Virtual worlds and moral evaluation

Consider the multi-user virtual worlds of online games such as EVE and World of Warcraft, or the multi-user virtual world of Second Life. Suppose a player performs an action in one of these worlds, via his or her virtual character, which would be wrong, if the virtual world were real. What is the moral status of this virtual action? In this paper I consider arguments for and against the Asymmetry Thesis: the thesis that such virtual actions are never wrong. I also explain how the truth of the Asymmetry Thesis is closely aligned with the possibility of what Edward Castronova has called closed synthetic worlds. With some qualifications, the ultimate conclusion is that the Asymmetry Thesis is false and that these closed worlds are impossible.     

Sin in cyber-eden: understanding the metaphysics and morals of virtual worlds

This article uses a notorious incident within the computer program EVE Online to exemplify and facilitate discussion of the metaphysics of virtual worlds and the morality of user behavior. The first section examines various frameworks used to understand virtual worlds, and emphasizes those which recognize virtual worlds as legal contracts, as representational worlds, and as media for communication. The second section draws on these frameworks to analyze issues of virtual theft and virtual betrayal arising in the EVE incident. The article concludes by arguing that, in the absence of countervailing contractual obligations, users of virtual worlds have the same de facto duties to each other as they do in mediated and real environments. This paper grew out of my senior thesis in philosophy at Pomona College, entitled Game Theory: The Metaphysics and Morals of Massively Multiplayer Environments. I am indebted to Peter Kung and Paul Hurley for their critical insights and constant encouragement, as well as the Fulbright program, which afforded me the time and resources to develop this project.     

What is novel about the Metaverse?

The Metaverse is not a radical departure. It is an incremental evolution. Previous virtual worlds, like Second Life, have laid the groundwork for the development of the Metaverse by providing valuable insights into virtual environments and social interactions. Studies of these earlier platforms contribute to a more nuanced understanding of what the Metaverse is, and what it is not. Based on studies of virtual worlds and by applying inductive processes of reflection and abstraction, we propose a framework that supports the identification of attributes that help differentiate the Metaverse from previous virtual worlds from a user experience perspective. We demonstrate the value of the framework by comparing the Metaverse to Second Life. Our framework and comparative analysis ground the current discussions about the Metaverse deeper in the established discourse on virtual worlds. They also shed light on the potential impact of the Metaverse, the special role of its immersiveness and help us to identify lessons learned that can inform the Metaverse's further development.     

虚拟团队的兴起与理论研究

在回顾虚拟团队的产生和发展过程的基础上,对虚拟团队和传统团队进行了比较,总结出虚拟团队在任务、组成、结构和环境等方面的特征,进而分别从虚拟团队研究的技术取向、行为取向和认知取向三种思路对以往研究进行了评述,并对当前虚拟团队中普遍关注的效能、信任和文化问题进行探讨,指出了虚拟团队研究的未来趋势。     

浅析虚拟现实技术在高职计算机基础教学中的应用

虚拟现实技术(VR)是一种新的使用计算机的方式。虚拟现实消除了传统的用户与机器的分离,提供了更直接、更直观的信息交互。通过佩戴头戴式音频/视频显示器、位置和方位传感器以及触觉接口设备,人们可以积极地投入沉浸式计算机生成的环境中。一个人可以创建虚拟世界,并进入其中去看、听、触和修改它们。当前的虚拟现实系统为感知扩展、创造性构建和独特的社交互动提供了新的能力。该文主要探讨了中高职计算机基础教学中虚拟现实技术的应用,以供广大学者和读者朋友参考。     

宅游天下——3D虚拟旅游发展探析

20世纪90年代中后期,Williams and Hohson首次提出虚拟现实技术必然对旅游业产生影响,旅游业将步入一个新的信息时代——信息旅游时代,也称之为虚拟旅游时代。而随着技术与观念的逐步成熟,3D虚拟旅游发展迅速。本文意在通过分析3D虚拟旅游的现状、运营与盈利模式,来探讨3D虚拟旅游的今后发展方向。     

电子商务虚拟商圈吸引力评价

在传统的零售业商圈吸引力理论的基础上,考虑了目前正迅速发展的电子商务市场的虚拟商圈的特点,利用层次分析法建立了电子商务虚拟商圈吸引力模型。首先,确定了不同于传统的零售业商圈吸引力的影响因素;然后,计算各因素的权重,并得出目前影响电子商务虚拟商圈吸引力的主要因素是商品价格和付款的安全性的结论;最后,用AHP分析模型对淘宝、易趣、拍拍三家电子商务虚拟商圈的吸引力进行实证分析,并得出拍拍、淘宝和易趣对买家吸引力减小的结论。     

The reality of friendship within immersive virtual worlds

In this article I examine a recent development in online communication, the immersive virtual worlds of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). I argue that these environments provide a distinct form of online experience from the experience available through earlier generation forms of online communication such as newsgroups, chat rooms, email and instant messaging. The experience available to participants in MMORPGs is founded on shared activity, while the experience of earlier generation online communication is largely if not wholly dependent on the communication itself. This difference, I argue, makes interaction in immersive virtual worlds such as MMORPGs relevantly similar to interaction in the physical world, and distinguishes both physical world and immersive virtual world interaction from other forms of online communication. I argue that to the extent that shared activity is a core element in the formation of friendships, friendships can form in immersive virtual worlds as they do in the physical world, and that this possibility was unavailable in earlier forms of online interaction. I do, however, note that earlier forms of online interaction are capable of sustaining friendships formed through either physical or immersive virtual world interaction. I conclude that we cannot any longer make a sharp distinction between the physical and the virtual world, as the characteristics of friendship are able to be developed in each.     

浅议虚拟企业文化塑造

虚拟企业的成功离不开企业文化，企业文化可以促进成员之间的整合，提高虚拟企业的管理效能，帮助虚拟企业生存和发展，但虚拟企业文化的塑造却困难重重。本文主要论述了虚拟企业文化的含义、特征、塑造虚拟企业文化所面临的挑战及解决对策。     

3D虚拟旅游的现状及发展前景

随着"互联网+"的产业融合不断推进,智慧旅游的理念已经深入人心,3D虚拟旅游已经运用到了实际的旅游产业中。"旅游+虚拟现实"结合的理念,是利用了计算机网络、3D虚拟成像、大数据和云计算等最新技术,把旅游景点直观展现在虚拟的世界中。研究了国内外最新企业、技术案例,分析当前虚拟旅游的现状和商业运行模式,指出目前存在的发展瓶颈,最后根据最新的技术发展,得出未来旅游产业可能发展的新业态。     

学术虚拟社区知识交流的研究进展

通过对学术虚拟社区知识交流的研究进行梳理,发现现有研究主要集中在"学术虚拟社区知识交流的影响因素研究"、"学术虚拟社区知识交流的评价研究"和"学术虚拟社区知识交流的提升策略研究"3个方面。研究发现现有研究存在"学术虚拟社区成员类型对学术虚拟社区知识交流的影响研究较少","一阶段数据包络分析方法评价学术虚拟社区知识交流,未考虑环境变量和误差的影响"等问题。"进一步探索成员类型对学术虚拟社区知识交流可能产生的影响",以及"采集纵向数据研究在学术虚拟社区的不同发展阶段应该采用怎样提升其知识交流效果的策略"等是未来可关注的领域。     

桌面型虚拟现实系统场景优化问题研究

桌面型虚拟现实系统的应用慢慢开始普及,特别是在网络上,有很多虚拟旅游、虚拟博物馆、虚拟学习环境,让人们在计算机前就能得到较为真实的直观感受。但是,虚拟现实场景的显示是由计算机的显卡和中央处理器实时运算产生的,对于小场景的虚拟现实问题不会很大,但对于大场景,如果不对虚拟场景模型进行优化处理,将大大影响其运行速度,降低虚拟现实场景的表现力。     

基于VR技术的虚拟知识社区构建新探

首先介绍了上世纪末的新兴技术,也是影响未来的第二大技术——虚拟现实技术(VR技术),列举了VR技术在多领域的应用,阐述了基于虚拟环境的虚拟知识社区的建构意义及建构举措,在知识管理理念上供业内同行商榷。     

论狭义虚拟货币

随着虚拟经济的发展,虚拟货币作为网络时代的新型交易工具正蓬勃兴起.尽管虚拟货币与电子货币经常引起人们的混淆,但是与电子货币不同,虚拟货币仍处于发展初期,人们对虚拟货币的定义一直众说纷纭,对其分类更是各执一词.虽然虚拟货币在金融市场上的自由流通尚欠火候,但是其与现实货币的兑换已然初现端倪.对于这种"货币",只有先对其做出明确界定,才方便在流通中和法律上规范各方行为.     

Trusting Virtual Trust

Can trust evolve on the Internet between virtual strangers? Recently, Pettit answered this question in the negative. Focusing on trust in the sense of ‘dynamic, interactive, and trusting’ reliance on other people, he distinguishes between two forms of trust: primary trust rests on the belief that the other is trustworthy, while the more subtle secondary kind of trust is premised on the belief that the other cherishes one’s esteem, and will, therefore, reply to an act of trust in kind (‘trust-responsiveness’). Based on this theory Pettit argues that trust between virtual strangers is impossible: they lack all evidence about one another, which prevents the imputation of trustworthiness and renders the reliance on trust-responsiveness ridiculous. I argue that this argument is flawed, both empirically and theoretically. In several virtual communities amazing acts of trust between pure virtuals have been observed. I propose that these can be explained as follows. On the one hand, social cues, reputation, reliance on third parties, and participation in (quasi-) institutions allow imputing trustworthiness to varying degrees. On the other, precisely trust-responsiveness is also relied upon, as a necessary supplement to primary trust. In virtual markets, esteem as a fair trader is coveted while it contributes to building up one’s reputation. In task groups, a hyperactive style of action may be adopted which amounts to assuming (not: inferring) trust. Trustors expect that their virtual co-workers will reply in kind while such an approach is to be considered the most appropriate in cyberspace. In non-task groups, finally, members often display intimacies while they are confident someone else ‘out there’ will return them. This is facilitated by the one-to-many, asynchronous mode of communication within mailing lists.     

Virtual broker system to manage research and development for micro electro mechanical systems

This works presents an analysis of the need for efficient managerial tools in order to address various challenges and opportunities for the micro and nano-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS/NEMS) industry, and to expedite the development cycle and shorten the total time from idea to market for devices based on these technologies. A methodology to provide support to the MEMS/NEMS community (i.e., researchers, designers, and entrepreneurs) is proposed and described. This methodology offers guidance during the early stages of MEMS/NEMS product development, provides means to manage research and development, and acts as a virtual broker in order to coordinate collaboration among various organizations to optimize the use of existing fabrication infrastructure. Innovative products based on MEMS/NEMS have made rapid improvements in terms of functionality, cost, performance, etc. However, many applications and devices based on these systems are still in the research phase, struggling to reach to a commercial stage.     

高职虚拟现实应用技术专业课程体系的构建

随着5G、人工智能、超高清视频等技术的高速发展和新一轮虚拟现实产业链的升级,虚拟现实应用领域日益丰富。本文在分析当前虚拟现实应用技术的职业面向及核心专业能力的基础上,以典型技术为边界,提出了高职虚拟现实应用技术专业课程设置思路,及“双创”视域下专业课程体系的优化与改革。     

虚拟科研团队知识共享机制研究

知识共享机制是提升虚拟科研团队知识共享效率和共享效果的重要保障。根据虚拟科研团队的特点,从团队外部和内部两方面构建了动力机制,从有形的规章制度和无形的信任和文化两方面形成了约束机制,从利益分配、自我效能感、知识共享氛围和精神激励角度提出了激励机制,最后构建了沟通反馈机制。     

Transformation to Virtual Societies: Forces and Issues

This article presents a conceptual research framework for investigating virtual societies. As this subject area is relatively new to the research world, this paper presents a framework for studying virtual societies. To date, much of the relevant research has been in the area of telecommuting or teleworking. But the changes to people's lives that may be a result of the movement to virtual societies encompass far more than alterations to the way we perform work in the future. The framework portrays the driving forces and the issues related to the study of this ensuing societal form. A review of the driving forces and issues of the virtual society stimulated the development of the research framework. It identifies technology as the enabler that is paving the way for society to be transformed into virtual communities, but does not dwell solely on the technology. Our endeavors focus on identifying the critical forces and issues within a global context in order to provide a foundation for future research.