[ICANN-EU] Re: [icann-candidates] Re: Article 31

["Constantine S. Chassapis" <cschassapis@acm.org>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Berend Schuitema <okhela@iafrica.com>
To: Constantine S. Chassapis <cschassapis@acm.org>; Andrew Bloch
<abloch@alum.mit.edu>
Cc: <icann-europe@fitug.de>; <icann-candidates@egroups.com>
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2000 10:47 PM
Subject: Re: [icann-candidates] Re: Article 31



> > P.S. by the way, did you know that cyber comes from the Greek
> > cybernitis, that means governor? I don't like the word cyberspace
> > I am open to suggestions! Let's redefine our future!
> >
>
> You're right, surprised myself as my perception was that the word had to
> do with "brain"! Oxford dictionary gives the meaning of "cybernetics" as
> "the science of communication and automatic control systems both
> machines and living things".

That Oxford definition, in reality is the definition Norbert Wiener gave to
his pionerring studies on cybernetics. His studies had to do with automatic
or less automatic governance of machines and biosystems (including
humans). He was a brilliand mathematician, but his philosophy was a little
fuzzy. Anyway, he is not responsible of the meaning the prefix "cyber" later
got, nor "cyberspace" was his wording. I don't know who first used
cyberspace, but I now realize that it was a bad choice.

> Suggestion ? How about "ideosphere"?
> Or Teilhard de Chardin's "noosphere"?

Both are very interesting and much better than cyberspace. Let us continue
the search, and meanwhile let us see what we can do and write about that
ICANN story that devours all our time and energy.

> Seems to me that before we get into names calling activities, what ICANN
> is all about, we start off by getting this one right!!!

Yes you are correct. This is a message list about ICANN.

Our thoughts will soon meet again in the noospace. (oops, another word).

Best regards,
Constantin Chassapis

P.S. "noosphere" and "noospace" are pronounced  no-o-sphere and
no-o-space. The no-o- prefix comes from the Greek "noisis" (thinking),
it is related to "nous" (what does the noisis), and has nothing to do
with zoo.  But we must really return to ICANN matters ;-)