Simulated Realities & Escapism

Proof Of Concept
By Jack Rushton
Proposed Dissertation Enquiry

● In my thesis I would like to explore

the new wave of simulated and virtual
reality experiences that are becoming
more and more available, and why we
might seek them.
● Through the scope of escapism I want
to explore why people are driven to
find escapes and what makes a
suitable or preferable escape.

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Proposed Chapter 3 Case study

● The first area I would like to explore in my

case study is the rise of new virtual reality
experiences, mainly the recent chatrooms
and porn that have become available in
PR.
● I am also looking at the way in which Black
Mirror explores virtual reality in the
episode “Playtest”
● With both of these I would like to discuss
the root of these entities through
psychology.
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 Books

● Utilitarianism – John Stuart Mill

Discusses the well-being of humans through terms like pleasure and pain.
● Marx’s Theory of Alienation – István Mészáros
Explores Karl Marx’s theories on evaluation throughout his different
manuscripts and books.
● Anarchy, State and Utopia – Robert Nozick
In this book Nozick tries to refute hedonism by proposing a thought
experiment called ‘The Experience Machine’
● The Unconscious – Sigmund Freud
Freud talks about the struggle between the reality principle and pleasure
principle.
● Dawn of the New Everything: A Journey Through Virtual Reality - Jaron
Lanier
Looks at how virtual reality has gone from science fiction to a reality and the
future of it.
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Journal Articles

● http://people.loyno.edu/~folse/Epicurus.html
How Epicurean Metaphysics leads to Epicurean
Ethics. Discusses Epicurus’ philosophies on
hedonism and pleasure.
● http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~nd/surprise_96/journal/vol
1/kcgw/article1.html
The Philosophy of Virtual reality. Explores the
ethics of and reasoning behind virtual reality.
● https://philpapers.org/rec/LONTRO-6
The Rationality of Escapism and Self-Deception.
Tries to reationalise and justify escapism.

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Documentary

The Virtual Reality Virgin

Tyger Drew-Honey has never really experienced virtual
reality. But all that is about to change. With high-spec
virtual reality headsets expected to become widely
available within the next few months, Tyger explores
how they could change everything - from how we meet
up with our friends to the way we have sex.
He experiences one of the most successful virtual
worlds and has his own lifelike avatar created. And he
meets the man who makes robot sex dolls that you can
programme via an app on your tablet to be the perfect
partner. 'If you don't want her to be smart she won't be
smart, if you want her to be shy she will be shy.'.

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Key Images

Facebook’s virtual reality

chatroom

Full virtual reality equipment

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Bibliography

● Mill, J (1863) Utilitarianism

● Meszaros, I (1970) Marx's Theory of
Alienation
● Nozick, R (1974) Anarchy, State, and
Utopia
● Freud, S (–?) The Unconscious

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