How real is Second LIfe?

After the demonstration of Second Life during class last Thursday (Jan. 29), I've been thinking about how powerfully immersive computer environments can be. We were shown a large, complex virtual world that, despite its reputation as being for shy introverts, looked incredibly interesting.

I suppose one of the most appealing things about Second Life is that it is so empowering. A person can construct their avatar to be whatever they want, to compensate for any flaws that the avatar builder deems appropriate. And the Second Life universe is waiting for users to use it, to explore it, to build on it. Physical limitations that we face in the flesh world do not apply.

People are imagining creative ways to use Second Life. Consider this announcement found on the Chronicle for Higher Education web site on Jan. 23:

"... the director of debate at St. John's University, in New York, announced what is billed as the first tournament debate held in Second Life. It will take place on February 4 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time in the university's virtual campus. ... A two-person team from St. Johns will go head-to-head with two students from the University of Vermont. The topic will be whether or not colleges should limit tenure for professors."

The Second Life environment actually functions as a debate hall!

Second Life graphics are merely okay — not nearly as good as many cutting-edge video games. But can you imagine how real and sophisticated the graphics will look, say, 10 years from now? 

This daydreaming leads me to a bit of a thought experiment. Imagine a time a few years from now when Second Life graphics are fabulous and the virtual world offers to all of its users an incredibly rich variety of experiences — warm personal relationships, interesting places to visit, dancing, gambling, even thoughtful campus debates! Now also imagine a person who has all senses linked to Second Life. They are fed through intravenous tubes. They stay alone in a room with a comfortable bed. They choose to be plugged into Second Life 24 hours a day. They never take off their "Second Life virtual reality apparatus."

Is that person's life any less fulfilling than yours or mine? In other words, is the plugged-in life with the real benefits of the virtual world any less of a life than the life of a non-plugged-in person who experiences life in the "real" world?

I'm not sure I have an answer for that!