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Daniela Alina Plewe «Ultima Ratio»
Daniela Alina Plewe, «Ultima Ratio», 1998
© Daniela Alina Plewe
Visitors can use a small sensor to activate options and functions in the images on a circular projection screen fitted above their heads. For example, 'Cascades of Doubt – Struggling Agents' reconstructs the inner monologues of heroes or agents. The option 'Change Agent' enables users to influence the characters. 'Change World' changes facts and generates logical alternatives. Other functions, made visible as a force-field between knowledge particles in a Virtual Reality ambience, are 'Reasoning Running Wild', 'War of Convictions – Arguments as Forces', Crossovers – Tracing Motifs', 'Inversions' – Negations with Negations', Modelling Virtues – Modifying Tools of Life', 'Global Ponderer'. The disputes generated are performed by a chorus of computer voices. There is also an option to take a 'Guided Tour' of the abstract landscapes of semantics.


 
 

 Daniela Alina Plewe
«Ultima Ratio»

Human paradoxes and dilemmas are presented as logical structures in this VR environment. A system for making decisions derived from research on artificial intelligence assesses question like: should Hamlet kill Claudius . . ., should everyone strive for their own ideals, even if it involves risking their life . . . etc.? Exceptions to the rule make sophisticated formalization possible. The system generates internal monologues for the individuals and shows these in 3D diagrams. The ambivalence of the questions is registered as an image of mental spaces. The pictorial language also makes it possible to go beyond logical functionality visually. Functions like 'argument gone wild', 'courage', 'live wrongly and win' and 'life plans' can be expressed semantically with Ultima Ratio.

 

Daniela Alina Plewe