网络空间的空间归属及其物质性构建的地理认知

以互联网技术为代表的新信息与通信技术已经重构了时空关系,其中网络空间对传统时空观的颠覆最为典型。网络空间的地理研究包括外部、内部与相互作用三个层面。在界定网络空间的空间归属前提下,提出了其物质性构建的体系框架,并在此基础上进一步分析了其外部物质层面所蕴含的地理内涵。研究表明:网络空间的本质是一个由信息组成的虚拟空间,其既属于社会空间,也在地理空间研究范畴内;信息基础设施、网民、建设与管理实体是构建网络空间的三大物质性组分,也是进行网络空间外部层面地理学研究的主要对象;网络空间构建的物质基础在地点与地理位置、距离与尺度、障碍与边界、区域与区域分异等传统地理关注领域仍具有重要地理意义;城市本身演变为了信息城市甚至是智慧城市,且其与信息基础设施一起成为城市网络分析的新要素;网络空间制图是帮助我们理解和认知网络空间地理含义的关键环节。

Cyberspace attribution and the geographical cognition of its material construction

Space and time are two fundamental dimensionalities that define hu-man civilization and social development, and they jointly construct a basic configuration sequence system that can be wedged into any thinking pattern. The new information and communication technologies, represented by internet technology, have reconstructed the time-space relationship, among which the most representative is cyberspace that has overturned our view of time and space. Cyberspace contains geographical meaning and should be incorporated in the category of geography research, which has attracted attention of many ge-ographers. Geographical research on cyberspace can be divided into three lev-els: external, internal and interaction. Based on the definition of cyberspace attribution, this thesis puts forward the systematic framework of its material construction and then analyzes its geographical connotations. The researches revealed that cyberspace is actually a virtual space composed of information, which is not only included in social space, but also within the category of geographical space. Cyberspace is constituted by three material elements such as information infrastructure, internet users and construction and management entity, which are also studied from the external perspective of cyberspace, thereinto, information infrastructure includes four parts, that is, network infrastructure, server, transcriber and internet equipments. There three ele-ments are realistic materials, therefore, they have sites and locations, but different types of locations and definitions. Compared with the traditional definition of cyberspace by length, the definition by distance pays more at-tention to connection and time. The dimensions of cyberspace are not only world-wide, but also have changed the human’s cognition dimensions as media. Traditional definition by region has new connotations after external materials are added to cyberspace construction, and regional differentiation has new changes. Barriers and boundaries have new geographical meaning. Cities have e-volved into information or even smart cities, and become the new elements for analysis of city network together with information infrastructures. Mapping cyberspace is the important way for us to understand and cognize the geograph-ical connotations of cyberspace.