IMAGINARY GEOGRAPHY AND THE LAND OF (VIRTUAL) REALITY Reflections on the Cosmology of Cyberspace

Abstract

"The Practice of Architecture today, like all else, is enframed within the structurings of technological rationality. Architects seem to be faced with a choice between an uncritical acceptance of technology, taking for granted that it inevitably leads to a better world; or else a partial or total rejection of technology, involving a turning back from the present to the past. Either way they are caught in a dualistic way of thinking, trapped in the oppositions that inhere within the logic of technological rationality." Adrian Snodgrass2 In contrast to other scholars whose authority and renown are established in narrowly defined areas of research, Adrian Snodgrass's scholarship reveals a remarkable breadth and depth of knowledge. His earlier work focuses on medieval Hindu and Buddhist cosmology and metaphysics, whereas his later work deals with hermeneutical philosophy and cross-cultural studies. The move between the two worlds involves a profound shift, conceptually and methodologically, from mythology and symbolism to dialogue and metaphor, from Guenon's trancendental Being to Heidegger's being-in-the-world,from an essentialist, perennialist and, to some extent, orientalist approach to a post-orientalist, post-modern, hermeneutical perspective. Although Adrian has shown, in some of his work, the relevance of hermeneutical philosophy to pre-modern modes of thinking he has, to my knowledge, not reflected publicly on the conceptual and methodological contrast between his earlier and later writings. As a postgraduate student I was inspired by Adrian's work on architectural symbolism and worked under his supervision to extend his approach to the Islamic tradition. At that time Adrian had already moved away from traditional symbolism into post-modern hermeneutics, a move I came to realise only later. Later, I also began to discern lines of continuity in his thought that reveal a sustained interest in peoples' non-theorised, non-self-conscious understanding of, and engagement with, the world whether through myths, symbols and rituals or metaphors, praxis and the hermeneutical circle. So just as his penetrating insights into traditional symbolism had inspired me to dig deep into medieval Islamic cosmology and mysticism, spending countless hours in dusty Damascene libraries reading decayed manuscripts in desperate attempts to unravel the secrets of the universe, his move has prompted me to look beyond my immediate focus and to ponder what I had taken to be true. His earlier work, being reflective in nature, might not have the same criticality of his later work, but his break was, for me at least, profoundly critical. When the approach of traditional metaphysics was turning into a dogma with a religious zeal, and architectural symbolism becoming a pursuit of truth that saw in the modern intellectual developments since the Renaissance nothing but a series of declines, Adrian's break has shown that the truth has other contrasting facets that are just as, if not more, exciting vibrant and profound. Thus even after completing my doctoral study and moving on to Adelaide to become an academic, I have continued to feel Adrian's inspirational presence through his work, a feeling probably only those who worked closely with him can fully appreciate. As a fellow traveller, I present this humble piece as a tribute to Adrian's much revered mentorship and friendship over the years, to the many hours he spent reading my boring manuscripts and correcting my alien English, and even to those uncompromising comments in red which I used to ponder endlessly in many sleepless nights. This paper is an excursion into the world of digital technology and virtual reality, a world so remote to my main area of expertise yet so close to our everyday life experiences. It touches upon areas of shared interest with Adrian: the nature of space and the role of technology in our life. It presents some critical reflections on the cosmology of so-called ‘cyberspace’, that is, ‘space’ in its latest digital manifestation within the realm of virtual reality. In broad terms, my focus is on the dichotomy of the real versus the virtual that underlies current conceptions and further compounds the problems associated with the accept-reject duality Adrian has already discussed. Specifically, my focus is on the relationship between virtuality and spirituality, which projects cyberspace as another space of disembodied entities that lies outside the natural world or beyond the laws of physics. My aim is to locate the concept of cyberspace in a wider philosophical and cosmological context, and to bring pre-modern Islamic cosmology to bear on the current conceptions of its possibilities. My main argument is that cyberspace cannot be anything but a particular possibility of physical space, and that the much-hyped tension between the real and the virtual is creating much confusion and bewilderment with regard to the new technology, particularly in the architectural context wherein space is a primary medium of thought and work.