“Embracing the Philosophy of Ecological Thinking for Virtual Worlds… Interpreting Virtual Worlds as We Would Ecosystems.” (Cameron, F. and Kenderdine, S., 2010)

Chapter 19

Ecological Cybernetics, Virtual Reality, and Virtual Heritage

Damian S. Quintanilla, Sr.University of California, Merced

 Ontology deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences.                          (                 )

Parmenides was among the first to propose an ontological characterization of the fundamental nature of reality.

         (~515-450 BCE)

Total Outgoing IP Traffic From New York, NY. (24hrs.)

Παρμενίδης

• Can the Virtual Reality be considered as an ecosystem?

• Would this Digital Ecosystem be subject to a Biodigital epistemology?

• Without a clear bifurcation of the Real/Virtual Dichotomy, how does the User/Observer perceive, learn, and operate in an ecosystemic Virtual Environment?

• Can there be a cognitively seamless transition between Ontologies for the User/Observer?

Existence Between Simultaneous Ontologies

But can the Virtual Reality really be considered as an ecosystem?

Sure, The Eco-Idea is not new...

(A)

And would this Digital Ecosystem also be subject

to a Biodigital epistemology?

An Ecosystemically Mediated VR?Hell, Why Not?

• The software calculates in real-time environmental perspectives according to the path initiated by the User/Observer.

• The User/Observer acts and behaves within a cognitive visual scene.

• The User/Observer perceives objects within this scene as a set of differences in affordances.

• The User/Observer manipulation of visual objects directly impacts said scene. (Cog-Sci.)

…but an Ecosystemic Human/3D Virtual Reality

Interaction is new. And these are NOT it.

(B)

Without a clear bifurcation of the Real/Virtual Dichotomy, how does the User/Observer perceive, learn, and operate in an Ecosystemic Virtual Environment?

And here-in lies the “Map/Territory/Frame” dilemma…. …right when things were looking good for Eco-Mediation of VR’s.

    “The Map Is Not The Territory”And, “this fundamental difference allows for informative exchange, and the further identification of difference.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (Alfred Korzybski, 1972)

• The “Map” is the cognitive representation of a geographical place that on which is generated a sum of differences in affordances offered by objects in the physical Territory, yet only exists in the mind of the perceiver/mapper.

• One perceives an object on a white wall as painting through differences in luminance, contrast, texture, (etc.); the frame places this object into the context of an artwork. The brain recognizes bio-electrical never impulses as perceptual objects through previous experiences of similarly “framed” like objects, thus a painting having objectness.

• But, without context, an object has no meaning or relevance… irrelevant (as it were) of the existence of perceptual affordance or difference.

• The “Territory” does not posses objects, only differences in affordances, (objects only exist in the perception of differences in the User/Observer).

• As per Bateson: Maps are “A sort of effect which sums up the differences, which organizes the information about a Territory’s differences.” (pg. 401)

• The Human brain interprets these differences as a set of capabilities belonging to said recognized object based on previous interaction with similar mapped representations of the presented object.

• No brain, no map, no recognition, no existence of an object within a  given territory.

What is the “Map”? How does “Territory” differ?

How Does the concept of “Frame” actually work in respect to the EVR?

The evolution of the interface point of reference, and diminishing borders as facilitation of ecological and systemic interdependence of the User/Observer on the VR for the interpretation of differences.

Immersion and fluid transition between subjective realities, or Ontologies, facilitates experiential affect in the perception of the Ecosystemic Virtual Reality Environment.

Ease of access, pink noise (masks “out-world” distraction), and perceived place-ness incorporate the EVR into subjective affect.

Naturalistic learning scenarios, transition effectiveness and efficiency, and the evolutionary constraints of the human cognitive condition on saliency. 

In BOTH Directions….

Discuss “Frame” concept here. The  Necker Cube illusion, the Escher blurring of the “framing” effect, and cognitive representation in set space… 

Where Does The “Frame” Nexus Exist In These Images?

Where Does The “Frame” Nexus Exist In These Images?

Where Does The “Frame” Nexus Exist In These Images?

Where Does The “Frame” Nexus Exist In These Images?

Removing the sensation of “Frame”….

…removes the perceived “differences” between the Real/Virtual Ontologies upon transition.

Ecological VR Educational Applications

Naturalistic Ecological Learning Environments For Children

Education and the Multi-Modal learning experience in a subjective Pseudo-Environment.

The Illusory Avatar In The Living, Breathing, And Ecologically Virtual Reality…. How Will You Know The

Difference?

BY ADAM CLARK ESTES APR 12, 2011

1) Without leaving your living room or office, you’ll sit at three-dimensional virtual meetings and classes, looking around the table or the lecture hall at your colleagues’ avatars.2) Your avatar will be programmed to make a better impression than you could ever manage.3) While your avatar sits there at the conference table gazing alertly and taking notes, you can do something more important: sleep.

Ontologically Seamless Politics?

Conclusionary Commentary and Future Projections… A Discussion. 

Images of complex naturalistic biodigital ecologies in VR.

So What?