From: hughes@volcano.Berkeley.EDU (Eric Hughes) Subject: Re: Question 1: Public Interest--What Does It Signify? Date: 7 Nov 90 19:19:28 Message-ID: Organization: ucb In article <9677@milton.u.washington.edu> cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson) writes: > 1. What is the societal import of the current public interest > surrounding virtual interfaces? My cynical nature answers. The import is the import of the perception of one particularly cool example of surface of technical and scientific endeavor, the most recent in the parade of high-Tc superconductors, cold fusion, recombinant DNA, cryonics, space colonies, and nanotechnology. It will be the savior to all the world's problems for a while and then decline from popular awareness. Note the formal parallel of the following hypothetical (?) and plausible statements about technology: "You'll be able to mass produce miracle drugs for pennies." "You'll be able to have all the energy you want from your basement reactor." "You'll be able to get inside of complex abstractions and really understand them." The greatest import is of such technological wonder. Sad to say for the practioners of VR, but it has nothing to do with VR _per se_. My optimistic nature answers. Thinking about VR may lead to a greater understanding about the nature of perception and existence. (How many of you are reading, in this light, _The Republic_? How many _A Critique of Pure Reason_?) For the first time there exists the ability to create a new sensorium, however limited now. For unlike theater, VR is an unwilling suspension of disbelief. And to my mind, an increased humility toward reality would do no end of good. Sadly to say, however, I think my cycnical side will be more correct. Eric Hughes hughes@ocf.berkeley.edu