Realistic virtuality

Nachum Dershowitz
Department of Computer Science
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL  61801

It is not hard to imagine a future in which energy is cheap and plentiful, 
computers are tiny and powerful, organisms are genetically engineered to 
specification, and androids are at the beck and call of humans.  Harder to 
imagine is how humankind will spend its increased leisure time when massive 
amounts of knowledge are accessible on demand, when the total sensory input of 
individuals of all backgrounds are available for the asking, when one can 
vicariously live another's life in slow-motion as well as in fast-forward.  

Already today, entertainment is the preoccupation of choice for people with
time on their hands.  Indeed, the greater the sensory involvement in the
activity, the more thoroughly captivating it is.  Even education is being
packaged as fun to give it a competitive chance in commanding the student's
attention.  How much more addicted to sensory overload, adrenalin rushes, and
instant gratification will humankind become when everyone can "surf" countless
realities with one's mind, when biological senses are bypassed by direct
connection to programmed machines, when the "eye" is literally replaced by the
"mind's eye" and all flavors truly "artificial"?

In this seemingly inevitable future, illusion will have become the norm.  A
lifetime will just as easily be spent indulging in virtual, victimless vice as
immersed in the world's greatest literature.  In a world of free and virtually
limitless choice, who is to say who will exercise their minds conjuring up
innumerable beautiful mathematical theorems and who taking endless
chemical-free LSD trips?  Altruists can remake their version of the world's
history without pestilence or pillage, while the power hungry can satiate
their avarice in silicon empires of their imagination's design.  With an
artificial universe as playspace, each individual will have the choice of
traveling to the stars marveling at the physics of general relativity or
valiantly fighting galactic battles with imaginary aliens.

In such a scenario, human endeavor can come to a standstill.  The human mind 
can stagnate, innovation reduced to sterile variations on Hollywood-inspired 
themes.  With no mystery left in the world, there would be no need for 
interpersonal intercourse, no desire for real experience.  

The question is how can we, as purveyors of the information age, provide an
alternative to a vapid lifestyle?  How can we encourage the conscious decision
to prefer nurturing one's creative faculties over maintaining an addiction to
virtuality endeavors?