What term describes images or ideas that are copies without an original?

• A. Simulation
• B. Reproduction
• C. Simulacra
• D. Hyper-reality

Answer: (C)

Simulacra describe images or ideas that are copies without a real original, or have displaced any original so completely that the copy functions on its own. In media theory, this term covers signs that no longer point to a real referent but circulate as independent representations, sometimes appearing more real than anything they imitate. That makes it the best fit for the idea of copies without an original. By contrast, simulation refers to an imitation of something that exists, reproduction implies copying an original, and hyper-reality refers to the broader effect where the distinction between real and simulated becomes blurred. A virtual influencer or a digital landscape that has no real counterpart is a good illustration of simulacra in action.