Ever since technology and new forms of media populate our daily routines, the term of simulation grew in popularity. Several questions are associated with this field of discourse - how much of what is experienced as reality today falls under the category of technologically simulated experience? How far can a feeling of immersion be perfected and what dangers and merits does such an advancement bring? Is there a history to the act of simulation? Is there a connection between highly advanced forms of computer generated imagery and other, more traditional forms of mimetic activity in theater or fine arts? Why is it, that we usually are intrigued by the thought of simulating something, we could experience in other ways? - all in all a perfect topic for artists as well as technical scientists and philosophers. We put the topic to the test at our latest hybrid talks.
First up: Prof. Dr. Thomas Düllo. The Professor at UdK Berlin gives an introduction into his thoughts on simulation within literary creative work. For him, a simulation is closely related with the act of spinning a fiction. This, however, he does not interpret in the narrow way of producing literature, but in a broader way, seeing fiction as a specifically human way of making sense and orienting oneself within a world. He cites several examples where authors reflect on this necessity of fiction in various ways - be it within the temporary world of awesome festivals at remote places, be it in the smaller form of comics or short narratives.
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Sven Haberlein is CEO at Trotzkind GmbH, a company actively trying to advance the frontiers of virtually simulated reality. They configure environments in which various use cases for simulated reality can be tested. Weather it be fun escape games, team building seminars or workshops for construction work - virtual reality more and more seems to have a lasting impact on professional and private live.
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Back to the context of university - Prof. Dr. Barbara Gronau takes us on a trip through the history of the simulated reality of hunger artists in late 19th century. This is an interesting historical find, because it allows to compare arrangements, that are necessary in order to make plausible an alternate reality. With a hunger artist, the main attraction is something, wich actually cannot be seen. Therefor, precautions need to be taken, in order to simulate a reality and transform hunger into an observable object. The artists usually construct display cases, glass cubes, within which they present their body, undergo examinations and amaze the audience by a display of self-control.
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At last, Prof. Dr. Axel Gelfert, a philosopher from TU Berlin, introduces us to philosophies of a simulated world. He is an expert in the philosophy of technology and therefor manages to convincingly present to an uninformed crowd the thesis of a technological super-intelligence associated with the philosopher Nick Bostrom. Bostrom presents the thinking, that goes alongside the technological avant-garde of Silicon Valley. Here you find a sort of paranoid thinking, that extrapolates and makes plausible, extreme scenarios of the future. The point, where this thinking paradoxically falls into itself is presented by Bostroms formulation of the possibility, that we all are living in the simulated reality of another technological advanced society. Prof. Gelfert himself is interested in the conditions for the possibility of such a thinking. He closes by hinting, that it is symptomatic for a thinking that takes its start at overcomplicated technological environments, to extrapolate possible extreme scenarios, rather than admitting to weakness and instability, that need to be worked through.
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On that thought provoking note, the evening opens up onto the informal discussion. We would like to thank all the speakers for an intriguing event. Sadly, Prof. Dr. Gitta Kutyniok could not participate, which left the mathematical side of simulated realities untouched. We are shure to follow up on that in a future event.
- Benedikt