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Polymorphic Reality - Towards a Smoothly Connected Subjective Metaverse

Jul 05, 2024, 9 min read

Polymorphic Reality - An Intersubjective Model of VR for the Plurality

  • We are connected with others through “Window Technology”.

    • For example, we use Zoom through the “window” of a PC screen.

      • @GO_izm: Meeting people through the same window.

      • imageimageimageimage

        • I like this illustration (blu3mo)(blu3mo)
    • In addition, “Window Technology” can be found everywhere.
    • In the modern world where smartphones and computers are common, there are various examples that can be easily imagined.
      • Talking to people through the “window” of a mobile phone.
      • Collaborating with others through the “window” of Google Docs.
      • Chatting with others through the “window” of Slack.
      • Playing together with others through the “window” of a game screen.
      • Meeting people in virtual space through the “window” of a VR headset.
    • The connection with others through window technology allows for the creation of new forms of communication through technology and ingenuity, which is interesting (blu3mo)(blu3mo).

  • And when we connect with others through window technology, there is a “shared world” there.

    • It can also be called the Cyberspace or Metaverse.

      • A term used to describe a space where people can interact and engage in social activities on the internet as if it were a physical space. Wikipedia

    • In the case of a telephone, it is an auditory space.
    • In Google Docs, it is a shared document.
    • In Slack, it is channels and workspaces.
    • In Zoom, it is a meeting room.
    • In Fortnite, it is a 3D game world.

  • The question we want to explore on this page is “How should the shared world be?”

    • It is also a question of “How do we connect with others?” and “How do we communicate with others?”

  • Window technology has evolved from telephones to Zoom to the ”Metaverse”, and the “shared world” is expanding rapidly.

    • With telephones, only voice could be shared.
    • However, with Zoom, video can also be shared, and with the Metaverse, even space can be shared.
    • If VR devices continue to evolve and can share various elements such as touch, smell, and taste, it may be possible to create VR experiences that are indistinguishable from real space.
      • The “shared world” beyond the window is expanding.

  • However, is it really desirable to expand the “shared world”?

    • I want to say that this perspective is limited by the way we perceive the objective world/universe.
      • Even if we invest heavily in the “Metaverse” and create VR spaces that are just like reality, does that really change how we interact with reality and others?
    • Basically, it is based on the binary view of “sharing” or “not sharing” the world with others.

  • As an alternative to the objective world, there is a concept called Polymorphic Reality that could be considered.

    • (If there are any concepts that are similar to this, please let me know, as I would like to learn more about them.)
    • It is more like “sharing a part of reality while experiencing different details individually” rather than “sharing all of reality”.
      • i.e. We should not only focus on increasing the degree of reality sharing, but also consider ways to increase or decrease the level of sharing.
    • We should move away from the binary view of completely sharing or not sharing, and instead perceive it as a more continuous spectrum.
      • image
        • Until now, it has been a world of binary choices, either “completely shared” or “not shared at all” like on the left.
        • What I want to convey on this page is a worldview like on the right.- This can be called “smooth sharing of subjective reality”, as mentioned in Smooth Society and Its Enemies, referring to the seamless nature of a society that is not divided.

  • Specifically, this can be applied to things like meals, conversations, spaces, and time.

    • 📦 “Smooth sharing of space”
      • Here, “space” refers to the concept of space in human perception (including virtual spaces like Virtual Space, Zoom, and spatial.chat).
      • The smooth sharing of “space” is similar to the concept of Mixed Reality.
      • The diagram of “MR” below represents the smooth sharing of “virtual space” and “physical space”.
        • image
      • This concept can be extended to the smooth sharing of “virtual space A” and “virtual space B”.
        • For example, in a VR space, a room may appear as a Japanese-style room to person A, while it appears as a Western-style room to person B.
          • An object may appear as a rice bowl to person A, but as a teacup to person B.

        • @abi: controlnet’s MLSD model is very good at generating interior decor variations! my living room in different styles:

        • imageimageimageimage

          • It seems realistic and implementable with technologies like ControlNet (blu3mo)(blu3mo)

        • @needle: This can even be achieved in online 3D spaces like VRChat, where the polygons and stick figures are shared, but the AI decorations are left to each user. So, you could have a situation where “multiple players are in the same space, but to person A, it appears as a medieval fantasy world, while to person B, it appears as a space SF world”. Reality is not singular!

          • This is the kind of image I have in mind (blu3mo)
      • This reminds me of the textures in Minecraft (blu3mo).
    • 🍛 “Smooth sharing of dining experiences”
      • Situation:
        • Let’s say there is a “metaverse where you can eat”. Person A wants to eat pizza, but person B wants Chinese food.
        • A and B want to go out for a meal together.
      • In this case,
        • If A sees it as “sharing pizza together” and B sees it as “sharing Chinese food together”, both will be happy.
        • They are not sharing the element of “what they are eating” in reality.
        • However, both are sharing the experience of “sharing a meal together”.
      • I think this is an extension of Ukemochi (blu3mo).
    • 💬 “Smooth sharing of conversation content”
      • Situation:
        • Let’s say two people are having a conversation.
        • Person A tends to use the adjective X a lot, but person B is not comfortable with that expression.
      • In this case,
        • If the word X spoken by A can be filtered or replaced before it reaches B, both will be happy.
        • I think this can be implemented in chat or Zoom, for example.
    • ⏰ “Smooth sharing of time”

  • It is a world where some aspects are shared on an abstract layer, but not everything.

  • In this context, I am interested in what can be agreed upon (blu3mo)(blu3mo).- Even if you don’t share the entire reality with someone, if you can agree on important things, you can build on that shared experience.

  • @blu3mo: (Regarding issues like democracy and fake news)

  • I’m interested in an approach that gives up on the sharing of absolute truth and instead focuses on sharing reality in a loose/subjective way, and then considers how to reach consensus.

  • Q. Is this a “dystopia”?

    • A. It depends on the definition, but personally, I think a world where “smooth sharing” is possible is better than a world where it isn’t.
      • (Based on the value of Having Many Options is Justice)
      • A world with low freedom in controlling the degree of “reality sharing”:
      • A world with high freedom in controlling the degree of “reality sharing”:
        • Smoothly control the degree of sharing and only share the parts you want to share
        • I think this is a world where “people can connect more with each other”
          • As a result, connections between people may also increase? (Although that is not the purpose)
    • If discussing ethics, it might be better to talk about it on a more specific level.

  • Bonus

Memo below

  • Rethink the flow of the explanation

    • Maybe I should have started with the discussion of Window Technology
      • The metaphor of “windows”
    • Technology has advanced, and there is an increasing amount of interaction between people through “windows”
      • Peeking into a shared digital world through windows
        • (This way, I can explain the concept of intersubjectivity with metaphors (blu3mo))
        • Google Docs, Slack, Zoom, and even phone calls, they are all like this
      • This trend is progressing, and there are VR, BCI, and metaverse on the horizon
    • I feel a lot of potential in computers as “windows” through which people interact with the world (blu3mo)
      • (Here, I will briefly talk about my own experience and show my hopes)
      • It allows for the engineering of the “world”
    • However, do we really need to share everything when we talk about a “shared world”? Some points to consider
      • In fact, what’s the point of sharing everything? It’s just like reality, right?
    • To explain this, I will give some specific examples (SF)
    • What would a world that can do this look like?
    • Summary
    • In the bonus part, I will discuss something complicated
      • Actually, this is similar to Kant’s Copernican turn and phenomenology, right?

  • This is how subjective worlds are perceived in Neocybernetics, right?

  • These concepts would be extremely useful in a world where Window Technology has become widespread.

    • It’s a world where we think about phenomena=experiences, not just objective things.

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