial interdisciplinary topic.

Large Language Models (LLMs), like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s LaMDA, are not only the most disruptive and controversial technologies of our time, but also offer an unprecedented opportunity to examine human cognition and philosophically question the very nature of language, communication, and intelligence. What is consciousness? What is language? Are LLMs authors? Are LLMs the end of writing as we know it?In Communicative AI, Mark Coeckelbergh and David J. Gunkel offer a critical introduction to LLMs, investigating the philosophical significance of this technology and its practical ramifications. Mobilizing resources from contemporary philosophy, history of ideas, linguistics, and communication theory, the book invites us to re-think some long-standing philosophical issues concerning language, consciousness, truth, authorship, and writing. Through a blend of theoretical analysis, accessible explanations, and practical examples, the book provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the role that this powerful new technology is already playing in our lives.This is a must-read for students and scholars across the humanities and the social sciences, as well as for anyone intrigued by the intersection of technology, language, and human thought.

Large Language Models (LLMs), like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s LaMDA, are not only the most disruptive and controversial technologies of our time, but also offer an unprecedented opportunity to examine human cognition and philosophically question the very nature of language, communication, and intelligence. What is consciousness? What is language? Are LLMs authors? Are LLMs the end of writing as we know it?In Communicative AI, Mark Coeckelbergh and David J. Gunkel offer a critical introduction to LLMs, investigating the philosophical significance of this technology and its practical ramifications. Mobilizing resources from contemporary philosophy, history of ideas, linguistics, and communication theory, the book invites us to re-think some long-standing philosophical issues concerning language, consciousness, truth, authorship, and writing. Through a blend of theoretical analysis, accessible explanations, and practical examples, the book provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the role that this powerful new technology is already playing in our lives.This is a must-read for students and scholars across the humanities and the social sciences, as well as for anyone intrigued by the intersection of technology, language, and human thought.

Artificial intelligence can no longer be confined to research and development efforts in a handful of STEM disciplines. It now actively participates in and shapes how we—all of us—work, communicate, learn, and create. Understanding Artificial Intelligence offers a clear and critical guide to this transformative technology, written especially for students and scholars in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.Bringing together insights from philosophy, history, media studies, and communication, award-winning educator David J. Gunkel explains what AI is, how it works, and why it matters. The book introduces key concepts—from algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning to natural language processing, large language models, and generative AI—while examining the cultural narratives and the political, social, and ethical debates that surround them. Readers are invited to explore how AI redefines creativity, authorship, responsibility, and even what it means to be human.Balancing accessible technical explanation with rigorous critical reflection, Understanding Artificial Intelligence equips readers to engage with AI technologies with confidence and discernment. It is both a map of today's rapidly evolving AI landscape and a call to participate in shaping its future—essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how artificial intelligence will transform knowledge, culture, and everyday life.

Artificial intelligence can no longer be confined to research and development efforts in a handful of STEM disciplines. It now actively participates in and shapes how we—all of us—work, communicate, learn, and create. Understanding Artificial Intelligence offers a clear and critical guide to this transformative technology, written especially for students and scholars in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.Bringing together insights from philosophy, history, media studies, and communication, award-winning educator David J. Gunkel explains what AI is, how it works, and why it matters. The book introduces key concepts—from algorithms, neural networks, and deep learning to natural language processing, large language models, and generative AI—while examining the cultural narratives and the political, social, and ethical debates that surround them. Readers are invited to explore how AI redefines creativity, authorship, responsibility, and even what it means to be human.Balancing accessible technical explanation with rigorous critical reflection, Understanding Artificial Intelligence equips readers to engage with AI technologies with confidence and discernment. It is both a map of today's rapidly evolving AI landscape and a call to participate in shaping its future—essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how artificial intelligence will transform knowledge, culture, and everyday life.

The figure of the 'other' is fundamental to the concept of communication. Online or offline, communication, which is commonly defined as the act of sending or imparting information to others, is only possible in the face of others. In fact, the reason we communicate is to interact with others—to talk to another, to share our thoughts and insights with them, or to respond to their needs and requests. No matter how it is structured or conceptualized, communication is involved with addressing the other and dealing with the ontological, epistemological, and ethical questions of otherness or alterity. But who or what can be other? Who or what can be the subject of communication? Is the other always and only another human? Or can the other in these communicative interactions be otherwise? This book is about others (and other kinds of others). It concerns the current position and status of the other in the face of technological innovations that can, in one way or another distort, mask, or even deface the other. Ten innovative essays, written by an international team of experts, individually and in collaboration with each other, seek to diagnose the current situation with otherness, devise innovative solutions to the questions of alterity, and provide insight for students, teachers and researchers trying to make sense of the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.

The figure of the 'other' is fundamental to the concept of communication. Online or offline, communication, which is commonly defined as the act of sending or imparting information to others, is only possible in the face of others. In fact, the reason we communicate is to interact with others—to talk to another, to share our thoughts and insights with them, or to respond to their needs and requests. No matter how it is structured or conceptualized, communication is involved with addressing the other and dealing with the ontological, epistemological, and ethical questions of otherness or alterity. But who or what can be other? Who or what can be the subject of communication? Is the other always and only another human? Or can the other in these communicative interactions be otherwise? This book is about others (and other kinds of others). It concerns the current position and status of the other in the face of technological innovations that can, in one way or another distort, mask, or even deface the other. Ten innovative essays, written by an international team of experts, individually and in collaboration with each other, seek to diagnose the current situation with otherness, devise innovative solutions to the questions of alterity, and provide insight for students, teachers and researchers trying to make sense of the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.