Ma`rifat Falsafi

Virtual realism and virtual fictionalism are two philosophical positions about the ontology of virtual reality that use different concepts for the way humans understand and interact with VR. The common view is that virtual reality is a kind of fictional reality or illusion and what happens in virtual reality is not real. In contrast, virtual realism claims that (1) virtual objects actually exist; (2) Events in virtual reality actually happen. (3) Experiences in virtual reality are non-illusory. (4) Virtual experiences are as valuable as non-virtual experiences. In this article, by using the analytical-critical method, while explaining these four claims, we will defend realism against the criticisms of followers of fictionalism and show that virtual realism is an acceptable and coherent position that can explain the reality of virtual worlds and their content, and virtual fictionalism faces problems in explaining the causal, mind-independent, non-illusory and original characteristics of virtual objects and events.