Using Second Life as a Training Tool in an Academic Library

Training is an important factor for successful employee growth within an academic library. The purpose of this article is to scrutinize the option of using the virtual world, Second Life, as a training tool within an academic library. In doing so, various topics will be examined including training within libraries, the use of Second Life in educational settings, and Second Life as a training tool. Second Life offers unique opportunities for training but also presents a definite set of challenges, the first of which is the steep learning curve. Second Life is a virtual world that is being used with varying success as a training technique within corporate settings; however, little has been documented within a library setting. Nonetheless, libraries may find that Second Life can be an asset toward achieving their training goals.     

Save the Time of the Avatar: Canadian Academic Libraries Using Chat Reference in Multi-User Virtual Environments

Hundreds of librarians from around the world are exploring and volunteering their time in Second Life, evaluating the possibilities of offering a reference service in this environment. This article places virtual world reference service within the reference continuum and explores how a reference service could be offered by an academic institution in a virtual world, what additional skills are required for such a service, and whether there is a need for a virtual reference service.     

量子力学诠释与波普尔哲学的“三个世界”

基于"物质一元论"的观点,文章阐述了量子力学如何描述微观世界的客观属性。文章认为,由于采用了不具唯一性的波包塌缩假设,哥本哈根诠释对哲学基本问题构成的挑战并非根本性的,有人由此得到物质-意识不可分的结论在科学和哲学都是不严谨的。针对卡尔·波普尔"三个世界"哲学,文章基于量子测量理论描述了多个观察者如何对微观系统进行探测,形成客观的量子测量,产生微观世界的客观知识,从而对波普尔的客观知识世界(世界3)给出了基于量子力学本体论的哲学解读:物质世界(世界1)与精神感知世界(世界2)的物化载体(认识主体)相互作用,形成二者的关联和纠缠,它们对应了主观世界在内的精神感知全体,其中具有客观性的部分构成了微观世界的客观知识。文章还指出,伴随着微观系统客观知识世界的形成,信息从物质世界流向主观客体,信息流的指向定义了不同于通常物质世界的精神感知的物化载体。     

Virtual worlds vs books and videos in history education

In this paper, we investigate an application of virtual reality and artificial intelligence (AI) as a technological combination that has a potential to improve the learning experience and engage with the modern generation of students. To address this need, we have created a virtual reality replica of one of humanity's first cities, the city of Uruk and populated this city with AI-controlled 3D avatars, which re-enact everyday life of ancient Sumerians in the period around 3000 B.C. Our hypothesis is that by immersing students into this environment and allowing them to learn by browsing through it and interacting with its virtual citizens can be more engaging and motivating than simply reading the corresponding history text or watching an educational video. To confirm this assumption, we have designed a study with three groups of students. One group was given a historical text about Uruk and everyday life of its citizens (created by our subject matter experts), the second group was shown a documentary video on Uruk and the third group was immersed into virtual Uruk and engaged into interactions with its virtual inhabitants. The outcomes of the study suggest that not only did people in the third group provide much more positive qualitative feedback about the learning experience, but they also showed a better comprehension of the study material by performing (on average) 20% better than the first two groups on the mini-exam that was conducted as a part of this study.     

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.     

理想实验——可能世界的寻求

本文通过经典力学、狭义和广义相对论以及量子论中典型理想实验的分析 ,表明理想实验所寻求的只能是可能世界 ,而这个可能世界是由已知的所谓自然规律所制约的     

东西方视野中的中国近代教育

中国近代国门洞开后 ,大批外国人来华。西方人和日本人对中国的传统教育都很关注 ,并对之进行多层面、多视角的评价 ,对中国的新教育提出了可供采择的意见和建议。西方人和日本人对中国传统伦理道德的“仁、孝、忠”有着不同的价值取向。西方人和日本人看待中西关系有三种情况 :吸纳、舍弃、融合     

康有为孔教观的嬗变

康有为孔教观的嬗变分为三个时期:第一期为戊戌变法时期,康有为改革了传统儒学,融摄佛、耶二教,构建起较为完备的孔教体系,同时他亦提出了孔教建构的举措;第二期为戊戌变法后至辛亥革命前夕,康有为发展了三世理论,弘扬孔教的宗教性,使得孔教在宗教判释与融合中获得新的发展,其复兴举措开启了海外孔教复兴活动;第三期康有为进一步发展了三世说,指出了孔教的圆融至上性,并提出了系统的复兴孔教的方案,使孔教在复兴的实践中获得了新的生机。     

论可能世界理论中的跨界识别问题

在现代逻辑研究中,可能世界语义学不仅揭示了模态逻辑公理系统的直观背景,而且提供了强有力的语义工具,使模态逻辑的研究进入了一个崭新的阶段。但在可能世界语义学的研究中,也遇到了许多哲学上的难题。本文仅对可能世界理论中的跨界识别问题进行分析、探讨。