Virtuality: Time, Space, Conciousness and a Second Life

David published a chapter in the book, Exploring Virtuality: Social, Global and Local Dimensions, in 2008, entitled ‘Virtuality: Time, Space, Conciousness and a Second Life’.

Abstract:Virtuality and reality are today sometimes seen as opposites (Sotto, 1997). Yet a look beneath the surface of the concept of virtuality leads us into a much more complex understanding, not only of what virtuality is or might be, but of reality itself. We are left, indeed, unsure of the opposition, and even uncertain of our future in an increasingly virtual world. Are the real and the virtual truly as opposed to one another as might at first appear? Does virtuality threaten to starve us of the merits of a more “grounded” or “substantial” reality? This chapter — perhaps the most philosophical and abstract in this current collection — questions whether the real and the virtual are really so opposed, and, in the course of the arguments in examining this issue, questions whether virtuality can indeed be regarded as any kind of threat to the mental health or psychological development of those engaged in it — or indeed to a society that embraces it — and posits that virtuality may even be inherent in the nature of what it is to be human.

Ref:

Kreps, D (2008) ‘Virtuality: Time, Space, Conciousness and a Second Life’ Chapter in Exploring Virtuality: Social, Global and Local Dimensions Eds: Niki Panteli and Mike Chiasson (Palgrave) pp254-268 DOI: 10.1007/978-0-230-59397-8_12