David Chalmers seems to welcome the prospect of Zuck's "metaverse," but some of us do indeed "still value sheer physicality." This is a bioethical issue. What is life going to make of itself in our world?
..."If virtual worlds are controlled by corporations, as they seem to be right now, will that lead to potentially dystopian realities where the corporations are controlling everything in our environments? I think there are obvious reasons to worry about that," Chalmers says.
It is unlikely everyone will turn to VR, and some people, Chalmers says, will still value sheer physicality.
"There may be a sense of authenticity in interacting in our original biological form. But it's hard to see why sheer physicality should make the difference between a meaningful life and a meaningless life," he writes. "In the long term, virtual worlds may have most of what is good about the nonvirtual world. Given all the ways in which virtual worlds may surpass the nonvirtual world, life in virtual worlds will often be the right life to choose."
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jan/17/virtual-reality-is-genuine-reality-so-embrace-it-says-us-philosopher
I find the concept of Metaverse to be interesting, but it reminds me of an Oscar Wilde quote, "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth."
ReplyDeleteTo give up physical reality in exchange for virtual is to pull the so-called "nicety" veil we place over ourselves in physical society to avoid repercussion. To hide behind these avatars is for the true self to be revealed, prejudice and all. It's a scary thought to imagine a platform where the "dark side" of others run free, but I can understand the appeal of those who wish to study it from a distance.
As for dystopian corporation control, I recommend people watch the movie Ready Player One. It explores this concept well.
Remind me to share what I wrote about this a long time ago, in retrospect I think I was talking precisely about the metaverse.
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