If you grew up with virtual graphics and interactions that looked just as real as the real world, would you be able to differentiate which world you were in?
This is a real question for kids growing up today. It is some ways is an old question. Decartes dealt with a derivative of this question in his paper world exploration. He was concerned about whether God was good, or an evil Genius manipulating us to our own detriment. He wondered if God could make an entire world out of paper that was so convincing that people would not know.
Perhaps if he was writing today, Decartes Evil Genius would us pixels instead of paper.
The question does provoke thought. In a world where video games are so "real" and even evoke feeling and emotion...
is it possible that the virtual world begins to feel more 'real' and 'significant' to people than the actual real world?
David Perry made an awesome presentation about this at TEDS... check it out
