Overview

"Computers have dramatically altered life in the late twentieth century. Today we can draw on worldwide computer links, speeding up communications by radio, newspapers, and television. Ideas fly back and forth and circle the globe at the speed of electricity. And just around the corner lurks full-blown virtual reality, in which we will be able to immerse ourselves in a computer simulation not only of the actual physical world, but of any imagined world. As we begin to move in and out of a computer-generated world, Michael Heim asks, how will the way we perceive our world change? In The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality, Heim considers this and other philosophical issues of the Information Age. With an eye for the dark as well as the bright side of computer technology, he explores the logical and historical origins of our computer-generated world and speculates about the future direction of our computerized lives. He discusses such topics as the effect of word-processing on the English language (while word-processors have led to increased productivity, they have also led to physical hazards such as repetitive motion syndrome, which causes inflamed hand and arm tendons). Heim looks into the new kind of literacy promised by Hypertext (technology which allows the user to link audio and video elements, the disadvantages including disorientation and cognitive overload). And he also probes the notion of virtual reality, ""cyberspace""--the computer-simulated environments that have captured the popular imagination and may ultimately change the way we define reality itself. Just as the definition of interface itself has evolved from the actual adapter plug used to connect electronic circuits into human entry into a self-contained cyberspace, so too will the notion of reality change with the current technological drive. Like the introduction of the automobile, the advent of virtual reality will change the whole context in which our knowledge and awareness of life are rooted. And along the way, Heim covers such intriguing topics as how computers have altered our thought habits, how we will be able to distinguish virtual from real reality, and the appearance of virtual reality in popular culture (as in Star Trek's holodeck, William Gibson's Neuromancer, and Stephen King's Lawnmower Man). Vividly and entertainingly written, The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality opens a window on a fascinating world that promises--or threatens--to become an integral part of everyday life in the 21st century. As Heim writes, not only do we face a breakthrough in the technology of computer interface, but we face the challenge of knowing ourselves and determining how the technology should develop and ultimately affect the society in which it grows."

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9780195092585

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Reviews

Heim has a facility for grasping salient points from what is a vast and bewildering tidal wave of facts and issues, and presenting them clearly and succinctly....At his best, he successfully and vividly conveys his own excitement and enthusiasm....This book is an accomplished and informative primer. --Radical Philosophy This new book tells skeptics why they should appreciate virtual reality...and tells VR zealots why to cool their jets. Metaphysics is written by Michael Heim, an East-meets-West philosophy teacher. His first goggles-and-glove encounter sent his philosophical seismograph into seizure. The result is this essay collection, bibliography, and glossary that views computing from an ontological perspective....Like Heidegger and Mcluhan, Heim reflects on the radical shifts brought about by an unprecedented development, he ponders the erotic allure of cyberspace and the philosophical problems puzzling VR designers and users.....A warm-hearted, cool-headed meditation on computer technology. --Wired This engagingly written work attempts to deal with the pressing question of the effects of technology--in particular of computers and computerization--on our lives, our thoughts, our emotions, and even our view of reality....Ideas come from all over the place--from Greek and Eastern philosophy, science fiction, Leibniz, Heidegger, contemporary philosophy, artificial intelligence, computer techno-speak, etc.--and they all come at the reader in a mile-a-minute stream. This is Marshall McLuhan with a solid grounding in philosophy. --Library Journal Heim is clearing a path through exciting realms of thought. --AI Expert An excellent book. . . . particularly good on philosophical issues. --Peter A. Andersen, San Diego State University

accessible essays from the self-appointed philosopher of virtual reality I-D Heim's blend of Western logic, Eastern Mysticism and California grass may amount to a minor classic for PC-users--Zen and the art of Macintosh maintenance. These essays are full of good vibes. Modern Review

Author Information

Michael Heim is a freelance philosophy teacher living in Redondo, California.

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