Virtual Reality: Redefining Humanity Danielle McLean Mentor: Prof. Laureen Park, Ph.D., Social Science Department, CUNY City Tech INSTRUCTIONS: Insert text in text boxes as indicated on the template. You can modify color, background, font, font size, etc. by using PowerPoint features noted in the tabs. You can add borders around text boxes and you can add lines or other graphics where desired. To add more text boxes, you can copy an existing one and move it to the desired location. You can add any graphic by dragging it onto the slide or by copying/pasting it. Be sure that your graphic has high dots per inch. Images/graphics must be cited if not original work. Use Sans Serif fonts for Titles, labels and section headers. Use Serif fonts for text in text boxes. CONTENT: *Introduction, Background, and/or Abstract (a place to quickly summarize your topic and trigger your audience’s interest). Usually in narrative, paragraph format. *Materials and Methods or Process (a place to describe your process and what led to your results). Using bullet points can be a helpful way to present information. *Results (the place where the results of your experiment are explained). Using bullet points can be a helpful way to present information. *Conclusions or Discussion (the place where you explain why your results are conclusive and provide the reader with a short but solid justification of your hypothesis). Usually in narrative, paragraph format. *References or Literature Cited (This is where you make a list of the literature you have cited regarding this project. List the names of authors, publications and publishing dates.) To save space, consider noting “selected references” – those references essential to the project. Citation style must follow rules designated by discipline, e.g., MLA, APA, etc. *Acknowledgments (this is where you acknowledge grants and research programs. Also, use this section to thank the people who helped with your project. Can sometimes include your Contact Information) *Depending on your type of research and where you are in your project, you may have to use some variation of the above. Abstract Methodology Methodology Results Humanity commonly refers to the human race but also the characteristics shared by all human beings. To be human, biologically, is to simply resemble that of the human species. But besides the biological make-up, to be human is having the desire to achieve happiness. This poster presents the outcome of my reflections and research in the terms of what I believe to be the most important quality of humanity by depicting what it means to be human in a virtual world. The method used in order to understand and visualize this theory was creating a virtual environment that would allow the avatar to see and explore the world the way humans do in real life. Within this virtual environment, one could visualize how the avatar achieves happiness through their actions in relations to virtue. The next step is using Unity, a game developing platform, to create your environment.   Although these scenarios have not occurred, I can give the outcome if it did happen. If these two scenarios were to occur in this virtual reality, then they would display the virtues of courage and friendliness that makes up the moral character of the avatar who achieves happiness displayed by their actions. What is Happiness? “Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason, the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim” (Aristotle) According to Aristotle's book, Nicomachean Ethics: Book 1, he defines this idea of good as happiness which is deemed as the highest quality that is desirable by human beings. For Aristotle, happiness is the main purpose and goal in a human’s life.   A peaceful environment was created that resembled what happiness might look like. Within the environment scenarios would be created that would force the avatar to act on to achieve happiness. Conclusions Happiness is not necessarily a state of mind but the way of living or how someone chooses to live their life based on their actions. It is simply the exercise of virtue which can not be taught but learned as one goes on through life until death. To understand this characteristic is to understand the nature of what it means to be human The first step is creating an avatar character that resembles your physical entity in the real world. The website used to create this character was www.charactergenerator.autodesk.com. Through the website, you can adjust your facial features and body image as well as choosing the clothes that fits your style. References Aristotle. “Nicomachean Ethics .” The Internet Classics Archive | On Airs, Waters, and Places by Hippocrates, 350BCE, classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html. Achieving Happiness “We state the function of man to be a certain kind of life, and this to be an activity or actions of the soul implying a rational principle” (Aristotle) In order to achieve happiness, Aristotle mentions the rational side of a human soul that acts in accordance to virtue which then helps a righteous person control their impulses. Two scenarios that would allow the avatar to achieve happiness would be: Rescuing an individual drowning in the lake 2. Helping an individual who is lost in the woods find their way to safety