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simulacrum

Simulacrum is a representation or imitation of a person or thing. The term derives from Latin simulacrum meaning “likeness, image,” from simulare “to imitate.” In philosophy and cultural theory, simulacrum denotes a copy that may not have a direct or original referent, and that can come to stand in for reality itself.

In the work of Jean Baudrillard, simulacra are copies that precede or erase the distinction between reality

Beyond philosophy, the word is used more broadly to describe likenesses, statues, portraits, or artificial constructs

In fantasy settings such as Dungeons & Dragons, simulacrum is the name of a spell that creates a

and
representation,
contributing
to
hyperreality.
Baudrillard
outlines
a
progression
from
faithful
imitations
of
reality
to
images
that
have
no
basis
in
reality,
and
that
in
turn
shape
perception
and
social
life.
The
concept
has
influenced
debates
about
media,
technology,
and
the
status
of
truth
in
contemporary
culture.
Critics
view
simulacra
as
either
revealing
or
concealing
aspects
of
the
real,
depending
on
interpretation.
designed
to
resemble
someone
or
something.
In
literature
and
criticism,
simulacrum
is
a
tool
for
analyzing
authenticity,
identity,
and
the
politics
of
representation.
In
popular
culture
and
games,
simulacrum
appears
as
a
device
or
motif
for
duplicating
beings,
granting
a
theme
of
replication,
autonomy,
and
ethics.
duplicate
of
a
creature,
typically
under
the
caster’s
control,
illustrating
the
tension
between
likeness
and
agency.