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The virtual society: An examination of the concerns regarding a life in fully immersive virtual reality
Abstract
This thesis argues that in the future, fully-immersive virtual societies could contribute positively to the prudential wellbeing of their citizens, even if they are aware that their reality is simulated. It builds upon the work of David Chalmers in Reality+ (2022), by further detailing how a virtual society might address the current trepidations many people have about living a life in virtual reality. Additionally, the thesis formulates a coherent model of a prudentially valuable virtual society, a model that can be critiqued and refined over time.
The first section describes several components of life in non-virtual reality that are considered by sceptics to be lacking or non-existent in virtual reality. For each example, it is argued that a virtual society can find a means to incorporate them. The second section discusses the position that utopian societies are "too good" to be prudentially valuable, and provides counterarguments against some of the reasons behind that perspective, in the context of a virtual utopia. Lastly, the third section offers five 'axioms of virtual abuse prevention'; design objectives that may help protect a prudentially valuable virtual society from corruption, abuses of power, and the suffering that may result.
Type
Thesis
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Date
2025-03-31
Publisher
The University of Waikato
Supervisors
Rights
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