Polyakova V. The space of memory in virtual reality (social-philosophical analysis)

This thesis reveals the socio-philosophical meaning 'space of memory' concept, the essence and specificity of spatial social practices of memory in virtual reality. These practices are considered in the context of the media revolution concept. The research is based on the understanding of virtual reality, not only as a technological space, but also as a new type of social one, that reveals the specifics of memory's spatial meanings reflected in the virtual reality. The key, for the socio-philosophical reflection, the space of memory characteristics in virtual reality are discovered due to the generalization of the theoretical positions, formulated within the framework of spatial and visual 'turns'. In the dissertation is isolated from the historical-philosophical tradition of studying memory of that segment, in which implicitly, as metaphors there are spatial sense of memory. It was found that the most thoroughly such senses were developed in the philosophical heritage of Aristotle, Augustine and Leibniz. It is emphasized that these spatial meanings of memory are used in the framework of modern memory studies in the concepts of 'space of memory', 'cultural' and 'functional' memory, etc. In the dissertation, a socio-philosophical analysis of the use of an individual and a social group of virtual reality as autonomous memory was carried out. The virtual communities were considered as a 'memory community' and the value for individual memory of socially developed landmarks and 'frames' contained in the virtual space is shown. In the thesis there is demonstration of heuristic potential of using the philosophy of archive as a methodological basis for the study. It has been shown that digitalization prevents the use of information about the past by certain social groups. The study emphasizes that digitalization also involves in the socio-cultural process of forming a 'canon of national memory' on equal terms with the authorities and civil society.