Metaphysics of the Virtual: From Plato's Cave to modern VR: Questioning reality's essence

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) technology and its metaphysical implications pose critical questions concerning the nature of reality, a conundrum that has enthralled thinkers since Plato's epoch. Plato's allegory of the cave emphasized the world of forms over the shadowy illusions, emphasizing a layered reality. Contemporary VR challenges this stratification, bringing forth constructed realities that overlap, enhance, or even replace tangible experiences. Drawing upon a plethora of scholarly articles, this essay examines VR's metaphysical dimensions, juxtaposing ancient philosophical delineations of reality against the transformative implications of VR technologies.

Keywords

• virtual reality
• plato's cave
• metaphysics
• reality
• simulation
• digital representation