Realityand

Realityand is a neologism used to describe the blending and mutual influence of perceived reality and digitally mediated environments. It is not a formal theory but a term adopted in philosophy of technology, media studies, and contemporary cultural discourse to highlight how reality is extended or structured by digital layers.

The etymology is straightforward: a compound of reality and conjunction and to signal continuity rather than opposition between the physical world and digital or imagined layers. Usage varies: some writers use realityand to discuss augmented reality, mixed reality, and pervasive computing, while others use it to analyze how social media, algorithms, and interfaces redefine everyday experience. Proponents argue that reality is increasingly co-constructed through interactions among people, devices, and data.

In practice, realityand is used as a conceptual lens rather than a standalone theory. It can inform design questions about user perception, privacy and consent in sensor-rich environments, or the ethics of data embodiment. It is also used in art and critique to explore how virtual elements inhabit or obscure the material world.

Because it is informal, definitions of realityand differ across disciplines and contexts, and there is no single canonical framework. It is often paired with related concepts such as extended reality (XR), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and constructivist approaches to knowledge.

See also: extended reality, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, realism, constructivism.