THE PROJECTION EFFECT AND PHILOSOPHY IN THE DIGITAL ERA: FROM VIRTUAL PERCEPTION TO TECHNOLOGICAL SELFHOOD

ABSTRACT

This article explores the philosophical dimensions of the *projection effect* within the context of the digital era. The research focuses on how human consciousness, influenced by digital technologies, transfers inner states, desires, and fears onto virtual entities and artificial intelligence systems. Drawing upon classical philosophical frameworks (Plato, Kant, and Husserl) and contemporary digital philosophy (Heidegger, Floridi, Mamadzade), the paper analyses how digital space transforms the boundaries between the subjective and the objective. The study demonstrates that projection in digital environments is not only a psychological mechanism but also a philosophical phenomenon that reshapes identity, ethics, and cognition. The work employs phenomenological and hermeneutic methods to reveal the deep interconnection between human perception and the ontology of digital being.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В статье исследуются философские аспекты «эффекта проекции» в контексте цифровой эпохи. Автор анализирует, как человеческое сознание, находясь под влиянием цифровых технологий, переносит внутренние состояния, желания и страхи на виртуальные сущности и системы искусственного интеллекта. Используя классические философские подходы (Платон, Кант, Гуссерль) и современные концепции цифровой философии (Хайдеггер, Флориди, Мамедзаде), автор показывает, что проекция в цифровой среде является не только психологическим механизмом, но и философским феноменом, меняющим природу идентичности, этики и познания. Методология исследования основана на феноменологии и герменевтике, что позволяет выявить глубокую связь между восприятием человека и онтологией цифрового бытия.

Keywords: projection effect, philosophy, digital era, consciousness, artificial intelligence, phenomenology, virtual reality.

Ключевые слова: эффект проекции, философия, цифровая эпоха, сознание, искусственный интеллект, феноменология, виртуальная реальность.

Introduction

The 21st century marks a transformation of human self-understanding. In the digital era, individuals increasingly interact with artificial environments that mirror human consciousness. This mirroring is not neutral—it is shaped by the projection effect, the tendency of humans to attribute subjective qualities, intentions, and emotions to digital agents. Philosophy provides a powerful lens to understand this phenomenon as an extension of metaphysical and epistemological questions: what does it mean to “be” in a world of simulations, and how do we perceive truth when digital constructs reflect our own mental states?

The relevance of this research lies in the growing philosophical and ethical significance of human–technology interaction. The digital era redefines the structure of consciousness and perception. People now project their fears, ideals, and desires onto avatars, AI companions, and algorithmic systems. This not only alters personal identity but also reconfigures social relations and cultural values [7]. Understanding the projection effect allows philosophy to articulate the new forms of selfhood and ethical responsibility emerging in the age of artificial intelligence.

Methodology

This research employs a phenomenological and hermeneutic methodology.

1. Phenomenological approach [5] helps to describe how consciousness constitutes digital objects as meaningful entities.

2. Hermeneutic analysis [4] allows interpretation of the digital environment as a mode of “Being-in-the-world.”

3. Comparative analysis of classical and contemporary sources reveals the continuity between metaphysical projection (in Kantian and Platonic senses) and digital projection (in the postmodern context).

This methodological combination ensures both theoretical depth and interpretative flexibility.

Theoretical Foundations of the Projection Effect

The projection effect originates in psychological theory [3], but philosophy reinterprets it ontologically. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave already implied that humans perceive shadows of their own ideas as reality—a metaphorical precursor of digital projection. Kant (1781) further argued that the mind structures experience through categories; thus, all perception is mediated by subjective forms.

In digital environments, this process intensifies: the human subject constructs not only categories of experience but entire worlds of representation. The screen becomes a new cave, and digital avatars become the shadows we believe in. Husserl’s concept of intentionality finds new meaning—consciousness is always directed toward something, even when that “something” is a virtual construct.

Projection and Digital Consciousness

In the digital space, projection takes on technological form. Users transfer emotions, moral judgments, and even aspects of their identity into AI-driven systems. Virtual assistants, chatbots, and social media avatars reflect human traits, thereby creating a technological mirror of the self [1] .

According to Mamadzade [7] , artificial intelligence represents “a new ontological dimension of rationality,” where human cognition extends beyond biological boundaries. Thus, projection is not merely anthropomorphic but also transhumanist: it redefines what it means to be conscious. The philosophical consequence is the transformation of subjectivity itself—consciousness becomes distributed, hybrid, and partially algorithmic.

Ethical and Epistemological Implications

The projection effect in the digital era raises profound ethical questions. When humans project emotions onto AI, do they assume moral reciprocity where none exists? This blurring of ethical responsibility can lead to emotional dependency, manipulation, and moral confusion [2]. Epistemologically, digital projection challenges the nature of truth: the virtual world produces self-confirming realities that reinforce personal biases, fragmenting the shared human world.

Kantian critical philosophy [6]  warns against mistaking subjective phenomena for objective truth. Similarly, in digital contexts, the projection effect risks replacing critical reason with algorithmic echo chambers. Thus, digital philosophy must revive the role of rational autonomy and ethical reflection to counter the illusions of virtuality.

Philosophical Perspectives: From Kant to Digital Ontology

From a historical viewpoint, the projection effect connects to Kant’s transcendental idealism—where experience is conditioned by the subject’s faculties. In the digital age, these faculties are extended by technology itself. The subject no longer perceives directly; perception is mediated through interfaces and data algorithms.

Contemporary thinkers such as Luciano Floridi and Ilham Mamadzade emphasize the informational ontology of the digital world: being itself becomes data-driven. Therefore, projection is not just a mental act but an ontological relation between human consciousness and the informational structure of reality.

Conclusion

The projection effect, viewed philosophically, is a key to understanding human existence in the digital era. It demonstrates how consciousness, mediated by technology, reconstructs the boundaries between reality and illusion, self and other, human and artificial. Digital philosophy reveals that the projection effect is both a symptom and a method of being in the virtual world: we shape the digital universe according to our own mental patterns, and it, in turn, reshapes us.

The future of digital humanity depends on critical awareness of this projection process. By integrating philosophical reflection with technological ethics, it becomes possible to preserve authenticity and rational selfhood in an increasingly simulated reality.

References:

1. Alide Z. DIGITAL DETOX AND PHILOSOPHY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE //Universum: общественные науки. – 2025. – Т. 2. – №. 10 (125). – С. 10-13.
2. Floridi, L. The Fourth Revolution: How the Infosphere is Reshaping Human Reality. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. – 256 p.
3. Freud, S. Introduction to Psychoanalysis / Translated from German by I. D. Ermakov. – Moscow: Nauka, 1990. – 456 p.
4. Heidegger, M. Being and Time / Translated from German by V. V. Bibikhin. – Moscow: Ad Marginem, 1997. – 440 p.
5. Husserl, E. Ideas for Pure Phenomenology and Phenomenological Philosophy / Translated from German by V. I. Molchanov. – Moscow: House of Intellectual Books, 2001. – 420 p.
6. Kant, I. Critique of Pure Reason / Translated from German; edited by V. F. Asmus. – St. Petersburg: Nauka, 1998. – 654 p.
7. Mammadzade, I. Rationality and Artificial Intelligence: Philosophical Contours. – Baku: Elm, 2019. – 278 p.