"Virtual," meaning an imitative analog, is different than "Augmented," meaning enhancement without replacement. So-called virtual things can be quite real, for example:
- A virtual machine is a real entity. It reproduces the capability to perform work, but not the damage to your foot when you drop it. vmWare ESXI augments virtual machine management.
- A virtual turkey shoot is a real entity. It presents a spread of easy targets, but not the squawking and the blood and the feathers. A Leupold VX-3HD scope augments aiming.
The important question is: What is REALITY? Of course, we trust and react to our senses.
Perceptions make it real. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are both real implementations of real entertainment, real learning, real reference material, real information processing. And real expense, apparently.
We all better brush up on Schopenhauerian Solipsism, because ain't no
Deus ex Machina, in a leather cat suit, gonna swoop down, like, and offer you the red pill.