The story of a human retreat from this world, either to the stars above or the virtual realm within, can mask a disregard for or resignation about what is done with the world we do have, both in terms of the structures of human societies and the non-human world within which they are rooted. Put another way, we might say that imagining the digital s... See more
As a philosopher, I think the meaning in our lives is grounded in our consciousness. Human beings are conscious, and this gives us the capacity to invest meaning into the physical world. We can do the same with virtual reality. While an artificial city might not bear the same significance as one’s hometown, virtual worlds will build meaning of thei... See more
None of this means that virtual reality will only be wonderful. Just like physical reality, digital worlds are full of loneliness and pain. And suffering in virtual reality is just as real and as meaningful as suffering in physical reality.
While less glamorous than virtual reality science fiction landscapes, we believe that constructing a definition of the metaverse that is grounded more fundamentally in social structure will allow us to more effectively map its implications and understand the transitional nature of our current moment: The phase of human society where digital express... See more