About virtual worlds...

Publications

Books and Edited Volumes

1.

Eden, A., Moor, J., Søraker, J.H. and Steinhart, E. (2012). The Singularity Hypotheses: A Scientific and Philosophical Assessment. London: Springer, The Frontiers Collection.

2.

Ess, C., Søraker, J.H. & Thorseth, M. (2010). Mobile / ubiquitous computing: dreams and nightmares. Special Issue of Etikk i Praksis – Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics, Vol. 2, 2010.

3.

Cover of 'The Value of Virtual Worlds and Entities' [dissertation]Søraker, J.H. (2010): The Value of Virtual Worlds and Entities – A Philosophical Analysis of Virtual Worlds and Their Potential Impact on Well-Being [dissertation]. Ipskamp: Enschede. ISBN: 978-90-365-3010-1

Abstract: Virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft are increasingly playing an important role in the lives of many people, currently counting more than 40 million active people who communicate, do business, fall in love, express themselves, build homes and generally seek experiences that are difficult if not impossible to have in the real world. This dissertation takes up the question of when and how such activities can affect the quality of our lives. In addressing this question, Søraker partly employs philosophical analyses of the presuppositions inherent in our conceptions of well-being, of the differences and similarities between virtual worlds and actual reality, as well as general clarifications of what virtual worlds are and what kinds of experiences and opportunities they offer. He also proposes a new theory of well-being, entitled Confidence Adjusted Intrinsic Attitudinal Hedonism, which is better equipped to make sense of the peculiar epistemological, ontological, ethical and prudential nature of virtual worlds. In addition to this, he also draws heavily on psychological research on subjective well-being, and critically examines what these results imply with regard to the value of virtual worlds in such areas as sensory pleasure, love and friendship, engaging in skill-demanding activities and having a sense of meaningfulness. The ultimate purpose of the dissertation is to leave the reader with a more comprehensive and nuanced basis for understanding the role that virtual worlds and entities can and ought to have in a good life.

4.

Søraker, J.H. (2005): Menneske vs. Maskin – en utforskning av begrepet ’kontinuitet’ [Man vs. Machine - an exploration of the concept 'continuity' (Masters Thesis)]. In Filosofisk institutts publikasjonsserie, Vol. 47. Filosofisk institutt: Trondheim. ISBN: 978-829-105-550-3 [Synopsis in English]


International journals and other peer-reviewed publications

5.

Søraker, J.H. (forthcoming): “Continuities and Discontinuities between Humans, Intelligent Machines and Other Entities”. Philosophy And Technology [online first].

6.

Søraker, J.H. (2012): Prudential-Empirical Ethics of Technology (PEET) – An Early Outline. APA Newsletter on Computing and Philosophy 12(1).

7.

Søraker, J.H. (2012): “Virtual worlds and their challenge to philosophy: Understanding the ‘intravirtual’ and the ‘extravirtual’”. Metaphilosophy 43(4): 499-512.

8.

Søraker, J.H. (2012): "How Shall I Compare Thee? Comparing the Prudential Value of Actual and Virtual Friendship". Ethics and Information Technology 14 (3):209-219.

9.

Søraker, J.H. (2012): “Virtually Good? Disclosing the Presuppositions Behind the Claimed Inferiority of Virtual Worlds” in Brey, P., Briggle, A. and Spence, E., eds., The Good Life in a Technological Age [Routledge Studies in Science, Technology, and Society]. London: Routledge, pp. 225-238.

10.

Søraker, J.H. (2011): “Virtual Entities, Environments, World and Reality – Suggested definitions and taxonomy”. In C. Ess and M. Thorseth, eds., Trust and Virtual Worlds: Contemporary Perspectives. Peter Lang Publishing, pp. 44-74.

11.

Søraker, J.H. (2010): “The Neglect of Reason – A Plea for Rationalist Accounts of the Effects of Virtual Violence”. In C. Wankel and S. Malleck, eds., Emerging Ethical Issues of Life in Virtual Worlds. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, pp. 15-32. ISBN: 978-1-60752-378-9

12.

P. Brey and J.H. Søraker (2009): “Philosophy of Computing and Information Technology”. In A. Meijers, ed., Philosophy of Technology and Engineering Sciences. Vol IX in D. Gabbay, P. Thagard and J. Woods, eds., Handbook of the Philosophy of Science. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 1341-1408. ISBN: 978-044-451-667-1

13.

Brey, P and Søraker, J.H. (2009): “A Précis of Philosophy of Computing and Information Technology”. American Philosophical Association Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers 8(2): 15-16. ISSN: 1067-9464

14.

Søraker, J.H. (2008): “Global Freedom of Expression within Non-Textual Frameworks”. The Information Society 24(1): 40-46. ISSN 0197-2243


15.

Søraker, J.H. and Brey, P. (2007): “Ambient Intelligence and Problems with Inferring Desires from Behaviour”, International Review of Information Ethics, 8(1):7-12. ISSN: 1614-1687

16.

Søraker, J.H. (2007): “The Moral Status of Information and Information Technologies – a relational theory of moral status”, S. Hongladarom and C. Ess (Eds.), Information Technology Ethics: Cultural Perspectives, Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing, pp. 1-19. ISBN: 978-1-59904-310-4


Reprinted in H. Nemati (ed.), 2007, Information Security and Ethics: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. pp. 3829-3848. ISBN: 978-1-59904-937-3

17.

Søraker, J.H. (2006): “The Role of Pragmatic Arguments in Computer Ethics”, Ethics and Information Technology, 8(3):121-130. ISSN: 1388-1957


Select conference proceedings, encyclopedia entries, and other publications
·

Søraker, J.H. & Brey, P. (forthcoming): ‘Virtual Environments’. In J.B. Holbrook and C. Mitcham, eds., Ethics, Science, Technology, and Engineering: An International Resource (second edition of the Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics), MacMillan.
·

Ess, C., Søraker, J.H. & Thorseth, M.: “Mobile/ubiquitous computing: dreams and nightmares [introduction]”. Special issue of Etikk i Praksis – Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics, 4(2): 3-10
·

“Good and Grounded – Combining the Empirical and Axiological turns in Computer Ethics”. In Klaus Mainzer, ed., ECAP10: VIII European Conference on Computing and Philosophy (pp. 388-392). München: Verlag dr. Hut. ISBN 978-3-86853-546-4
·

Søraker, J.H. (2009): “Convergence and Divergence in the Future Information Society”. In Hamer, I., ed., Living the ICT Future, pp. 62-63. Enschede: CTIT. ISBN: 978-90-365-2963-1
·

Søraker, J.H. (2009): “Virtually Good? – What Can We Learn From the Argument from False Pleasures?”. In Bottis, M., ed., 8th International Conference Computer Ethics: Philosophical Enquiry, pp. 767-778. Athens: Nomiki Bibliothiki. ISBN: 978-960-272-654-9
·

Søraker, J.H. (2009): “Technological Singularity as Upgrading/Degrading Continuity”. In J. Vallverdu, ed., VIIth European Conference on Philosophy and Computing, p. 165. Barcelona: UAB. ISBN/DL: B-27978-2009
·

Søraker, J.H. (2008): “Lessons Learnt from ECAP”. In IACAP Newsletter 3(1): 3-6.
·

Søraker, J.H. (2007): “Real norms, Virtual Cases: A Rationalist, Casuistic Account of Virtual Rape”. In Hinman, L., Brey, P., Floridi, L., Grodzinsky, F. and Introna, L. (eds.), Proceedings of CEPE 2007 – The 7th International Conference of Computer Ethics: Philosophical Enquiry. Enschede: Center for Telematics and Information Technology (CTIT), pp. 340-347. ISSN: 0929-0672


Key words:

Philosophical Theories and Methods

Technology and Quality of Life

Ethics and Technology I & II

Professional Ethics for Psychologists

History of Psychology

Philosophy of Psychology

Computer Ethics

Ethics for Creative Technology


http://www.utwente.nl/gw/wijsb/


P.s: J'ai demandé la permission de publier cette liste à M. Dr. J. Soraker, qui a pris le temps de discuter du problème que je lui exposais. Et je l'en remercie. La question restant, en reprenant les mots de ce philosophe, Is it really impossible to regulate legally?

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