## Draft of extended outline for Aesthetics of VR VR and Immersion in (very) different worlds [[Virtual Body Ownership]] and VR [[Medium specificity]] is the view that the media associated with a given art form (both its material components and the processes by which they are exploited) entail specific possibilities for and constraints on representation and expression. This provides and this provide a normative framework for what artists working in that art form ought to attempt (Cf. also Carroll 2008). ‘[[The idea]] - which weI shall call the medium-specificity thesis - that each artform, in virtue of its medium, has its own exclusive domain of development […]’ (Carroll 1985).[1] - Maybe some more details above? Mention the [[aesthetic specificity]] of other art forms - Tavinor’s nonsense here? His suggestion as to what VR’s [[aesthetic specificity]] is. Followed by why we think this does not work. Two features of [[virtual reality]] (VR) that one might think contribute to its [[aesthetic specificity]] are immersion and interaction. Immersion can be understood as [[the experience]] of a three-dimensional environment from a perceptual, egocentric perspective, where one inhabits the totality of the work from the inside. In VR, immersiveness is achieved through head-mounted displays and 3D audio, which together create a convincing three-dimensional environment. Interaction refers to the user's active engagement with the environment. Interaction in VR occurs through hand controllers and motion sensors, allowing users to manipulate and engage with the virtual environment. However, in and of themselves, these features cannot be what makes VR a unique artistic medium. Architecture, for example, exhibits immersion; the [[Guggenheim Museum]] in Bilbao, designed by [[Frank Gehry]], envelops visitors in a flowing design, creating an immersive spatial experience. Moreover, [[installation art]] is both immersive and can, on occasion, involve interaction; 'The [[Weather Project]]' by [[Olafur Eliasson]] at the [[Tate Modern]], with its giant sun and mirrored ceiling, immerses viewers and invites interaction, making their reflections part of the artwork. Although immersiveness is not, in and of itself, sufficient to count as a VR-specific feature, we suggest that it underlies one way in which VR is aesthetically specific, which we might call otherworldly immersion. What we mean by this is that VR allows for immersion in worlds which are dramatically different from our own. For instance, in the VR game 'Gravity Sketch', users can manipulate physics to create and interact with objects in three-dimensional space, defying the conventional laws of gravity. Unlike architecture, VR environments can feature altered [[physical laws]] or be styled in an outlandish, cartoon-like manner. It could be argued that otherworldliness is not unique to VR, as video games and fiction can also present very peculiar worlds (e.g., the game 'Antichamber' which features non-Euclidean spaces, and the novel 'Flatland'). However, unlike video games played on a TV or monitor, VR provides a sense of physical presence in a particular space. This is evident when comparing the VR and non-VR versions of 'Superhot: Mind Control Delete'. While both present 3D worlds viewed from a first-person perspective, the VR version offers a more immersive experience, making players feel as if they are physically inside the game's environment. VR's aesthetic specificity partly lies in its combination of two features: the immersive experience akin to being in a physical place, similar to architecture, and the creation of environments that significantly differ from reality, akin to video games. Whereas otherworldly immersion is a specificity of VR in virtue of its being a unique combination of features found in other forms of art, Virtual Body Ownership (VBO) is a feature entirely unique to VR. A sense of embodiment, that is, the sense of the VR user that their virtual body is their actual body, can be brought about by mechanisms such as accurate and responsive tracking, which mirrors the user's real-world movements in the virtual environment, high-quality visual feedback that makes the avatar's movements and reactions realistically sync with the user's actions, and tactile feedback through VR gloves or suits, providing physical sensations that align with the virtual experiences. The aesthetic specificity of VR comes from the fact that these techniques can be used to make VR users feel ownership of virtual bodies which are quite different from human bodies. (See for example, Ahn et al. 2016). VBO therefore, allows for VR users to have a type of aesthetic experience that they would not encounter through other art forms.  Moreover, as VR interface technology improves, the possibilities of body ownership will only increase. Finally, these aesthetic specificities compliment each other. VR allows for the possibility of immersing oneself in an alien world in an alien self.** ## References Ahn, S. J. G., Bostick, J., Ogle, E., Nowak, K. L., McGillicuddy, K. T., & Bailenson, J. N. (2016). Experiencing Nature: Embodying Animals in Immersive Virtual Environments Increases Inclusion of Nature in Self and Involvement With Nature: EMBODYING ANIMALS IN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS. _Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication_, _21_(6), 399–419. [https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12173](https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12173) # Brainstorm on VR and experience So my idea is that there are two ways in which VR has aesthetic specificity. ![[VR and Immersion in (very) different worlds]] *![[Virtual Body Ownership and VR]]* ![[Onefoldness and Vehicle Properties]]