write realities paper

3 files changed, 295 insertions, 85 deletions

diff --git a/app/index.moon b/app/index.moon
index d566ed1..9b94436 100644
--- a/app/index.moon
+++ b/app/index.moon
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import h1, p, a, br, ul, tt, li from require './html.moon'
 
 moon = '\xe2\x98\xbd'
 demos = 
-  twisted: 'canvas animation',
-  todo: 'Todo demo of a simple reactive UI framework',
-  realities: 'SVG graphics for a paper on VR and realities',
+  'twisted': 'canvas animation',
+  'todo': 'Todo demo of a simple reactive UI framework',
+  'realities': 'draft of a paper on virtual and other realities',
   'center-of-mass': 'aligning characters by their centers of mass',
   'test-component': 'Test suite for the UI framework',
 
diff --git a/app/realities.moon b/app/realities.moon
index 3e35252..990d9f4 100644
--- a/app/realities.moon
+++ b/app/realities.moon
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 window = js.global
 { :document, :eval } = window
 
-import div, button from require './component.moon'
+import asnode, h1, h2, p, i, div, br, span, button, article from require './component.moon'
 require 'svg.js'
 
 SVG =
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ class Diagram
   arrow: (char, x, y) =>
     with @arrows\plain char
       \attr arrattr
-      print 60
-      \move (x + 1) * GRID_W, (y - 0.5) * -GRID_H - 9
+      \move (x + 1) * GRID_W, (y - 0.5) * -GRID_H - 11
 
   -- inout: (x=@width, y=@y) => @arrow '⇋', x, y      -- U+21CB
   -- inn:   (x=@width, y=@y) => @arrow '↼', x, y+0.25 -- U+21BC
@@ -67,14 +66,14 @@ class Diagram
 
   mind: (label='mind', ...) => @block '#fac710', label, ...
   phys: (label='phys', ...) => @block '#8fd13f', label, ...
-  tech: (label='tech', ...) => @block '#9510ac', label, ...
+  digi: (label='digi', ...) => @block '#9510ac', label, ...
 
   next: =>
     @y = 0
     @width += 1
 
-  getNode: =>
-    return @node if @node
+  finish: =>
+    return if @node
     @svg\add @arrows
 
     @width += 1
@@ -82,86 +81,297 @@ class Diagram
     @svg\size w, h
     @svg\viewbox 0, -h, w, h
     @node = @svg.node
-    @node
 
-diagrams =
-  'Solipsism': with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-
-  'Cartesian Dualism': with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-    \inout!
-    \next!
-
-    \phys!
-
-  'Waking Life': with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-    \inout!
-    \phys!
-
-    \next!
-    \phys '', 2
-
-  dream: with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-    \phys!
-
-  'VR2018': with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-    \phys!
-
-    \next!
-    \phys '', 2
-
-    \next!
-    \tech!
-    \phys ''
-
-    \inout 0, 1
-    \inout 1, 1
-
-  'Matrix': with Diagram!
+addlabel = (label, diagram) ->
+  with div style: { display: 'inline-block', margin: '20px', 'text-align': 'center' }
+    \append diagram
+    \append div label
+
+figures = do
+  style =
+    display: 'flex'
+    'align-items': 'flex-end'
+    'justify-content': 'space-evenly'
+  (...) -> div { :style, ... }
+
+document.body\append asnode with article style: { margin: 'auto', 'max-width': '750px' }
+  \append h1 "Reality Stacks"
+
+  \append h2 "Abstract"
+  \append p "In this paper we compare various multi-reality approaches such as VR and AR with each other as well as
+    related idealized technologies from popular culture.", br!,
+    "To this end we propose a new type of diagram that allows visualizing the complex structures encompassing multiple
+    reality laters that are concurrently inhabitated by the subject of such an experience."
+
+  \append h2 "Definitions"
+  for term, definition in pairs {
+    "layer of reality": "a closed system consisting of a world model and a set of rules or dynamics operating on and
+      constraining said model.",
+    "world model": "describes a world state containing objects, agents and/or concepts on an arbitrary abstraction level.",
+    break: 1,
+    "reality stack": "structure consisting of all layers of reality encoding an agent's interaction with his environment
+      in their world model at a given moment, as well as all layers supporting these respectively."
+    next: 2,
+    "physical reality": "layer of reality defined by physical matter and the physical laws acting upon it.
+      While the emergent phenomena of micro- and macro physics as well as layers of social existence etc. may be seen
+      as separate layers for the purpose of this paper we will group these together under the term of physical reality."
+    "mental reality": "layer of reality perceived and processed by the brain of a human agent.",
+    "digital reality": "layer of reality created and simulated by a digital system, e.g. a virtual reality game."
+    "phys, mind, digi": "abbreviations for physical, mental and digital reality respectively.",
+  }
+    if 'number' == type definition
+      \append document\createElement 'hr'
+      continue
+    \append with div style: { 'margin-left': '2rem' }
+      \append span term, style: {
+        display: 'inline-block',
+        'margin-left': '-2rem',
+        'font-weight': 'bold',
+        'min-width': '140px'
+      }
+      \append span definition
+
+  \append h2 "Introduction"
+  \append p "Reality stack diagrams provide a way to plot two main axes of a given stack against each other:", br!,
+    "On the vertical axis ownership or nesting of layers of realities is shown; from the bottom upwards each block,
+    representing a layer of reality, is contained within the one above; i.e. it exists within and can be represented
+    fully by the parent layer’s world model and its rules emerge from the dynamics of the parent layer.", br!,
+    "The horizontal axis arranges layers of reality based on their appearance with respect to subjects interacting
+    with the model. In the bottom left corner the subject’s internal model and reality provides the origin of
+    the diagram. The world models that the subject is aware of are placed in the opposing right corner."
+
+  \append p "Information flows, as represented by the white arrows, in two directions;
+    towards the left, corresponding to information received and perceived by the subject, as well as
+    towards the right, corresponding to actions taken in the space of the world model.", br!,
+    "In between the two poles additional layers may be traversed by the information flowing one or both ways."
+
+  \append p "Before we take a look at some reality stacks corresponding to current VR and AR technology,
+    we can take a look at waking life as a baseline stack. To illustrate the format of the diagram we will compare it
+    to the stack corresponding to a dreaming state:"
+
+  \append with figures!
+    \append addlabel "Waking Life", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \inout!
+      \phys!
+
+      \next!
+      \phys '', 2
+      \finish!
+
+    \append addlabel "Dreaming", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \phys!
+      \finish!
+
+  \append p "In both cases, the top of the diagram is fully occupied by the physical layer of reality, colored in green.
+    This is due to the fact that, according to the materialistic theory of mind, human consciousness owes it's existance
+    to the physical and chemical dynamics of neurons in our brains. Therefore our mental reality must be considered
+    fully embedded in the physical reality, and consequently it may only appear underneath it in the diagram."
+
+  \append p "During waking life, we concern ourselves mostly with the physical reality surrounding us.
+    For this reason the physical reality is placed in the lower right corner of the diagram as the layer holding the
+    external world model relevant to the subject. Information flows in both direction between the physical world model
+    and the subject's mental model, as denoted by the two white arrows: Information about the state of the world model
+    enter the subjects mind via the senses (top arrow, pointing leftwards), and choices the subject makes inside of and
+    based on his mental model can feed back into the physical layer through movements (lower arrow, pointing rightwards)."
+
+  \append p "In the dreaming state on the other hand, the subject is unaware of the physical layer of reality, though
+    the mind remains embedded inside it. When dreaming, subjects' mental models don't depend on external models, hence
+    the mental layer of reality must be the only layer along the bottom of the diagram."
+
+  \append h2 "Current Technologies"
+  \append p "Since recent technological advancements have enabled the development of VR and AR consumer devices,
+    AR and VR have been established as the potential next frontier of digital entertainment.", br!,
+    "As the names imply, the notion of reality is at the core of both technologies.
+    In the following section we will take a look at the respective stacks of both experience types:"
+
+  \append with figures!
+    \append addlabel "VR", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \phys!
+      \inout nil, 1
+
+      \next!
+      \phys '', 2
+      \inout nil, 1
+
+      \next!
+      \digi!
+      \phys ''
+      \finish!
+
+
+    \append addlabel "AR", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \inout nil, 1.25
+      \inn nil, 0.5
+      \phys!
+
+      \next!
+      \phys '', 2
+      \inn nil, .5
+
+      \next!
+      \digi nil, .5
+      \phys '', 1.5
+      \finish!
+
+  \append p "In both cases we find the physical layer of reality as an intermediate between the mental and 
+    igital layers. Actions taken by the subject have to be acted out physically (corresponding to the
+    information traversing the barrier between mental and physical reality) before they can be again digitized using
+    the various tracking and input technologies (which in turn carry the information across the boundary of the physical
+    and digital spaces)."
+
+  \append p "The difference between AR and VR lies in the fact that in AR the subject experiences a mixture of the
+    digital and physical world models. This can be seen in the diagram, where we find that right of the diagram origin
+    and the mental model, the diagram splits and terminates in both layers: while information reaches the subject both
+    from the digital reality through the physical one, as well as directly from the physical reality, the subject only
+    directly manipulates state in the physical reality."
+
+  \append p "The data conversions necessary at layer boundaries incur at the least losses in quality and accuracy of
+    information for purely technical reasons. However intermediate layers come at a higher cost than just an extra step
+    of conversion: For information to flow through a layer, it must be encodable within that layer’s world model.
+    This means that, akin to the metaphor of the ‘weakest link’, the range of information that can flow between layers
+    of reality, and thereby the upper bound of experiences possible with a given reality stack, depends on the layer
+    least fit to encode a respective piece of information.", br!,
+    "As a practical example we can consider creating an hypothetical VR application that allows users to traverse a
+    large virtual space by flying. While the human mind is perfectly capable of imagining to fly and control the motion
+    appropriately, it is extremely hard to devise and implement a satisfying setup and control scheme because the
+    physical body of the user needs to be taken into account and it, unlike the corresponding representations in the
+    mental and digital world models, cannot float around freely."
+
+  \append h2 "Future Developments"
+  \append p "In the previous section we found that the presence of the physical layer in the information path of
+    VR and AR stacks limits the experience as a whole. It follows that the removal of that indirection should be
+    an obvious goal for future developments:"
+
+  \append figures addlabel "holy grail of VR: 'The Matrix'", with Diagram!
     \mind!
     \inout!
     \phys!
 
     \next!
-    \tech!
+    \digi!
     \phys ''
-
-  AR: with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-    \inn!
-    \out!
-    \out 1, 1
-    \phys!
-
-    \next!
-    \phys '', 2
-
-    \next!
-    \tech nil, .5
-    \phys '', 1.5
-
-  magic: with Diagram!
-    \mind!
-    \inn!
-    \out!
-    \phys!
-
-    \next!
-    \tech nil, .5
-    \phys '', .5
-    \out 1, 1
-    \phys ''
-
-    \next!
-    \phys '', 2
-
-for name, diagram in pairs diagrams
-  parent = div style: { display: 'inline-block', margin: '20px' }
-  parent\append diagram\getNode!
-  parent\append div name
-  parent\append button 'export', onclick: => window\alert diagram.svg\svg!
-  document.body\appendChild parent.node
+    \finish!
+
+  \append p "In the action movie 'The Matrix', users of the titular VR environment interface with it by plugging cables
+    into implanted sockets that connect the simulation directly to their central nervous system.", br!,
+    "While these cables and implanted devices are physical devices, they don't constitute the presence of the 
+    physical layer of reality in the information path because while they do transmit information, the information
+    remains in either the encoding of the mental model (neural firing patterns) or the encoding of the digital model
+    (e.g. a numeric encoding of a player character's character) and the conversion is made directly between those two -
+    the data never assumes the native encoding of the physical layer (e.g. as a physical motion)."
+
+  \append p "While we are currently far from being able to read arbitrary high-level information from the brain
+    or to synthesize sensual input in human perception by bypassing the sensory organs, brain-computer interfaces (BCI)
+    are a very active area of research with high hopes for comparable achievements in the near future."
+
+  \append p "Applying this same step of removing the physical layer of reality from AR, we end up with something similar
+    to the nano-particle drug in ", (i "Nexus"), ". However this does not grant the user a similar amount of control
+    over his experience as the holy grail of VR does, since the user and the physical part of the environment remain
+    bound by the physical layer of reality's laws.", br!,
+    "Instead the holy grail of AR is reached with the creation of a god machine that can manipulate the state of the
+    physical world according to the user's wishes. In this way the digital and physical realities become unified and
+    full 'augmented'."
+
+  \append with figures!
+    \append addlabel "'Nexus'", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \inout nil, 0.75
+      \inout nil, 1.25
+      \phys!
+
+      \next!
+      \digi nil, .5
+      \phys '', 1.5
+      \finish!
+
+    \append addlabel "holy grail of AR: 'Deus Machina'", with Diagram!
+      col = '#92807c'
+
+      \mind!
+      \inout!
+      \block col, ''
+
+      \next!
+      \block col, '', 2
+      .svg\plain('phys + digi')\attr(o fill: 'white', 'font-size': '14px')\move 6, -2 * GRID_H
+      \finish!
+
+  \append h2 "Conclusions"
+  \append p "Despite the similarities of VR and AR, the two can be considered polar opposites, as becomes evident when
+    we compare their respective utopian implementations: they share the goal of allowing us to experience realities
+    different from the one we naturally inhabit, but while VR seeks to accomplish this by creating a new, nested reality
+    inside ours, thus giving us full control over it, AR is instead an attempt to retrofit our specific needs directly
+    into the very reality we exist in."
+
+  \append h2 "Relation to Theories of Mind"
+  \append p "This paper starts from a deeply materialistic point of view and borders on microphysicalism.
+    However it should be noted that the diagram style introduced above lends itself also to display other
+    philosophical theories of mind. As an example, the following graphics show a typical VR stack as interpreted by
+    Materialism, Cartesian Dualism and Solipsism respectively:"
+
+  \append with figures!
+    \append addlabel "VR in Materialism", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \inout nil, 1
+      \phys!
+
+      \next!
+      \phys '', 2
+      \inout nil, 1
+
+      \next!
+      \digi!
+      \phys ''
+
+      \finish!
+
+    \append addlabel "VR in Solipsism", with Diagram!
+      \mind nil, 2
+      \inout nil, 1
+
+      \next!
+      \digi!
+      \mind ''
+      \finish!
+
+    \append addlabel "VR in Cartesian Dualism", with Diagram!
+      \mind nil, 2
+      \inout nil, 1
+      \next!
+
+      \phys nil, 2
+      \inout nil, 1
+      \next!
+
+      \digi!
+      \phys ''
+      \finish!
+
+  \append p "However these philosophical theories of minds also constitute reality stacks by themselves and as such can
+    be compared directly:"
+
+  \append with figures!
+    \append addlabel "Materialism", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \inout!
+      \phys!
+
+      \next!
+      \phys '', 2
+      \finish!
+
+    \append addlabel "Solipsism", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \finish!
+
+    \append addlabel "Cartesian Dualism", with Diagram!
+      \mind!
+      \inout!
+      \next!
+
+      \phys!
+      \finish!
diff --git a/dist b/dist
-Subproject 58a4468e7e2ab737c12d3c46770462294fceb00
+Subproject 6462cfe7581ed71780de1b5572192de85b07afe