In his multi-volume Technics and Time, Philosopher Bernhard Stiegler argues that human beings and technology are intrinsically linked together in a co-constitutive relationship. According to Stiegler, we invent ourselves through technology and through this process we constitute the conventions that make us who we are; time, society and culture. For Stiegler, technology and humans are fundamentally united – and technology is equally as much something in us as it is something outside us. Thus, as technology is an expression of our selves it is equally an existential problem, as we are designing our becoming. In this talk, I wish to extend this thought to our current VR technologies: what is it in ourselves that VR is symptomatic of? What can VR teach us about our selves? And if what we create is a question of who we want to be — what sort of virtual worlds should we wish to design? Through the talk, I will discuss humanity’s fondness for illusion, drama, art, representation and play in how these aspects of ourselves have their technological culmination in VR. Having discussed Continental philosophy of technology, we will continue discussing VR as intrinsically human, through the Hindu notion of Maya – Illusion. We discuss the perspective of VR as a microcosm and a crystallization of our fundamental identity. Finally, we review the potential of virtual worlds for altering our consciousness.
What is the relationship of virtual reality to lucid dreaming, and how can both mediums be used alleviate suffering? This presentation will explore the phenomenology of non-lucidity (experiential fusion), and how virtual reality can help us understand the core teachings of emptiness in the Buddhi...
In this talk by Sarah Hill, CEO of Healium and StoryUP Studios, we will learn about the therapeutic benefits individuals experience from the use of virtual and augmented reality technology. Sarah shows us how users of these technologies can see and interact with their emotions, heart rate, and br...
Neuroplasticity occurs in a direct equation to the relaxation of our grasping towards known thought forms, beliefs, and experiences. When we can open the mind to the unknown and the unpredictable, fear by degrees falls away, which allows the structures of the brain to form greater connectivity an...
