Virtual reality headsets present us with two images, one directly before each of our eyes. One might therefore suppose that virtual reality offers experiences with the phenomenology of many other depictive images – an experience of seeing-in. This paper argues that the phenomenology of virtual reality does not involve seeing-in due to our lacking the required awareness of virtual reality images’ configuration. Instead, virtual reality is intended to generate an experience (...) resembling that of everyday perception, artificially recreating the phenomenology of various experiences. Interestingly, however, the present technical limitations of virtual reality frequently also generate an underrecognized form of twofold experience, where we are perceptually aware of both the content of a virtual reality image and the way that content is represented, yet still without our seeing-in. But while this twofold experience is often unintended, it can also be deliberately aimed at to help guard against some of virtual reality’s potential harms. (shrink)

The history of humankind is full of examples that indicate a constant desire to make human beings more moral. Nowadays, technological breakthroughs might have a significant impact on our moral character and abilities. This is the case of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. The aim of this paper is to consider the ethical aspects of the use of VR in enhancing empathy. First, we will offer an introduction to VR, explaining its fundamental features, devices and concepts. Then, we will (...) approach the characterization of VR as an “empathy machine,” showing why this medium has aroused so much interest and why, nevertheless, we do not believe it is the ideal way to enhance empathy. As an alternative, we will consider fostering empathy-related abilities through virtual embodiment in avatars. In the conclusion, however, we will, we will examine some of the serious concerns related to the ethical relevance of empathy and will defend the philosophical case for a reason-guided empathy, also suggesting specific guidelines for possible future developments of empathy enhancement projects through VR embodied experiences. (shrink)

It is commonly assumed that a virtual life would be less meaningful (perhaps even meaningless). As virtual reality technologies develop and become more integrated into our everyday lives, this poses a challenge for those that care about meaning in life. In this chapter, it is argued that the common assumption about meaninglessness and virtuality is mistaken. After clarifying the distinction between two different visions of virtual reality, four arguments are presented for thinking that meaning is (...) possible in virtual reality. Following this, four objections are discussed and rebutted. The chapter concludes that we can be cautiously optimistic about the possibility of meaning in virtual worlds. (shrink)

I discuss how virtual reality can be used to acquire self-knowledge. Lawlor (Philos Phenomenol Res 79(1):47–75, 2009) and Cassam (Vices of the mind: from the intellectual to the political. OUP, Oxford, 2014) develop inferential accounts of self-knowledge in which one can use imagination to acquire self-knowledge. This is done by actively prompting imaginary scenarios and observing one’s reactions to those scenarios. These reactions are then used as the inferential basis for acquiring self-knowledge. I suggest that the imaginary scenarios (...) can be in principle replaced with scenarios in virtual reality in a way that still provides an inferential basis for self-knowledge. Instead of internal prompting in imagination, I call this external prompting in virtual reality. I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of external prompting. On one hand, external prompting avoids some of the common biases that can intervene with internal prompting in imagination. On the other hand, external prompting comes with some challenges of its own. External prompting might be more time-consuming and might be open to a game-like approach of the agent leading to a different sort of distortion that gets in the way of self-knowledge. I suggest that these are practical challenges, but nevertheless, external prompting seems worthwhile for self-knowledge that is otherwise especially difficult to acquire. (shrink)

Erick J. Ramirez, Miles Elliott and Per‑Erik Milam (2021) have recently claimed that using Virtual Reality (VR) as an educational nudge to promote empathy is unethical. These authors argue that the influence exerted on the participant through virtual simulation is based on the deception of making them believe that they are someone else when this is impossible. This makes the use of VR for empathy enhancement a manipulative strategy in itself. In this article, we show that Ramirez (...) et al.’s ethical rejection of empathy enhancement through VR is based on confusion. First, we show that this misunderstanding stems from the conception of empathy-enhancing simulations solely as failed attempts at “being someone else,” along with ignoring the crucial difference between the psychological perspective-taking processes of imagine-other and imagine-self. Then, having overcome that misconception, we argue that the ethical misgivings about the use of VR to promote empathy should disappear and that these projects have greater potential for behavioural change than purely sympathy-focused interventions. (shrink)

It is controversial whether virtual reality should be considered fictional or real. Virtual fictionalists claim that objects and events within virtual reality are merely fictional: they are imagined and do not exist. Virtual realists argue that virtual objects and events really exist. This metaphysical debate might appear important for some of the practical questions that arise regarding how to morally evaluate and legally regulate virtual reality. For instance, one advantage claimed of (...) virtual realism is that only by taking virtual objects and events to be real can we explain our strong emotional reactions to certain virtual actions, as well as their potential immorality. This paper argues that emotional reactions towards, and wrongs within, virtual reality are consistent with its being merely fictional. The emotional and ethical judgments we wish to make regarding virtual reality do not provide any grounds for preferring virtual realism. (shrink)

Rapid advances in virtual reality technology raise a host of questions about the moral and legal status of virtual actions. This essay offers a foundation for addressing these questions by providing a metaphysics of virtual action. According to the proposed metaphysics, the actions of one’s avatar can literally be one’s own actions. We argue for this conclusion by arguing for the following: (i) in sophisticated forms of virtual reality, one’s avatar can come to constitute (...) a part of one’s self and (ii) the sphere of one’s agency is precisely the sphere of one’s self. Thus, there is a distinctive form of agency made possible by sophisticated virtual realities: *avatarial action*, an action of a real-world agent performed through their avatar in a virtual world. In defending our metaphysics of virtual action, we also illustrate how coming to a clear understanding of the nature of virtual action—and thus a clear understanding of the moral and legal status of virtual actions—requires attending to the nature of self and action and their capacity to be transformed through technological engagement. (shrink)

Olfactory Virtual Reality (OVR) for Wellbeing and Reduction of Stress, Anxiety and Pain - Journal of Medical Research and Health Sciences.

Much of the excitement and concern with virtual reality (VR) has to do with the impact of virtual experiences on our moral conduct in the “real world”. VR technologies offer vivid simulations that may impact prosocial dispositions and abilities or emotions related to morality. Whereas some experiences could facilitate particular moral behaviors, VR could also inculcate bad moral habits or lead to the surreptitious development of nefarious moral traits. In this chapter, I offer an overview of the (...) ethical debate about using VR to improve morality. I start by clarifying the rationale of using VR for good, drawing on moral enhancement literature, branches of the science of morality, and the specific potentials of this technology. Then, I will briefly focus on three prominent domains of socio-moral improvement: the use of VR for enhancing empathy, reducing implicit biases, and improving pro-environmental behavior. After that, I shall consider three ethical objections to the enthusiasm for using VR in order to improve human morality. Finally, I will recapitulate the main points of the chapter and provide a few concluding thoughts on future avenues of discussion on how VR can make us act (morally) better. (shrink)

Agential moral enhancement refers to the improvement of a moral agent qua moral agent through the application of technology. Anda Zahiu et al. recently argue that virtual reality can support such enhancement by fostering perspective-taking and, in turn, extending empathic concern. In this paper, we build on their proposal by arguing that virtual reality simulations of problematic situations offer a particularly promising pathway to agential moral enhancement. We contend that expanding empathic concern is insufficient for improving (...) moral agency, as morally relevant situations are often characterized by uncertainty and conflicting interests, and empathic motivation alone may not be sufficiently durable. By contrast, we argue that to become morally better, an agent should refine moral beliefs, cultivate deliberative capacity, and develop moral character. Drawing on John Dewey’s theory of moral growth, we argue that exposure to problematic situations is crucial for facilitating these improvements. We further demonstrate that VR holds four distinct advantages over traditional media in simulating such situations and propose two design models for implementing virtual reality moral enhancement. We also examine our approach in light of potential risks and argue for implementation within professionally supervised and safeguarded contexts. (shrink)

Storytelling has been an integral part of every culture and is one of the most fundamental methods of teaching the way of life. With the increase in academic complexity, storytelling as a significant pedagogy has taken a backseat, giving rise to the demand for change and modification in the existing system. With the advancement of technology, we are evolving in almost every field, be it education, health care, or finance. However, the growing emphasis on academic content has gradually diminished its (...) educational role. As school curricula have become more content-heavy and teaching-focused, storytelling has been sidelined, leading to a widening gap in learning caused by this disconnection from narrative-based approaches. However, this gap can be bridged by integrating virtual reality tools and artificial intelligence. The present chapter highlights how using VR and AI in the classroom reshapes education and ensures positive learning outcomes. Moving further, the chapter will unfold how VR and AI can be powerful tools in inclusive education, thus meeting the needs of diverse groups. (shrink)

Virtual reality (VR) offers a new medium for video games. But how does VR as a medium affect the aesthetics and design of VR video games? In this chapter my aim is to answer this question. I begin by introducing video games as an art form, then highlight two types of pitfalls that a game’s design can fall prey to. A game can be too permissive, or too restrictive, when structuring the player’s agential role given its aesthetic aims. (...) I argue that VR makes falling into either extreme easier because of the sense of presence VR elicits. After defining the sense of presence, I present a conceptual framework for designing virtual items, then apply this to the sense of presence. I argue that the resultant framework allows us to see how VR exacerbates the two pitfalls, and can help mitigate the difficulties of VR game design. (shrink)

Background: As part of a consistent effort to examine and provide integrative medical approaches to the therapeutic offering for psychophysical health, this study investigates the utilization of Olfactory Virtual Reality (OVR) in an inpatient psychiatry unit, more specifically in the Shepardson 3 Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at the University of Vermont Medical Center, in Burlington, VT, USA. Objectives: The purpose of this protocol is to explore the therapeutic value of olfactory virtual reality (OVR) in the above described (...) population, and to collect statistically significant data to determine the feasibility of potential future OVR studies. Method: Direct subject observation and monitoring in the context of Olfactory Virtual Reality (OVR) sessions and Qualitative data collection via the administration of subject surveys, subdivided in: a) Pre-OVR experience, b) Immediate post-OVR experience, and c) 1-to-3-hour post-OVR experience questionnaires. Results: The research yielded positive outcomes in all areas investigated, despite challenges related to the utilization of the device itself, issues in individual olfactory threshold, and COVID-19 restrictions and limitations. Conclusion: The outcome of this study indicates that the utilization of olfactory virtual reality technologies is a safe and effective integrative approach to target several aspects of psychological and physical health such as anxiety, stress, and pain, in combination with the psychotherapeutic and pharmacological standards of care in inpatient psychiatry. (shrink)

Realistic uses of Virtual Reality technology closely integrate user training on virtual objects with VR-assisted user interactions with real objects. This paper shows how the Interactive Theory of Perception may be extended to cover such cases. Virtual objects are explained as concrete models that have an inner generation mechanism, and the ITP is used to explain how VR users can both perceive such local CMs, and perceptually represent remote real objects. Also, concepts of modeling and representation (...) are distinguished. The paper concludes with suggestions as to how the ITP methodology developed here could be extended to iconic external representations and models generally. (shrink)

Purpose of the Study. This study aims to develop and validate Contextualized Virtual Reality Tours as instructional materials for teaching ecology concepts to elementary students, focusing on enhancing students' conceptual understanding of ecological relationships and environmental awareness in a local context. Methodology. The study employed a descriptive-developmental research design and used the ADDIE model to create Contextualized Virtual Reality Tours. Tools included a 64MP mobile camera for video production, AI-generated voice narration, and a 4-point Likert scale (...) assessment for validation. Data analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel. Main Findings. The Virtual Reality Tours significantly improved students' conceptual understanding, moving their performance from low to mastery level. Expert evaluations indicated high validity across content, instructional, and technical quality, and students rated the tours as highly acceptable and effective in increasing their engagement and comprehension of ecology concepts. Novelty/Originality of this Study. This study introduces a localized, semi-immersive Virtual Reality Tour model for ecology education, making science concepts accessible to students without field trips. Integrating contextualized ecological elements addresses the gap in immersive science education tools for local environments, promoting relevant and cost-effective learning. (shrink)

Extended reality devices provide users with unprecedented immersive and hybrid perceptual experiences, and users will act their bodies according to the information perceived. This shows that visual perception plays a crucial role in the formation and shaping of self-perception and spatial position. Users have a strong perceptual experience of their physical presence and self-perception in the real world as a result of their avatar perspective based on visual perception in a virtual hybrid environment, as is issued by Chalmers (...) in his "Mirror Argument". However, users can still clearly differentiate their self and spatial experience between virtual and reality. To refute Chalmers' argument regarding perceptual experience in virtual reality, this article proposes a thought experiment called "Mary's Room in the Virtual Reality World" based on the experimental evidence of neuroscience. Finally, a possible future solution to this dilemma is presented. (shrink)

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) is revolutionizing interactive technology, making it more immersive, adaptive, and personalized. This paper explores the potential of AI in generating virtual and augmented experiences, discussing its applications in various industries such as gaming, education, healthcare, and retail. AI algorithms enhance user experiences through intelligent interactions, procedural content generation, and real-time environmental adaptation. The study also examines the challenges and ethical considerations in AI-driven (...) AR and VR environments, alongside the future prospects of these technologies. (shrink)

Virtual reality (VR) offers a new medium for video games. But how does VR as a medium affect the aesthetics and design of VR video games? In this chapter my aim is to answer this question. I begin by introducing video games as an art form, then highlight two types of pitfalls that a game’s design can fall prey to. A game can be too permissive, or too restrictive, when structuring the player’s agential role given its aesthetic aims. (...) I argue that VR makes falling into either extreme easier because of the sense of presence VR elicits. After defining the sense of presence, I present a conceptual framework for designing virtual items, then apply this to the sense of presence. I argue that the resultant framework allows us to see how VR exacerbates the two pitfalls, and can help mitigate the difficulties of VR game design. (shrink)

Firstly, the "Metaverse" possesses two distinctive features, "thickness" and "imagination," promising the public a structure of unknown scenarios but with unclear definitions. Attempts to establish an open framework through incompleteness, however, fail to facilitate interactions between humans and the scenario. Due to the dilemma of "digital twinning," the "Metaverse" cannot be realized as "another universe". Hence, the "Metaverse" is, in fact, only a virtual experiential territory created by aggregating technologies that offer immersion and interactivity. Secondly, when artificial intelligence serves (...) as a key supporting technology for the "Metaverse," it presents multifaceted existential risks, manifested as safety, cognitive, and ethical dilemmas. Finally, we propose that the framework for responsible "Metaverse" governance should be constructed through three pathways: collective responsibility, realism, and the co-governance of the virtual and real. (shrink)

You sit in your office and put on the latest pair of virtual reality (VR) goggles. Suddenly, you stand in the middle of Times Square. A car almost hits you. You.

A research study investigates how Virtual Reality technology affects early-stage entrepreneur consumer engagement. Due to the growing industrial use of VR technology, businesses now employ this innovative tool to deliver interactive experiences that deeply involve consumers. Early-stage entrepreneurs have benefited from VR technology as it enables an exceptional way to make their brand stand out while building lasting customer attachment. Research based on extensive interviews with business owners assesses both advantages and setbacks that VR technology produces when applied (...) to consumer involvement. Thus, the research shows that the adjacent use of VR contributes to better consumer interaction in terms of perception, engagement, and memorization of the brand. Through VR technology, businesses can eliminate limitations of physical distance, thus enabling virtual product demonstrations that allow them to communicate with customers around the world. The research unveils multiple obstacles in implementing VR solutions because of their installation expense, together with the required technical know-how and consumer unease with new technological advancements. This research increases VR-related knowledge in early-stage entrepreneurship while suggesting efficient methods to use VR for consumer experience enhancement and business growth alongside small business challenge resolution. (shrink)

Eliana Mary Horn (2026) proposes an account of how we ought to understand prosocial behavior-promoting virtual reality that forms a middle ground between an overly optimistic and overly pessimistic perspective. Horn argues that the right sort of engagement with virtual reality cannot provide us with knowledge of what it is like to be a marginalized person, but it can provide us with a form of grounded inferential knowledge related to the marginalized perspective. As such, virtual (...) reality scenarios can still be used to promote prosocial behavior on a more realistic basis. Starting with Horn’s position, I ask whether the framework entails a risk of users of virtual reality becoming too overconfident in their understanding of the marginalized people’s perspective. The worry is that a user might mistakenly come to believe that they know what it is like to be a member of the marginalized group through the use of virtual reality. I argue that this is a possibility, but that Horn already has the starting point for a solution to the problem. I provide suggestions of how this starting point might be further developed. (shrink)

This paper investigates the relationship between immersion, emotion, and imagination in virtual reality (VR), focusing on two seemingly distant domains: Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s installation Carne y Arena (2017) and VR-based workplace safety training. Both cases demonstrate that simulated environments can elicit authentic emotional responses – such as fear, stress, or vulnerability – yet the implications of these experiences diverge sharply. Drawing on theories of presence and the “paradox of fiction”, we argue that VR should be understood not as (...) a substitute for imagination but as a heightened form of fiction that depends on the user’s willingness to engage in make-believe. While Carne y Arena frames affect as an entry point for moral imagination within an explicit artistic and symbolic context, occupational safety training instrumentalizes emotion as a means of behavioral conditioning within a productivist framework. The danger in both domains lies not in immersive experience itself but in mistaking a single simulation for the fullness of lived reality. (shrink)

In this paper, we propose incorporating virtual-reality-presented thought experiments (VRTEs) to enhance the quality of undergraduate courses on classic works in applied ethics. Thought experiments are a key method in applied ethics for eliciting intuitions as evidence for or against theories. However, our interviews and surveys show that undergraduates often struggle with imagination deficiencies, add undescribed details, apply pre-endorsed theories, lack seriousness, and show disinterest when reading written thought experiments, hindering their engagement and critical thinking. We argue that (...) VRTEs may mitigate these challenges by providing concrete visualisations, immersive experiences, embodiment, interactivity, and controlled reaction times. Feedback from our pilot practice indicates that VRTEs have the potential to mitigate these challenges. To enhance the benefits, we recommend allowing sufficient time for the development of VRTEs and alternating between traditional paper-based teaching and VRTE sessions. We also address potential objections to our teaching approach. (shrink)

Anorexia nervosa patients exhibit distorted body-representations. Specifically, they represent their bodies as larger than reality. Given that this distortion likely exacerbates the condition, there is an obligation to further understand and, if possible, rectify it. In pursuit of this, experimental paradigms are needed which manipulate the spatial content of these representations. In this essay, I discuss how virtual reality technology that implements full-body variants of the rubber-hand illusion may prove useful in this regard, and I discuss some (...) issues related to the clinical application of this method. -/- . (shrink)

The present chapter discusses the implications of virtual reality for the theory and practice of embodied cognitive science. The chapter discusses how recent technological innovations are poised to reshape our understanding of the materially-embodied and environmentally-situated mind, providing us with a new means of studying the mechanisms responsible for intelligent behavior. The chapter also discusses how a synthetically-oriented shift in our approach to embodied intelligence alters our view of familiar problems, most notably the distinction between embedded and extended (...) cognition. The chapter concludes by challenging the idea that virtual worlds ought to be seen as nothing more than a scientific ‘sandpit’ for the study of the embodied mind. Some forms of embodied intelligence can, I suggest, exist solely in virtual reality. In this sense, the ‘Matrix’ is not just a means of testing ideas about the forms of embodied intelligence that inhabit our own physical reality; it is also a means of creating entirely new forms of embodied intelligence. It is by building virtual worlds that we open the door to a new reality—one that is home to a potentially infinite variety of embodied, embedded, and perhaps even extended beings. (shrink)

Recent developments in immersive media have exposed a taxonomic gap between cinema, virtual reality (VR), and interactive digital narratives. This paper identifies and defines a nascent class of audiovisual works—Embodied POV Cinema (EPC)—as a sovereign narrative medium. Characterized by a sustained first-person perspective, sensorimotor coherence, and a fixed, non-interactive narrative structure, EPC systematically dissociates the spectator’s sense of ownership over a virtual body from their sense of agency. This paper argues that EPC is irreducible to either traditional (...) cinema, which maintains an external camera and spectator position, or interactive VR and gaming, which are defined by ergodic agency. Through a phenomenological analysis, we demonstrate how EPC’s core aesthetic principle is passive presence, enabling a unique form of narrative power: the authorial choreography of embodied experience. Recognizing EPC as a distinct category is essential for developing its specific aesthetics and understanding its potential for somatic empathy and narrative inhabitation. (shrink)

Natural scientists working at the intersection of virtual reality, psychology, and computer science have recently explored the question of whether Embodied Virtual Reality (EVR) can be employed to train empathy. While for some authors (e.g., Bertrand et el. 2018), EVR can enhance empathy by means of creating a series of perceptual illusions, which lead users to adopt the other’s perspective and resonate with her experience, other authors (e.g., Sora-Domenjó 2022; Sutherland 2016) have been more skeptical about (...) the powers of EVR to increase empathy in its users. This chapter aims at contributing to this recent debate by exploring how perspective-taking contributes to empathy in EVR. After an analysis of perspective-taking in non-virtual and virtual environments, the chapter introduces the distinction between sensual and emotional empathy found in classical and contemporary phenomenology (Stein 1989 ; Sveaneus 2018). While in sensual empathy, the user empathizes with the other’s lived body, in emotional empathy, she apprehends the other’s emotional states and their related values. It is argued that while the perceptual illusions elicited by EVR can lead the user to the impression of a body swap and, in so doing, foster sensual empathy, for the apprehension of the other’s emotions, which is crucial to emotional empathy, EVR must be supplemented with a series of narrative devices which that make the other’s emotions and values accessible to her. (shrink)

My research into Virtual Reality technology and its central property of immersion has indicated that immersion in Virtual Reality (VR) electronic systems is a significant key to the understanding of contemporary culture as well as considerable aspects of previous culture as detected in the histories of philosophy and the visual arts. The fundamental change in aesthetic perception engendered by immersion, a perception which is connected to the ideal of total-immersion in virtual space, identifies certain shifts (...) in ontology which are relevant to a better understanding of the human being. This understanding was achieved through a broad inquiry into the histories of Virtual Reality, philosophy, and the visual arts and has lead to the formulation of an aesthetic theory of immersive consciousness indicative of immersive culture. The primary subject of this discourse is immersion then: an experience which will be identified within the dissertation as the indispensable characteristic of Virtual Reality. The understanding of immersion arrived at here will be used to fashion a synchronous theory of art particularly informed by encounters and concepts of immersion into virtuality. To sufficiently address this subject in a scholarly fashion, I have researched, found and accumulated aesthetic and philosophic examples of immersive tendencies, as found within the histories of art and philosophy, which subsequently contributed towards the articulation of what I have come to call immersive consciousness. As a result of formulating such an immersive consciousness, a good deal of the basis for the questioning of the Western ontological tradition has been found in the Western tradition itself when we look with new eyes and ask new uncertain questions. Moreover, this immersive consciousness will be used to propose some abstract questions encircling today's electronic-based culture. Through the structuring of the argument within the thesis - and overtly within the conclusion - I have articulated a non-teleological creative strategy which provides the basis for an unconstraining integration of noologies (ways of semblancing the thinking process). This strategy provides a means of exemplifying - and for honoring - various methods of thinking. This structuring strategy is consistent with the 'hacker ethic' as defined by Steven Levy, as a demand that access to computers - and anything which might teach us something about the way the world works - should be unlimited and total. To follow this strategy, this dissertation has set out to understand how topical conceptions of virtual immersion connect to pre-existing systems of thought as revealed in art as they have extended out of antecedent ontological self-understandings, historical human self-understandings which have evidenced themselves in the elaboration of technological objectives. To do this I have forged a certain rhizomatic paternity/maternity for Virtual Reality within this dissertation by joining choice immersive examples of simulacra technology into mental connections with the relevant examples culled from the histories of art, architecture, information-technology, sex, myth, space, consciousness and philosophy. (shrink)

This paper develops a taxonomy of kinds of actions that can be seen in group agency, human–machine interactions, and virtual realities. These kinds of actions are special in that they are not embodied in the ordinary sense. I begin by analysing the notion of embodiment into three separate assumptions that together comprise what I call the Embodiment View. Although this view may find support in paradigmatic cases of agency, I suggest that each of its assumptions can be relaxed. With (...) each assumption that is given up, a different kind of disembodied action becomes available. The taxonomy gives a systematic overview and suggests that disembodied actions have the same theoretical relevance as the actions of any ordinarily embodied human. (shrink)

This paper presents the design, development, and potential impact of Echoes of Union Depot, a virtual reality (VR) game aimed at promoting historic preservation and raising public awareness about El Paso's Union Depot, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places Inventory. The game leverages the immersive capabilities of VR technology and 360° images to engage players in exploring the site's rich history and architectural evolution. Players assume the role of a time-traveling detective, guiding lost spirits (...) to resolve their past and move on. The paper outlines the development process, highlighting the use of 360° panoramic images and 3D Vista Virtual Tour Pro software to create an accessible and user-friendly experience that fosters historic preservation awareness and cultural appreciation. The study also discusses limitations and areas for future research, including expanding the scope to include other heritage sites, working with historians and cultural consultants for accurate representations, and evaluating the game's effectiveness in promoting awareness and fostering a sense of community pride. (shrink)

Purpose: This study investigates the transformative role of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in e-commerce and digital marketing. It aims to understand how these immersive technologies enhance consumer experiences by addressing challenges such as product visualization, consumer trust, and engagement while fostering higher purchase intent and customer satisfaction. Design/Method/Approach: A systematic literature review synthesizes findings from empirical and theoretical studies published between 2011 and 2024. The methodologies analyzed include experimental designs, market analyses, and conceptual (...) frameworks assessing the integration of AR and VR technologies in online retail. Findings: The findings indicate that AR enhances online shopping through features such as virtual try-ons and spatial placement visualization, reducing return rates and increasing purchase confidence. VR, on the other hand, provides immersive environments that simulate physical shopping experiences, strengthening consumer-brand connections. While AR demonstrates broader applicability in fostering interactive and personalized experiences, VR remains limited by accessibility and cost constraints. Both technologies exhibit immediate costs but offer long-term benefits, positively influencing conversion rates and customer loyalty. Theoretical Implications: This study contributes to consumer behavior research by applying value perception models, immersive technology frameworks, and engagement metrics to the e-commerce landscape. It refines existing theoretical perspectives on technological adoption by highlighting the interplay between sensory engagement, emotional connection, and consumer decision-making. Practical Implications: The research underscores the strategic importance of integrating AR and VR into digital marketing and e-commerce platforms. It suggests leveraging AR for product categories requiring spatial interaction and using VR for high-detail product exploration. The study provides actionable insights for businesses looking to enhance online shopping experiences through immersive technologies. Originality/Value: This study offers a comprehensive synthesis of AR and VR applications in e-commerce, highlighting their potential to reshape online shopping. By bridging the gap between physical and digital retail experiences, it provides a fresh perspective on how immersive technologies can drive engagement, accessibility, and personalized consumer interactions. Research Limitations/Future Research: While this study synthesizes existing literature, empirical validation through longitudinal studies and cross-industry applications is necessary. Future research should explore the long-term effects of AR and VR adoption on consumer trust, loyalty, and behavioral changes. Additionally, further exploration is encouraged into gamification, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and demographic-specific implementations to drive sustainable engagement. (shrink)

The aim of this note is to analyze four externalist conditions on knowledge about the real world based on beliefs formed in VR. We will discuss Wheeler’s sensitivity conditions for VR-based knowledge and propose a case wherein his favored condition, Virtual Sensitivity+, fails. Furthermore, we will advance two safety conditions and argue that while they pass our test case, they do not pass all of Wheeler’s tests. We will conclude that none of the four conditions on VR-based knowledge about (...) the real world is adequate, motivating a prima facie skepticism regarding the possibility of externalist conditions on VR-based knowledge. (shrink)

Employing the ideas of modern mathematics and biology, seen in the context of Ernst Cassirer's "Symbolic Forms, the author presents an entirely new and novel solution to the classical mind-brain problem. This is a "hard" book, I'm sorry, but it is the problem itself, and not me which has made it so. I say that Dennett, and, indeed, the whole of academia is wrong.

The article explores and discusses the doctoral research's creative, digital, and visual representation through the "RADICANT 003" virtual reality experience. Grounded in visual methods and the arts sciences, the article outlines its overall structure and contextualizes it within the broader research that in/forms it. It introduces Guma Joana, the Brazilian artist at the centre of this phase of the project. The article articulates theory and practice, ethnography and data presentation. And it is the experience we offer of the (...) work of the artist and of our own view of her that accounts for this dual operation. The paper details two digital mechanisms designed to engage users within the virtual reality environment: one mechanism deconstructs Instagram posts, while the other immerses the user in 360° videos. (shrink)

This paper compares the free energy neuroscience now advocated by Karl Friston and his colleagues with that hypothesised by Freud, arguing that Freud's notions of conflict and trauma can be understood in terms of computational complexity. It relates Hobson and Friston's work on dreaming and the reduction of complexity to contemporary accounts of dreaming and the consolidation of memory, and advances the hypothesis that mental disorder can be understood in terms of computational complexity and the mechanisms, including synaptic pruning, that (...) have evolved to reduce it. (shrink)

Immersive technologies, particularly Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), have evolved significantly in recent years, shaping a new frontier in human-computer interaction. These technologies are revolutionizing industries such as entertainment, education, healthcare, and retail by providing users with unique and interactive experiences. While AR and VR share similarities, such as enhancing user engagement and providing immersive experiences, they differ significantly in terms of technology, application, and user experience. This paper presents a comparative study of AR and (...) VR, examining their technological foundations, applications, challenges, and potential future developments. (shrink)

Dreams as Virtual Reality simulations. When David Chalmers wrote “The Virtual and the Real” the argument many focused on the metaphysical and epistemic nature Virtual Reality and how it compares to waking states and dreaming sates. But one interesting segment of the paper is where he defends his thesis by claiming that dreams are not experiences. This is where I take issue and, in my paper, I claim that dreams as much as VR are epistemically (...) similar enough to be called an experience. Exploring my thesis further in how the function of phenomenal and access consciousness play a key role in waking states and dreaming states. Having followed the argument laid out by Chalmers, I first test what would a sufficient answer for my claim look like. Then I chip away at the idea leading to the conclusion that dreams are epistemically rich as waking states. (shrink)

The Digital Revolution has given rise to a new era of perceptual experiences, marked by the convergence of analogue and digital dimensions into what is collectively known as Mixed Reality (MR). This paper explores the complexities of perception within digital environments, addressing fundamental questions regarding body and object experiences in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. The study aims to redefine MR by adopting a phenomenological perspective applicable to the intertwining of both analogue and digital dimensions. -/- (...) The reality-virtuality (RV) continuum is revisited, challenging the dichotomy between completely analogue and fully digital dimensions. Drawing inspiration from Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s concept of flesh, the paper proposes a phenomenological theory of perception rooted in the interconnectedness of living and non-living entities. This perspective fosters a posthuman reading of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, highlighting the co-participation of the extended body in analogue and digital environments. The study contributes to the understanding of transdimensionality within the MR spectrum, providing a new definition of the continuum as occurring between analogue and digital aspects (AD continuum). In conclusion, the AD continuum is presented as an amalgamation of the human living body and digital technology, offering new insights for the understanding of immersive MR environments. (shrink)

Typical discussions of virtual reality (VR) fixate on technology for providing sensory stimulation of a certain kind. They thus fail to understand reality as the place wherein we live and work, misunderstanding it instead as merely a sort of presentation. The first half of the paper examines popular conceptions of VR. The most common conception is a shallow one according to which VR is a matter of simulating appearances. Yet there is, even in popular depictions, a second, (...) more subtle conception according to which VR is a matter of facilitating new kinds of interaction. The latter half of the paper turns to questions about the contemporary technology of Internet chatrooms. The fact that chatrooms can be used in certain ways suggests something about the prospects for VR. The penultimate section asks whether chatrooms may legitimately be thought of as places. (In a sense, they may.) The final section asks whether cybersex may legitimately be thought of as sex. (Again, yes.) Chatroom technology thus provides an argument for the second conception of VR over its much ballyhooed rival. (shrink)

The goal of this article is to present a first list of ethical concerns that may arise from research and personal use of virtual reality (VR) and related technology, and to offer concrete recommendations for minimizing those risks. Many of the recommendations call for focused research initiatives. In the first part of the article, we discuss the relevant evidence from psychology that motivates our concerns. In Section “Plasticity in the Human Mind,” we cover some of the main results (...) suggesting that one’s environment can influence one’s psychological states, as well as recent work on inducing illusions of embodiment. Then, in Section “Illusions of Embodiment and Their Lasting Effect,” we go on to discuss recent evidence indicating that immersion in VR can have psychological effects that last after leaving the virtual environment. In the second part of the article, we turn to the risks and recommendations. We begin, in Section “The Research Ethics of VR,” with the research ethics of VR, covering six main topics: the limits of experimental environments, informed consent, clinical risks, dual-use, online research, and a general point about the limitations of a code of conduct for research. Then, in Section “Risks for Individuals and Society,” we turn to the risks of VR for the general public, covering four main topics: long-term immersion, neglect of the social and physical environment, risky content, and privacy. We offer concrete recommendations for each of these 10 topics, summarized in Table 1. (shrink)

This article criticises David Chalmers’ ‘Reality+’ by interrogating its distinction of virtual reality (VR) from 2D, non-VR video games, a distinction made on the grounds that VR is immersive and these types of video games are not because immersion is a distinct characteristic of 3D perceptually represented VR. Building on the Balcerak Jacksons’ account of ‘representational immersion’, which they acknowledge has ‘perceptual’ and ‘non-perceptual’ elements, I develop an account of ‘non-perceptual representational immersion’ and use it to critique (...) Chalmers’ treatment of VR, immersion, and video games, indirectly problematizing his central ontological claim that ‘virtual reality is genuine reality’ and the reflections he makes about future society which rest upon it. I argue that video games are rich in non-perceptual representational immersion, which includes the representation of non-perceptual information about the structure and behaviour of a virtual world and its systems, the non-perceptual cognitive states that are generated in the player by the virtual world, and the immersion which comes from the constitutively cognitive nature of the player’s engagement with the virtual world, a cognitive engagement construed in an enactive sense. These are just as crucial to the phenomenon of digital immersion as perception. Immersion generally is a much more complicated phenomenon than Chalmers allows for, and it is better conceived as taking place on a spectrum which includes both 3D and 2D experiences of virtual worlds, not as hinging on 3D perceptual representation. I use ‘immersive simulation’ games as a case study. (shrink)

Augmented reality (AR) technologies function to ‘augment’ normal perception by superimposing virtual objects onto an agent’s visual field. The philosophy of augmented reality is a small but growing subfield within the philosophy of technology. Existing work in this subfield includes research on the phenomenology of augmented experiences, the metaphysics of virtual objects, and different ethical issues associated with AR systems, including (but not limited to) issues of privacy, property rights, ownership, trust, and informed consent. This paper (...) addresses some epistemological issues posed by AR systems. I focus on a near-future version of AR technology called the Real-World Web, which promises to radically transform the nature of our relationship to digital information by mixing the virtual with the physical. I argue that the Real-World Web (RWW) threatens to exacerbate three existing epistemic problems in the digital age: the problem of digital distraction, the problem of digital deception, and the problem of digital divergence. The RWW is poised to present new versions of these problems in the form of what I call the augmented attention economy, augmented skepticism, and the problem of other augmented minds. The paper draws on a range of empirical research on AR and offers a phenomenological analysis of virtual objects as perceptual affordances to help ground and guide the speculative nature of the discussion. It also considers a few policy-based and designed-based proposals to mitigate the epistemic threats posed by AR technology. (shrink)

A central debate in the philosophy of virtual reality (VR) focuses on the reality of virtual items. Broadly, there are two main disagreements. Some views accept a metaphysical orientation to VR, and disagree on the reality of virtual items. For instance, David Chalmers (Disputatio 9(46):309-352, 2017, Disputatio 11(55):453- 486, 2019, 2022) defends digitalism, the view that virtual items are real digital items. Neil McDonnell & Nathan Wildman (Disputatio 11(55):371-397, 2019), by contrast, defend fictionalism, (...) which maintains that virtual items are unreal fictions. Other views, like Grant Tavinor’s (2021), reject the metaphysical orientation, argu- ing that focusing on the reality of virtual items is a mistake. In what follows I evalu- ate these two disagreements. I argue that experiences of virtual items depend on episodes of picture perception. Recognizing this reveals that the current debates are either easily resolved in favor of one view, or are not disagreeing about the reality of virtual items, but about what virtual items are. (shrink)

This thesis examines the fundamental question of whether virtual entities possess ontological status, developing a novel theoretical framework called Processual Virtual Ontology (PVO). Through comprehensive analysis of contemporary philosophical debates, this work identifies critical gaps in existing approaches and proposes a revolutionary understanding of virtual existence. The PVO framework conceptualizes virtual entities as processual relational emergences that exist in a distinct ontological category characterized by temporal constitution, relational emergence, phenomenological grounding, graduated reality, and processual autonomy. (...) Unlike previous theories that treat virtual entities as either identical to digital objects (Chalmers' virtual digitalism) or as fictional constructs (McDonnell & Wildman's virtual fictionalism), PVO provides a nuanced account that recognizes virtual entities as genuine ontological phenomena while maintaining their distinctiveness from physical reality. The framework introduces a quantitative measure of Virtual Ontological Status (VOS) based on five dimensions: Processual Intensity, Relational Complexity, Phenomenological Engagement, Emergent Autonomy, and Ontological Persistence. Through rigorous philosophical argumentation, empirical validation possibilities, and comprehensive comparative analysis, this thesis demonstrates that virtual entities do indeed possess ontological status, but of a fundamentally processual and relational nature that transcends traditional substance-based ontologies. The implications extend beyond academic philosophy to practical considerations in law, ethics, and technology policy as virtual worlds become increasingly central to human experience. (shrink)

Review of The Ethics of Virtual and Augmented Reality: Building Worlds, written by Erick Jose Ramirez.

We are likely to have immersive virtual reality and ubiquitous augmented reality in the coming decades. At least some people will use extended reality or “the metaverse” to work, play and shop. In order to achieve the best possible versions of this virtual future, however, we will need to learn from three decades of regulating the Internet. The new virtual world cannot consist of walled corporate fiefdoms ruled only by profitmaximization. The interests of workers, (...) consumers and citizens in virtuality require proactive legislation and oversight. -/- This white paper first addresses the central question the metaverse poses, whether virtual life is inherently more alienating and less authentic than face-to-face life experiences. This question is both a philosophical question about the nature of the good life and an empirical question about the accumulating evidence about the impacts of the digital on subjective well-being. -/- . (shrink)

Examples of extended cognition typically involve the use of technologically low-grade bio-external resources (e.g., the use of pen and paper to solve long multiplication problems). The present paper describes a putative case of extended cognizing based around a technologically advanced mixed reality device, namely, the Microsoft HoloLens. The case is evaluated from the standpoint of a mechanistic perspective. In particular, it is suggested that a combination of organismic (e.g., the human individual) and extra-organismic (e.g., the HoloLens) resources form part (...) of a common mechanism that realizes a bona fide cognitive routine. In addition to demonstrating how the theoretical resources of neo-mechanical philosophy might be used to evaluate extended cognitive systems, the present paper illustrates one of the ways in which mixed reality devices, virtual objects (i.e., holograms), and online (Internet-accessible) computational routines might be incorporated into human cognitive processes. This, it is suggested, speaks to the recent interest in mixed/virtual reality technologies across a number of disciplines. It also introduces us to issues that cross-cut disparate fields of philosophical research, such as the philosophy of science and the philosophy of technology. (shrink)

From the very beginning of ancient Greek philosophy up to the present day a puzzling correlation is found between rationality and reality. In this study this relation is examined with emphasis on the philosophical tradition of Aristotle and Aquinas. A comparison is made with the virtual reality created by computers and actual reality of our universe. The view expressed in the scientific neopositivism of Jordan and Mach is found to be an adequate approach to avoid contradictions (...) in the interpretation of modern physics. A challenging hypothesis is made by updating the Laplacian Demon by a powerful creative intellect in line with Judeo-Christian tradition. With this hypothesis a new light is shed on several fundamental issues in modern science. (shrink)