Discovering a Threshold: a Novel Approach to the Ontology of VR

Abstract

This paper critically examines the predominant reductionist-materialist approach to the ontology of virtual realities, as exemplified by the ontological theory of David Chalmers. Following this discussion the paper presents a novel analytical approach informed by a longstanding tradition within the phenomenological tradition which focuses on the analysis of phenomenal break-downs. Based on the analysis of the breakdown of immersion an ontological threshold between the virtual and the non- virtual domains is revealed, which theoretically equips us to understand the two as disparate realities in their own right. The paper concludes by briefly discussing how this new ontological understanding can be relevant for theoretical discussions within the field of Game Studies.