If you could have a virtual experience identical to the real deal in every tangible way, would it suffice?

Question

Elaboration:

This question follows along with the "What is real?" line of questioning. Suppose you had a lifelong desire to touch the Sphinx, for instance. If you could visit a "virtual Sphinx" and the experience were as exactly as vivid as it would be if you were actually there, would that be enough or would you still want to touch the "real deal"?

Insert any experience you may actually desire into your answer - if you could have identical experiences either in the real world, or in a virtual copy of the real world, would your knowledge that it's not "real" make you continue to seek it out in the "real world"? If it depends on what the subject matter is, are there things you'd settle for experiencing entirely in VR and only in VR versus things that you would only feel fulfilled in experiencing "for real"?

Please, be as detailed and elaborative as you wish. I'm very interested in your answers to this question. :-)

Just to clarify: Yes, I know we don't have anything approaching "Matrix-like" VR, but for the purpose of this question, I'm asking you to pretend that we do. That the VR experience is the same as far as your senses are concerned - and that would be all 5 senses (or more, if you're aware of any) and the only difference would be in what you _know_ about the experienced reality - the experience itself would be exactly the same.

Answer 1

impossible to answer since I never had a virtual experience like the one you describe. However, I think for me the idea of wanting to do the "real deal" would still be in my mind, simply because I'd want to check if the virtual thing was indeed as good as the real thing.

Answer 2

I don't believe it would be real enough,
because the problem with virtual like on a computer that is 3-d is just that, 3-d it only gives you the sense of sight,
it's not 4-d in which you would beable to smell, taste, feel etc.
It may give you a sense that you're there but not enough to make it feel real with all 5 senses

Answer 3

I would really enjoy the virtual reality experience if it existed. I think i would feel slightly confused afterwards becasue it would be like a dream. (seems so real but its not)

If I could go to a virtual gay pride event I wouldn't feel as fulfilled because i think i would need to really be there. I would still have a great time though!

Answer 4

Yes, I would want to touch the real deal. It is like the difference of going to the World Village display at Epcot versus traveling to the actual countries. Doing it in real life, smelling the smells, eating the real food, actually being there, seems more real, than the realest "made" exhibit.