[ExI] simulation as an improvement over reality.

Samantha Atkins sjatkins at mac.com
Sat Jan 1 01:46:08 UTC 2011


On Dec 31, 2010, at 4:22 PM, Amara D. Angelica wrote:

> Interesting discussion. Here are a few studies (below) that might suggest how experiences of a copy might someday be processed so as to be perceived as "real." I wonder if after some period of time, the original person's brain would rewire? That might mean that the original person might perceive his/her own body as foreign. Hmmm.... could be a problem. :)
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> On a related note, is there any evidence that long-time users of Second Life experience such dissociation? And is it possible or likely that as simulation technology improves and becomes widely available, mass dissociation or psychosis might occur? The effect would be increased by using high-res VR with full immersion and at least 180 degrees to avoid peripheral vision artifacts (humans have about 200 degrees vision) and ultra-high-resolution such as http://www.sensics.com/products/AugmentedReality.php (4200x2400 pixels). Also see http://cb.nowan.net/blog/state-of-vr/state-of-vr-displays/.

This is a pretty well known phenomenon in SL.  Some describe it as what make a true digital person - the experiencing of avatar as self and even physical self as alternate embodiment of avatar.    I used to get strange effects like the physical world looking more unreal to me than the virtual world.  But that seems to have been a temporary adjustment period when I was spending much more time in SL.    Many report distinct person phenomenon of two persons, one virtual, sharing the same brain.   Personality creation, living within the creation, is something all humans do growing up (or more ofter in some cases).   It is not surprising that we sometimes spawn off new "selves" in virtual worlds as they improve.  It is experienced as much more than 'mere' make-believe. 

- samantha



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> Brain scans of avid players of the hugely popular online fantasy world World of Warcraft reveal that areas of the brain involved in self-reflection and judgment seem to behave similarly when someone is thinking about their virtual self as when they think about their real one.
> http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18117-how-your-brain-sees-virtual-you.html
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> Using virtual-reality goggles, a camera and a stick, scientists have induced out-of-body experiences — the sensation of drifting outside of one’s own body
> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/24/science/24body.html?_r=1&ref=science
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