Abstract: By tracing the prehistory of “simulacra,” Victor Stoichita systematically explores the “virtual effect” (Pygmalion effect) through the cartographic history and philosophical metaphors of the recurring image motif. Drawing upon Jos de Mul’s philosophical analysis of Heidegger’s concept of “Dasein” (i.e., “being in the world”) and Deleuze’s exposition of the virtual as an immanent plane of potentiality, virtual ontology can further be summarized as an ontological feature of “being-potential.” Virtual ontology reflects the classical foundations of simulacra while extending into the realm of virtual (technological) realities characteristic of the era of digital humanities. The modern continuation of the Pygmalion myth, framed by Plessner’s philosophical anthropology, manifests as a plural-centered experiential response whereby humans seek to escape “eccentricity” and compensate for their inherent limitations. By reflecting on the myth of art as a mirror to the myth of technology at the intersection of art history, philosophy, and anthropology, the (post)modernity of the virtual is deconstructed, the art-technology relationship in the virtual genealogy is reevaluated, and human strategies for addressing crises of existence and limitation are revealed.

Key words: simulacra, virtual ontology, Dasein / being-potential, eccentric anthropology, art and technology