The Philosophy of Virtual Worlds

PHIL10221:: University of Edinburgh :: Semester 1 :: 2022/2023

Course Description: This course is about the relationship between a particular sort of technological development (“virtual worlds”) and the traditional problems of philosophy concerning knowledge, reality, mind, and value. How does the salience of this technology, the way it’s been implemented, and its possible future implementation transform our understanding of these familiar topics? Is it likely that our lives are merely simulations? What’s the difference between reality and virtual reality? How do mind and body interact in a virtual world? Can you live a good life in a virtual world? Our attempt to grapple with these questions will be guided by various doctrines from the history of philosophy (verificationism, externalism, structuralism, dualism, materialism, theism, etc.).

Instructors:

• Dr Mahrad Almotahari (malmotah@ed.ac.uk)
• Dr Brian Rabern (brian.rabern@ed.ac.uk)  

Time and Location: Wednesday, 11:10am to 1pm, in DSB 1.17.

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Primary Course Text:

• Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy, by David J. Chalmers

• Optional Viewing Material

Schedule:

• Week 1 (Sept 21): Do we know we aren’t in a virtual world?

  • Reading: Chapters 2-4
  • Optional background: Descartes, Meditations 1 and 2; Moore (1939), ‘Proof of an External World’

• Week 2 (Sept 28): How likely is it that we’re in a virtual world?

  • Reading: Chapter 5; Bostrom (2003), ‘Are you living in a computer simulation?’

• Week 3 (Oct 5): Ambitious metaphysics (it-from-bit, sim theology, and structuralism)

  • Reading: Chapters 6-8
  • Optional background: Chapters 21-22; Floridi (2009), ‘Against Digital Ontology’; Steinhardt (2010) ‘Theological Implications of the Simulation Argument’

• Week 4 (Oct 12): Is virtual reality real? (simulation realism)

  • Reading: Chapter 9
  • Optional background: Pierce (1902), ‘Virtual’; Bennett (1966), ‘Real’

• Week 5 (Oct 19): The no-illusion views generally (verificationism and externalism)

  • Reading: Chapter 20
  • Optional background: Bouwsma (1949), ‘Descartes’s Evil Genius’; Putnam (1981), Chapter 2 of Reason, Truth and History

• Week 6 (Oct 26): Minds in virtual worlds

  • Reading: Chapters 14 &15
  • Optional reading (highly encouraged!): Dennett (1978), ‘Where am I?’

• Week 7 (Nov 2): The extended mind and augmented reality

  • Reading: Chapter 16
  • Optional background: Clark and Chalmers (1998), ‘The Extended Mind’

• Week 8 (Nov 9): Is there value in a virtual world?

  • Reading: Chapter 17
  • Optional reading: Nozick (1989), Chapter 10 of The Examined Life; Nozick (2000), ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’

• Week 9 (Nov 16): Do simulated lives matter?

  • Reading: Chapters 18&19
  • Optional background: Wolfendale (2007), ‘My Avatar, My Self: Virtual Harm
    and Attachment’; Luck (2009), ‘The Gamer’s Dilemma’

• Week 10 (Nov 23): The manifest image and virtual reality

  • Reading: Chapter 23
  • Optional background: Sellars (1962) ‘Philosophy and the scientific image of man’

• Week 11 (Nov 30): Review and discussion

Assessment:

• Practical report (1500 words, 40%, details to be provided)
  • Explore some part of virtual reality and write a report on your expeience: What was the experience like?; Could you tell it was virtual?; Did it seem real? Was the experience valuable? Etc. More details on reports to be provided in class.
  • Book a VR session at the library. Or go here. Etc.
• Final Essay (2500 words, 60%, details to be provided)

For additional course-related info, consult DRPS or philinfo@ed.ac.uk.