So, on the topic of virtual reality in general: it seems that such a technology would be inherently dangerous. In the past few years, we have seen how social media sites and forums like Reddit have been used to supplement our physical lives with virtual ones. People tend to create accounts for themselves which they play out online rather than live life.
We see this as a sort of escapism from reality because people are not living their own lives anymore, but rather acting them out through digital avatars in an artificial world constructed by someone else. The technology of virtual reality is still in its infant stages, so we are unsure as to what consequences this will have on society.
Why Leave Home?
However, imagine that our world and the way we view it will be forever changed by such a technological advance. If virtual reality becomes more advanced than current technologies then humans may see no reason to leave their houses at all. In fact, there could come a point where people believe that VR is actually real life. Or perhaps we will see a reversal of this trend.
Perhaps people will reject virtual reality as being too much of an escapist fantasy and instead live their lives to the fullest by immersing themselves in real-life experiences. Either way, it seems that such a technology would be very disruptive to society as it currently stands. Virtual reality seems to be immersive for the user in that it creates a world that is entirely artificial and detached from real life.
What About The Disconnected?
However, what about the people who are not using virtual reality? What impact does such technology have on those whose lives are not being lived inside a VR headset? It is also interesting to consider what would happen if virtual reality became so advanced that it was indistinguishable from real life. The line between the ‘real’ world and that of VR could become blurred as technology progresses, creating a very bizarre and confusing situation for everyone involved.
Furthermore, the technology of virtual reality also raises a number of other issues. Specifically, it seems as though this technology may lead to segregation and discrimination by creating an artificial world that is entirely separate from our own. People living in VR will live their lives without interacting with real people who are not using such technologies.
Why Do We Enjoy Virtual Reality Headsets To Begin With?
Much of human society is based on the idea that a person’s physical appearance, or even their actions and behavior, are determined by factors outside themselves. This viewpoint is most commonly referred to as ‘the materialist paradigm’.
Unfortunately, it is a very limited view of human existence. It is like believing that the only thing holding up an object in space is gravity. It is, in fact, true that nearly everything we do is based on the materialist paradigm. However, it leads to many problems.
For example, it leads to a very superficial view of human existence. Instead of trying to understand people’s thoughts and feelings, we simply label them as ‘crazy’ for actions that do not correspond with our world-view.
It also leads to a dehumanizing of others. We do not see people as thinking, feeling individuals; instead, we perceive them as ‘objects’ in our world that have no will or consciousness. Finally, it leads to a false sense of superiority. We do not see people as individuals whose existence must be respected, but merely as objects that we manipulate at will.
Our Brains Love Windows Mixed Reality VR
The human brain consists of a number of parts. The neocortex is the most important part, and it processes all sensory information that enters the body. It also controls all voluntary actions. This region of the brain contains millions of neurons that are connected to each other via synapses.
Neurons can have many different functions but these tend to fall into two categories: executive or cognitive. Executive neurons control muscle movement while cognitive ones deal with thinking and planning. The neocortex is a very recent development in evolutionary terms, and it developed roughly 2 million years ago. It’s what makes humans different from other animals, which don’t have this region of the brain.
Artificially Stimulating Brain Headset?
Because the neocortex is so important, it makes sense to develop devices that artificially stimulate and augment this area of the brain. This can be done in a number of ways. One way is with electrodes that are implanted into different parts of the brain. Another way is with the development of virtual reality headsets. These devices, which are already being developed to a certain extent now, will allow humans to experience an artificial environment directly in their neocortex.
However, it is important to note that these devices would be a very limited form of virtual reality. They wouldn’t stimulate the neocortex as well as an environment created by natural evolution.
For example, consider how the brain processes information from the optic nerve. It does so in a way that is very similar to how it processes natural sensory stimuli like, say, light waves.