Jaron Lanier

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Jaron Lanier (born 1960) is a virtual reality developer. He claims to have popularized the term "Virtual Reality" (VR) in the early 1980s [1]. At that time, he founded VPL Research, the first company to sell VR products. [2]

Contents

[edit] Early life and education

Lanier was born in New York City, but raised in Mesilla, New Mexico.[3] On May 18, 2006, Lanier received a Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.[4]

[edit] Career

Lanier has appeared in several documentaries, including the 1992 Danish television documentary Computerbilleder - udfordring til virkeligheden,[5] the 1995 documentary Synthetic Pleasures,[5] and the 2004 television documentary Rage Against the Machines.[5] Lanier was credited as one of the miscellaneous crew for the 2002 film Minority Report.[5] Lanier stated that his role was to help make up the gadgets and scenarios.[6]

In mid-1997, Lanier was a founding member of the National Tele-Immersion Initiative,[7] an effort devoted to utilizing computer technology to give people who are separated by great distances the illusion that they are physically together. Lanier is a member of the Global Business Network.[8]

In 1994, Lanier released the classical music album Instruments of Change.[9] Lanier is currently working on the book Technology and the Future of the Human Soul, [6] and the music album Proof of Consciousness, a collaboration with Mark Deutsch.[10]

Lanier taught at several computer science departments of universities around the US, including Columbia, Dartmouth, and Yale. [citation needed]

[edit] Philosophical and technological ideas

In addition to his thoughts on virtual reality and teleimmersion, Lanier has criticized certain aspects of artificial intelligence on the one hand, and the nuanced ramifications of unbridled extropianism on the other.[citation needed]

Some of Lanier's speculation involves what he dubbed "post-symbolic communication." An example is found in the April 2006 issue of Discover, in his column on cephalopods (i.e., the various species of octopus, squid, and related molluscs).[11] Many cephalopods are able to morph their bodies, including changing the pigmentation and texture of their skin, as well as forming complex shape imitations with their limbs. Lanier sees this behavior, especially as exchanged between two octopuses, as a direct behavioral expression of thought.

In Edge magazine in May 2006, Lanier criticized the sometimes-claimed omniscience of collective wisdom (including expressions such as Wikipedia with this very article as an example), describing it as "digital Maoism".[12] He writes "If we start to believe that the Internet itself is an entity that has something to say, we're devaluing those people [creating the content] and making ourselves into idiots."[12] This critique is further explored in an interview with him at the Philosopher's Zone where he is critical of the denatured effect which "removes the scent of people".[13]

[edit] Works

Classical music:

  • Instruments of Change (1994)

Video Games:

  • Moondust -- C64, Atari 2600

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ http://www.jaronlanier.com/general.html
  2. ^ http://cultronix.eserver.org/chesher/
  3. ^ Burkeman, Oliver. "The virtual visionary", Guardian Unlimited, 2001-12-29.
  4. ^ NJIT (2006-05-19). NJIT Conferred 2,063 Degrees during 2006 Commencement: Gov. Jon Corzine Given Honorary Degree. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-08.
  5. ^ a b c d Jaron Lanier. IMDb. Retrieved on 2006-07-05.
  6. ^ a b Brief Biography of Jaron Lanier. Homepage of Jaron Lanier. Retrieved on 2006-07-08.
  7. ^ National Tele-Immersion Initiative. Advanced Network & Services, Inc.. Retrieved on 2006-07-05.
  8. ^ Individual GBN Members. Global Business Network. Retrieved on 2006-07-05.
  9. ^ Lanier, Jaron (1994). Instruments of Change. Polygram Records. ASIN B00000418Q.
  10. ^ Jaron Lanier's Music Reel. Homepage of Jaron Lanier. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.
  11. ^ Lanier, Jaron. "Why not morph? What cephalopods can teach us about language", Discover, April 2006.
  12. ^ a b Lanier, Jaron. "Digital Maoism: The Hazards of the New Online Collectivism", Edge, 2006-05-30.
  13. ^ Lanier, Jaron. "Is a free market in ideas a good idea?", Philosopher's Zone, ABC National Radio, 2006-07-08.

[edit] Further reading

Biographies:

Speeches:

Interviews:

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