{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Ep 12: Epistemology and Virtual Worlds; Is this the Real Life?","description":"The Philosophers talk about the possibility of games what are too realistic.\r\n \r\nSean and Ryver talk about the movement to more realistic technologies in all fields of technologies\r\n \r\nBruce compares computers now to computers of ages past\r\n \r\nSean brings up the possibility of games we cannot distinguish from reality.\r\n \r\nRyver asks if we may end up wondering where the game ends\r\n \r\nBruce elaborates on this a bit\r\n \r\nSean proposes a test by which we might determine when we have hit the point of “too real”\r\n \r\nRyver discusses how this may have happened already to some small extent.\r\n \r\nBruce proposes how this could come about\r\n \r\nSean explains that this is not as far as it would need to go to reach this stage of reality.\r\n \r\nBruce talks about why he thinks that people will embrace these “too real” games even if we believe them to be harmful.\r\n \r\nRyver and Sean clarify the terms of psychological harm\r\n \r\nBruce interjects that different people will be affected differently\r\n \r\nSean asks what making a game “too real” would do to consumption and whether or not we should engage in these things\r\n \r\nBruce and Ryver talk about this installation of some kind of panic button\r\n \r\nSean asks if we can know that we are not already in a simulation\r\n \r\nBruce talks about what kind of game reality would be\r\n \r\nSean talks about an individual persons having their own genre and the movie Gamer\r\n \r\nBruce compares this concept to The Sims\r\n \r\nSean and Bruce talk about how this differs due to the lack of wholly different experiences\r\n \r\nBruce asks if we can ever know if there is a higher or “more real” level of things\r\n \r\nSean likens this idea to the movie Inception.\r\n \r\nBruce asks if it would even really make a difference if there is another or higher level of reality and asks us to consider the Meditations of Descarte\r\n \r\nSean ponders if we might only be able to get out with a “God's Eye” perspective. (http:\/\/simple.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/God%27s_eye_view)\r\n \r\nRyver mentions that higher levels of reality are not something we are inclined to accept and likens this idea to the Allegory of the Cave (http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Allegory_of_the_Cave)\r\n \r\nSean explains that one can only know if there is a higher reality if they are the player.\r\n \r\nBruce talks about whether the supposed levels of reality are just part of the same thing, and that this would only expand our horizons.\r\n \r\nSean discusses the idea that our sensory data, real or false, would still be the driving factor behind our decisions.\r\n \r\nRyver asks if a full immersion reality would necessarily be a bad thing\r\n \r\nBruce presents the possibility of a level of moral abuse that would otherwise be impossible\r\n \r\nSean answers that the problem would be whether or not we think they are entitled to Truth\r\n \r\nBruce wonders if Truth is more important than a comfortable life\r\n \r\nRyver discusses the possibility of this as a way to help people in comas.\r\n \r\nSean likens these ideas to the movie Strange Days (http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0114558\/)\r\n \r\nRyver talks about how not everyone may want the ability to experience that which they are incapable of physically.\r\n \r\nBruce talks about whether or not we could learn or grow in such a state\r\n \r\nRyver discusses the Hedonism or Experience Machine thought experiment (http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Experience_machine)\r\n \r\nBruce expresses a belief that we could not escape wanting such a thing\r\n \r\nSean disputes this argument with the Nietzsche's philosophy of hardship (http:\/\/www.brainpickings.org\/2014\/10\/15\/nietzsche-on-difficulty\/)\r\n \r\nBruce and Sean discuss whether or not we could grow as people with this ability\r\n \r\nRyver brings up the idea of heirs to large fortunes and how they are not always capable of growing and learning as people.\r\n \r\nSean takes the last word to discuss that these questions are not restricted to just video games, but are inclusive to all our media. He also talks about how these questions are ones that will need to be answered by us as a society going forward. Honorable mention goes to the movies Existenz (http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0120907\/) and Total Recall (http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0100802\/).\r\n \r\nAnd as always please give us your honest review on iTunes and Stitcher. It helps us make the show better with every one we get to read.\r\nHelp keep the show going and the moon safe by supporting us on Patreon\r\nhttps:\/\/patreon.com\/Philosophy\r\nHelp keep us from disappearing by engaging us on the social media platform of your choice:\r\nhttp:\/\/www.philosophicalchaingang.com\r\nhttp:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/professormetal\r\nhttp:\/\/www.twitter.com\/PChainGang\r\nhttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PChainGang\r\nhttps:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/PChainGang\/\r\n \r\nhttp:\/\/pchaingang.tumblr.com\/","author_name":"Professor Metal's Irate Debate and Calamitous Commentary","author_url":"http:\/\/www.PhilosophicalChainGang.com","html":"