From: Ken Hillis <KHILLIS@geography.wisc.edu>
Subject: SCI: Bodiliness and vr
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1993 19:34:03 CDT


VIRTU-L


	I'm a doctoral student in geography and my dissertation, in
the broadest terms, revolves around sense of place, embodiment and how
visual technologies impact upon the former.  I see the word embodiment
used a lot in describing affects within cyberspace, virtual
technologies.  I'm wondering if there's anyone else who is working on
theorizing the difficulties inherent in the lack of bodiliness in VR
and what this might mean conceptually for when people are not
connected, and I'm coming to realize this means at all levels of VR
immersion, from text- based MOO's and MUSH's to full body-suited VR
applications.

        One of the things that concerns me (following Kroker, Panic
Sex etc.) is the possibility that to the degree that individuals seeks
to become more like data, because data is now a relatively (to say the
least) privileged form of matter, that they are willing to disembody
themselves, but inadvertently/willingly therefore, dispense with an
essential element of what it is to be human.  The role of consequence
looms large here.  From this it could be argued that technology, as a
surrogate for expansionist policies and the language of success, could
use VR technologies as a way of conquering the 'last frontier', the
human body.  

	This is entirely at loggerheads with the imaginative
possibilities VR holds forth, but I can't get around thinking that
somehow it's not entirely disconnected with the theme of the most
engaged discussion at the latest cyberconf in Austin Tx, which in a
nutshell came down to anonymity (i.e. no body, hence no consequence)
cf./ct. accountability.  Any thoughts???

Ken the virtual geographer