Virtual reality class teaches flexible thinking

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Tuesday, October 15, 2002 | Bill Schackner

[Willie Green]

Things in any virtual world are not what they seem. So maybe it makes sense that a Carnegie Mellon University professor would offer this confession about his course, "Building Virtual Worlds."

He's not really teaching virtual reality at all.

That may be hard to believe after spending an afternoon in Randy Pausch's master's level course, and watching as his students don headgear so they can interact with colorful 3-D creations like cows, barking dogs and butterflies -- each animated by students using special effects wizardry out of some Hollywood back lot.

[Willie Green]

IMHO, this is merely more encouragement of superficial artificial reality, and lack of focus and discipline necessary for dealing with real life.

[dirtboy]

IMHO, this is merely more encouragement of superficial artificial reality, and lack of focus and discipline necessary for dealing with real life.

What is real life anymore, Willie? I used to lament the fact that a lot of kids never got any exposure to the woods and nature, but for a lot of them, none of that is anywhere near their homes. And I'm in a 18-story building full of people working on computers all day long. And flexible thinking is a desperately needed commodity in the business world.

You might consider all this superficial artificial reality, but for a growing number of people, it's where we make our living.

[Willie Green]

And flexible thinking is a desperately needed commodity in the business world.

I've come to regard "flexibility" as a liberal buzzword that enables superficiality and lack of depth of understanding.
It goes hand-in-hand with "diversity".
Simply hype with a supposedly "positive" connotation that actually lowers standards.

[upcountryhorseman]

May I say you aren't showing much flexible thinking
in your attitude about the "outdoors" and "nature".
Mabe you would benefit from taking a hike in the woods!

[dirtboy]

May I say you aren't showing much flexible thinking in your attitude about the "outdoors" and "nature". Mabe you would benefit from taking a hike in the woods!

Go hiking quite often, actually. Your point is?

[dirtboy]

I've come to regard "flexibility" as a liberal buzzword that enables superficiality and lack of depth of understanding.

I've come to regard it also as the ability to think outside rigid dogmatic approaches - something antethical to liberalism. Guess it just pretends upon one's preconceptions, eh?

[Willie Green]

Guess it just pretends upon one's preconceptions, eh?

I suppose so.

I'm simply fed-up with liberal "creative" thought covering everything from Ebonics to gay "marriage" to mass-ifanticide being described as "choice".
Liberals have absolutely no qualms about "thinking outside the box" when it comes to undermining societal standards.
"Flexibility" is just another of those overhyped buzzwords that I've come to distrust and despise.
My antennae go up & the alarms go-off.
And I start looking very carefully to see if there is any substance behind the hype.
In the case of "virtual reality", the substance of actual reality is essentially excluded by definition.

[Nick Danger]

How else would FReepers hold meetings in the House Chamber?