Get Real - by Philip Zhai (Hardcover)

About the Book

Is virtual reality merely a video game that consumes players immersed in its simulations? Or is it an immaterial world beckoning us to a future inside computers? Philosopher/engineer Philip Zhai tackles these questions with keen logical analysis and defense of the possibilities in our new technologies to expand our idea of what is real. Zhai's explanation of the role and significance of virtual reality is eye-opening and original. Illustrated.

Book Synopsis

Is virtual reality merely a video game that consumes and distracts the player immersed in its simulations? Or is it an immaterial world, rich in meaning, beckoning people to a better future world inside computers? In Get Real: A Philosophical Adventure in Virtual Reality, Philip Zhai tackles these questions with keen logical analysis and concludes by advocating a stance that transcends these two opposing view of virtual reality. Zhai argues that the combination of three technologies-digital simulation, sensory immersion, and functional teleoperation-in a well-coordinated manner amounts to a re-creation of the whole empirically perceived universe. His analysis of the nature and significance of this re-creation is eye-opening and completely original. This book will be invaluable to philosophers of science, philosophers of mind and anyone interested in technology's growing impact on our lives and minds. The thought experiments in the book are mind-stretching and enlightenling, and make abstract concepts interesting and tangible.

Review Quotes

"The book is a philosophical joyride supported by solid scholarship . . .The author combines analysis with insight into things that matter . . . First-rate . . . written with clarity, verve, and insight." --Michael Hein, author of The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality

"Get Real has the potential to become a landmark in both philosophy and virtual reality. The clearly written text progresses systematically through one hard issue after another. Whether or not one agrees with all of the conclusions, this is a book to be studied and then restudied." --Vr In The Schools

". . . fascinating. The various levels are particularly intriguing as one thinks about the various ways one could incorporate them in an experience, and the whole question of 'real.'" --David W. Ellis, president and director of Science Museum (Boston)

". . . thought provoking and original." --Electronics Now

"Get Realis a philosophical tour de force, an astonishing and articulate work that is as challenging as it is engaging." --Midwest Book Review

"Based on research and logical analysis, the author offers a reasoned investigation into the way new technology is changing the very notion of reality and makes an original, provocative defense of the concept of virtual reality." --Baker and Taylor Forecast

"...nearly every page is brimming with challenging philosophical ideas. ...Zhai has many creative and important insights." --Philosophy in Review

"Lately, this reviewer has become skeptical about books that take a philosophical view of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Get Real is a refreshing change, from an author with credentials in both philosophy and engineering. In six very concise and well-written chapters he performs a philosophical exploration of the world of virtual reality. . . . Zhai has developed a book that is sure to be well received in both the philosophical and computing communities." --Choice Reviews

"Get Real takes a smart, lucid, joyful look at invented realities that just may be more real than any of us dares to believe. Get Real takes a smart, lucid, joyful look at invented realities that just may be more real than any of us dares to believe." --Trix-Mix Magazine

"The book appeals to both the intellect and the imagination and is a worthwhile one." --Independent Publisher

About the Author

Philip Zhai has degrees in both philosophy (Ph.D) and engineering (B.S.), and is a professor of philosophy at Muhlenberg College. He is the author of The Radical Choice and Moral Theory (Kluwer).