Peter J. Ludlow, a linguist and philosophy professor at the University of Toronto, says too many college students have never been exposed to media that question the government, muckrake, and investigate conflicts of interest. He recently celebrated the release of a book that chronicles his own muckraking in the virtual world Second Life. (See full coverage in this week’s Chronicle.)
In the book, The Second Life Herald: The Virtual World That Witnessed the Dawn of the Metaverse, co-written with Mark Wallace, Mr Ludlow says game companies enforce rules erratically and rule like dictators. Mr. Ludlow says he hopes the book will inspire readers to think more critically about people and organizations that wield power in real life, too.
“I think there’s this deep default assumption that either it’s pointless to criticize the powers that be or that they own the world, and that’s the end of the story,” Mr. Ludlow said in a recent interview. “It’s annoying when people think that way about a virtual game or a virtual world, but it’s a little bit scary when they have that same attitude in dealing with the real world.” —Andrea L. Foster
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.