Scholarlink

<p>The emergence of digital human twins (DHTs) raises questions not only of modeling fidelity but of operational coupling with the environment: the extent to which DHTs can independently perceive, decide, and learn within data-rich virtual environments (VEs). This paper challenges the mirror metaphor: DHTs need not merely reflect their human counterparts but can develop affordance-based perceptions of virtual surround. Building on Object Oriented Ontology (OOO), we treat DHTs as non-human digital objects only partially accessible through their interfaces. Extending affordance theory with Artifact–Artifact Affordance (AAA), we analyze interactions that are not centered on human perception. We present a typology of agent–environment couplings, and propose a conceptual Operational Autonomy Continuum (OAC)&#xa0;for DHTs, arguing for a synergy in which computational methods operationalize ecological (direct) coupling. Drawing on reinforcement-learning principles and law-governed affordance acquisition,&#xa0;we conceptualize how DHTs could transition from passive replicas to partially independent digital agents without exhaustive human programming. The contribution in this paper is conceptual and heuristic, and&#xa0;the example functions as a thought experiment. Our claims concern operational autonomy (means) rather than metaphysical agency (ends or personhood) and are VE-bounded without addressing transfer to physical contexts or questions of rights or moral status.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

What makes a digital human twin more than a simulation? A computational-ecological stance

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月29日

查看全文
  • Dan Zhu,
  • Waheedullah Sulaiman Khail

摘要

The emergence of digital human twins (DHTs) raises questions not only of modeling fidelity but of operational coupling with the environment: the extent to which DHTs can independently perceive, decide, and learn within data-rich virtual environments (VEs). This paper challenges the mirror metaphor: DHTs need not merely reflect their human counterparts but can develop affordance-based perceptions of virtual surround. Building on Object Oriented Ontology (OOO), we treat DHTs as non-human digital objects only partially accessible through their interfaces. Extending affordance theory with Artifact–Artifact Affordance (AAA), we analyze interactions that are not centered on human perception. We present a typology of agent–environment couplings, and propose a conceptual Operational Autonomy Continuum (OAC) for DHTs, arguing for a synergy in which computational methods operationalize ecological (direct) coupling. Drawing on reinforcement-learning principles and law-governed affordance acquisition, we conceptualize how DHTs could transition from passive replicas to partially independent digital agents without exhaustive human programming. The contribution in this paper is conceptual and heuristic, and the example functions as a thought experiment. Our claims concern operational autonomy (means) rather than metaphysical agency (ends or personhood) and are VE-bounded without addressing transfer to physical contexts or questions of rights or moral status.