J. Soraker, MA

Department of Philosophy [Cubicus building, B228]

University of Twente

Postbox 217, 7500 AE Enschede

Office phone: +31 53 489 5603

Mobile: +31 6 4705 9544
Detailed CV: [pdf]

Blog: http://soraker.blogspot.com

Email: j.h.soraker /at/ utwente.nl

Current Teaching and Supervision

CA1: We.Create.Identity (Bachelor in Creative Technology), Q1, Fall 2009)

Graduate course on Computer Ethics (Course code 161268, Q4, Spring 2010)

‘Academic skills’ for psychology students

Supervision, PSTS MA students

Background

Johnny Hartz Søraker is a PhD research fellow at the Department of Philosophy, University of Twente. He is a member of the VICI project on the Evaluation of the Cultural Quality of New Media, working on the sub-project “The Value of Virtual Worlds and Entities”.

Søraker received his MA degree (Cand. Philol.) in Philosophy from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The MA thesis, entitled “Man vs. Machine – an exploration of the concept ‘continuity’”, was an inquiry into claims about the uniqueness of man, the prospects of artificial intelligence, the reducibility of conscious experience and the adequacy of third-person perspectives when explaining human behavior. Since then, Søraker has published papers and given numerous lectures related to computer ethics – especially on virtual reality, Internet regulation and moral status.

Research

Søraker’s research in the VICI project focuses on how the unique epistemological and ontological status of virtual worlds and entities determines its potential to be of value and/or conducive to human well-being. In approaching this question, the dissertation deals with both the theoretical nature of virtual worlds and entities, in particular how their mode of existence and epistemological status might differ from actual entities, as well as the possibility of virtual entities, experiences and activities that are of instrumental, inherent or intrinsic value similar or superior to those of the actual world. The overall aims are to get a better theoretical understanding of virtual worlds and entities, a better practical understanding of their ability to change our lives – the ultimate goal being to propose and consider a framework for better normative analyses of how virtual worlds and entities might change our conception of value and well-being.

International, peer-reviewed publications

Søraker, J.H. (forthcoming): “Virtual Entities, Environments, World and Reality – Suggested definitions and taxonomy”. First published as part of Philosophy of Computer Games Proceedings. Invited for publication in C. Ess and M. Thorseth, eds., Trust and Virtual Worlds: Contemporary Perspectives. Peter Lang Publishing.

2.	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 (in print).

P. Brey and J.H. Søraker (2009): “Philosophy of Computing and Information Technology”. In A. Meijers and S. O. Hansson, eds., 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.

A précis of this chapter is published in the APA Newsletter of Philosophy and Computing.

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

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

Søraker, J.H. (2007b): “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.

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

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

Other Publications

8.	Søraker, J.H. (forthcoming): “The relative value of virtual relationships: A critique of objective measures of quality of life in virtual communities” In Brey, P., Briggle, A. and Spence, E., eds., The Good Life in a Technological Age (invited chapter, in preparation).

9.	Søraker, J.H. (2009): “Virtually Good? – What Can We Learn From the Argument from False Pleasures?”. Computer Ethics: Philosophical Enguiry (CEPE) 2009 proceedings

10.	Brey, P and Søraker, J.H. (2009): “A Précis of Philosophy of Computing and Information Technology”. APA Newsletter on Philosophy and Computers 8(2): 15-16.

11.	Søraker, J.H. (2009): “Convergence and Divergence in the Future Information Society”. Forthcoming in CTIT promotional booklet

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

13.

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 7^th International Conference of Computer Ethics: Philosophical Enquiry. Center for Telematics and Information Technology (CTIT): Enschede, pp. 340-347.

This is an early version of Søraker 2009a.

14.	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, Trondheim: NTNU University press [Synopsis in English]

Works in progress (in addition to dissertation)

“The relative value of virtual relationships: A critique of objective measures of quality of life in virtual communities”

On the opportunity costs of different virtual experiences and an analysis of the problems involved in assessing whether virtual experiences are conducive to the good life. Full paper presented at Internet Research 9.0 conference (Association of Internet Researchers), and invited for an upcoming anthology on The Good Life in Technological Age (Eds.: P. Brey, A. Briggle and E. Spence)

“Virtually Good? What can we learn from the argument from false pleasures”

On the potential for desire fulfillment in virtual worlds in light of the argument from false pleasures (Nozick, Kagan,…). Presented at CEPE’09 and SPT’09.

“Virtual entities, environments, worlds and reality – Suggested definitions and taxonomy”

A suggested set of definitions for different types of virtual entities and environments. Published as part of the Philosophy of Computer Games 2009 conference proceedings (online), and invited for an upcoming anthology.

“Philosophy of Virtual Worlds: Reshaping the Old and Preparing for the Future”

In this paper I discuss how philosophy of virtuality relates to a number of traditional epistemological and ontological issues, and how consideration of these theoretical issues are relevant to examining the ethical and societal challenges posed by virtual worlds. Invited lecture for Philosophers’ rally.

“Upgrading and Degrading Continuities”
This paper has been long in the making, and is a reworking of a central topic in my MA thesis (cf. Søraker 2005). The general idea is to propose a conceptual framework for describing and analyzing the ways in which two kinds of entities (e.g humans and animals) can (come to) be seen as continuous, in particular how one domain or entity can confer or lose its value when seen as continuous with another. The paper relates this discussion to issues raised by the Sorites paradox, the argument from marginal cases, Hegelian dialectics and eliminativist/reductionist theories of mind. Presented at ECAP’09 and currently being prepared for journal submission.

“The Philosophy of Simulation: Not the Same Old Stew”

A response to Frigg and Reiss’ forthcoming Synthese paper entitled “The Philosophy of Simulation: Hot New Issues or Same Old Stew?” and a slight reworking of the first chapter of my thesis in which I discuss the peculiar and unique characteristics of computer simulations in general and virtual reality in particular. Presented at ECAP 2008. Still under development.

“Did the Sage of Königsburg Never Try VR? – Some Reflections on Virtual Reality in Light of Kant’s Refutation of Idealism”

On truth claims in virtual reality, especially in light of a Kantian coherentist theory of truth and his use of congruence and intersubjectivity criteria.

Presented at International Workshop: Kant Revisited in Light of New Technology. Still under development.

“The Role of Moral Principles and Norms in Casuistic Reasoning”
Joint paper with Kristian Skagen Ekeli.