Origins of Thought
- Bachelor's Final Project
- VR
- Storytelling
- Physics
- Philosophy
- Solo project
- 28 weeks
- Blender
- Unity
- C#
- Python
You can read the full research in the document provided here: Exploratie (Dutch).
Note: The full experience is currently being optimized for better performance and is expected to be uploaded here by the end of summer 2025 for everyone to enjoy. A non-VR version is also in development, allowing people without VR access to explore the experience as well.
How can an immersive VR essay on determinism be visually and narratively enhanced to encourage users to reflect on and discuss the implications of a deterministic world and the existence of free will?
The Determinism Debate
In science, classical physics suggests that everything proceeds predictably according to fixed natural laws, while quantum mechanics introduces uncertainty. Neuroscientific experiments, such as the Libet experiment, show that decisions in the brain are already made before one becomes aware of them, while others question the interpretation of such experiments. Different views also exist within religion, and much debate remains. Various believers struggle with the balance between divine predestination and human responsibility.
There is no definitive answer to the existence of a deterministic world or free will. It remains one of the most fundamental philosophical questions, debated for centuries.
"God doesn't play dice with the universe." - A. Einstein
How much control do we have over our choices if they arise from prior influences and processes?
A deterministic worldview raises profound questions about responsibility and freedom. In the legal system, increasing attention is being paid to neurological and environmental factors in criminal behavior. If choices are predetermined, to what extent can someone be held responsible? This casts a new light on guilt, punishment, and justice.
This discussion is also becoming increasingly relevant within technology. Artificial intelligence makes decisions based on algorithms and data. But if human choices also arise from prior processes and biological factors, how fundamental is the difference between us and a machine?
These questions are not limited to academic debates but directly influence how we judge ourselves and others. When we assume that our choices are free, we attribute successes and failures to individual effort or failure. But if behavior is entirely the result of environmental factors and biological processes, how fair is it to praise or condemn someone?
Why discussion is essential
Everything has an answer, but answers do not arise in isolation. The only way to gain insight is by reasoning what is correct and what is not, what is good and what is bad, what is true and what turns out to be an illusion. Without discussion, with others or with ourselves, every idea remains stagnant. How else can humans be seen as intellectual beings?
Where animals act on instinct, humans are capable of weighing options, doubting, and analyzing choices. A hungry monkey sees food and eats. He will not wonder whether it’s smart to eat right before sleeping, whether that affects how he feels in the morning, or whether he needs to be sharp for an important meeting with his group. He merely follows his need.
But a human can question themselves, consider alternatives, and reason what is best, not only for now, but also for later. This capacity for reflection and critical thought only arises through confrontation with other perspectives.
Discussions are the driving force behind progress. Whether it concerns an everyday choice between a banana or an apple, or a fundamental debate about introducing a new law, where people with different beliefs come together, movement arises. Everyone stands somewhere on a line of beliefs, and somewhere on that line lies the answer. But without the influence of other perspectives, no one can come closer to that answer. By engaging in conversation, listening, and arguing, ideas can evolve, and an answer may one day be found to the most fundamental questions, such as the existence of free will.
Origins of Thought
Origins of Thought adds a new dimension to the debate on determinism and free will. Instead of presenting scientific facts, this VR essay places the user in a space for self-reflection where they are confronted with questions rather than answers. Through the immersive experience, users are invited to explore their own perspective, to question it, and to engage in conversation afterwards.
Through visual metaphors and spatial storytelling, abstract concepts are made tangible, allowing each user to form unique interpretations based on their own thought processes. In this way, Origins of Thought aligns well with philosophers engaged in deep debates on free will, while remaining accessible to a broad audience.
The power of VR lies in total immersion: the user forgets the world around them and is left alone with their own thoughts. By presenting determinism in an experiential way, without imposing an explicit conclusion, the user is not told what a deterministic perspective entails, but is challenged to formulate an answer themselves. In doing so, the experience offers not only space for individual reflection, but also encourages discussion and dialogue afterwards.