디지털 매체 혹은 가상현실에서 이미지의 문제

초록

The advent of digital technology or media does not simply mean the emergence of a new technology. Quoting Mcluhan, the appearance of a new medium means the alterations in the way of human perceptions and mutual communications. These kinds of the radical changes give a space for the philosophical penetration into the new technology. In this paper I`m just trying to give a rough but philosophical consideration on some issues about digital images, nonetheless eventually leaving the problems unsolved rather than settle down the issues. Considering the current situation of the new media in its initial stage, we can find a good excuse for the delay of a clear conclusion about these problems. Deleuze`s saying "philosophy is not solving a problem but posing a problem" can have no more suitable place than in this case. The philosophical problems which are caused by the digital technology are summarized as following three. The first problem is related with the nature of the `Virtual Reality`. Considered in its literal meaning, the word `Virtual Reality` itself is contradictory. For the two terms `virtual` and `reality` which are all parts of the word are basically irreconcilable with each other. From this contradiction does the question follow inevitably. "Is a Virtual Real world a fictional world or another real world?" Secondly, It`s the problem related with the `immateriality of the digital image`. The fact that the digital image is beyond `now` and `here` can be summarized as it`s `immateriality`. This means that digital images (which are the main forms of information used by the digital media) have an unlimited possibility to be transformed. It can open a new horizon for a new type of human perception. Thirdly, is the new dimension produced by the digital media a so-called new world that leads us to the new world of perception unlike our everyday perception? This article deals with the two rival thinkers about this problem, Pierre Levy and Paul Virilio.