From: hjtoi@jyu.fi (Heikki J Toivonen)
Subject: PHIL: Marriages in cyberspace
Date: Thu, 6 May 1993 14:03:19 GMT
Organization: University of Jyvaskyla, Finland



In MUDs (or MUSHes or whatever), it is quite common that people get married
in the game. But what if the persons are married in real life (to different
persons)? Does that make them polygamists?

Let me ponder this a little. If the persons are purely playing the game, and
the person conducting the ceremony is a TnobodyU, there is probably nothing
to worry about. But what if the game persons get married because they TseeU 
what is behind the role character, and marry because of that? And even worse,
what if it is a real priest, or something like that who is Tplaying the part
of the priestU? And what if that TpriestU is using the real formula of the
ceremony?

Is it actually possible to marry someone not physically present? I mean, is
it legal in some countries to get married via the net, or have a Tvideo-
weddingsU, where the participants are seen only from the TV sets? This 
thing gets even more difficult with the TrealU cyberspace. Is there any work
being done to get laws adapt to these situations? Has there been any legal
cases about things like that?

**** Heikki Toivonen ***** Mails & Flames: ************************************
*    Helvintie 2 E 8    * Voice:  (9)41 - 245 073 * Is there a reality beyond *
*    40500 Jyvaskyla    * E-mail:    hjtoi@jyu.fi * the virtual one?          *
**** FINLAND ******************************************************************