Reality as simulation

[Tender Branson]

Suppose that one day humans acquire technology sophisticated enough to produce, on computers, simulated realities with beings that are fully conscious.  With enough time, these simulated beings might go on to create their own worlds.  Given the sheer number of worlds that may be created, which is more likely:

a) that we are the primogenitor of all worlds, (i.e., the real world)

or

b) that we are, in fact, our world is among the infinitely many simulated worlds ?

If this is accepted as true, then we are almost certainly living in a simulation.

[Tik]

And here's why you shouldn't watch the Matrix on acid.

[J. J.]

In theory, it could be.  I realized that before I was 4 years old.  I stopped worrying about it when I was five.

[© Tweed the Younger]

it is seemingly possible but it does not really matter - unless you are afraid that our creators will turn the switch off on us.

[Bacon King]

it is seemingly possible but it does not really matter - unless you are afraid that our creators will turn the switch off on us.

but then really it wouldn't matter anyway.

[bgwah]

In theory, it could be.  I realized that before I was 4 years old.  I stopped worrying about it when I was five.

Deep.

[IDS Judicial Overlord John Dibble]

Unless this computer could somehow store and process an infinite amount of data, each subsequent world would by necessity be less complex than the next. The computer at our level would not only have to run the simulation, but it would have to run the simulated computers within the simulation to make the sub-simulation work, and so on and so forth. Eventually you'd get a world that can't produce a simulation complex enough to generate sentient beings.

So, given that constraint I'd say that the larger and more complex your universe is, meaning the more data it has, the more likely you are at the top. Of course, we have nothing more complex to compare our universe to, but if we're a simulation it would mean that the universe above ours is larger and/or more complex, which is rather mind boggling if you think about it.

[Former Moderate]

Unless this computer could somehow store and process an infinite amount of data, each subsequent world would by necessity be less complex than the next. The computer at our level would not only have to run the simulation, but it would have to run the simulated computers within the simulation to make the sub-simulation work, and so on and so forth. Eventually you'd get a world that can't produce a simulation complex enough to generate sentient beings.

So, given that constraint I'd say that the larger and more complex your universe is, meaning the more data it has, the more likely you are at the top. Of course, we have nothing more complex to compare our universe to, but if we're a simulation it would mean that the universe above ours is larger and/or more complex, which is rather mind boggling if you think about it.

Ah, but you see, we are constantly coming up with ways to increase memory capacity.  This explains why all events which transpired in our reality were in black-and-white up until around 1960 or so: hardware upgrade.

[IDS Judicial Overlord John Dibble]

Unless this computer could somehow store and process an infinite amount of data, each subsequent world would by necessity be less complex than the next. The computer at our level would not only have to run the simulation, but it would have to run the simulated computers within the simulation to make the sub-simulation work, and so on and so forth. Eventually you'd get a world that can't produce a simulation complex enough to generate sentient beings.

So, given that constraint I'd say that the larger and more complex your universe is, meaning the more data it has, the more likely you are at the top. Of course, we have nothing more complex to compare our universe to, but if we're a simulation it would mean that the universe above ours is larger and/or more complex, which is rather mind boggling if you think about it.

Ah, but you see, we are constantly coming up with ways to increase memory capacity.  This explains why all events which transpired in our reality were in black-and-white up until around 1960 or so: hardware upgrade.

Err, no, color has more to do with your graphics technology, not memory. Besides, any civilization that comes up with sentient AI before color TV clearly has its priorities out of order, don't you think?

[Old Europe]

To make it even scarier: What if we're living in a simulation... and this simulation was created/started only five minutes ago. Muhahahahaha!

[IDS Judicial Overlord John Dibble]

To make it even scarier: What if we're living in a simulation... and this simulation was created/started only five minutes ago. Muhahahahaha!

Well that's nothing new - that's just the same thought as "God created the universe five minutes ago". For that matter the whole simulation thing is pretty much the same as "the universe is someone's dream" idea.

[Former Moderate]

Unless this computer could somehow store and process an infinite amount of data, each subsequent world would by necessity be less complex than the next. The computer at our level would not only have to run the simulation, but it would have to run the simulated computers within the simulation to make the sub-simulation work, and so on and so forth. Eventually you'd get a world that can't produce a simulation complex enough to generate sentient beings.

So, given that constraint I'd say that the larger and more complex your universe is, meaning the more data it has, the more likely you are at the top. Of course, we have nothing more complex to compare our universe to, but if we're a simulation it would mean that the universe above ours is larger and/or more complex, which is rather mind boggling if you think about it.

Ah, but you see, we are constantly coming up with ways to increase memory capacity.  This explains why all events which transpired in our reality were in black-and-white up until around 1960 or so: hardware upgrade.

Err, no, color has more to do with your graphics technology, not memory. Besides, any civilization that comes up with sentient AI before color TV clearly has its priorities out of order, don't you think?

Oh, you definitely want AI before messing around with graphics and making it pretty.  Should Nintendo have held off with 'The Legend of Zelda' because they couldn't rock really awesome looking 3-D graphics yet?

[IDS Judicial Overlord John Dibble]

Unless this computer could somehow store and process an infinite amount of data, each subsequent world would by necessity be less complex than the next. The computer at our level would not only have to run the simulation, but it would have to run the simulated computers within the simulation to make the sub-simulation work, and so on and so forth. Eventually you'd get a world that can't produce a simulation complex enough to generate sentient beings.

So, given that constraint I'd say that the larger and more complex your universe is, meaning the more data it has, the more likely you are at the top. Of course, we have nothing more complex to compare our universe to, but if we're a simulation it would mean that the universe above ours is larger and/or more complex, which is rather mind boggling if you think about it.

Ah, but you see, we are constantly coming up with ways to increase memory capacity.  This explains why all events which transpired in our reality were in black-and-white up until around 1960 or so: hardware upgrade.

Err, no, color has more to do with your graphics technology, not memory. Besides, any civilization that comes up with sentient AI before color TV clearly has its priorities out of order, don't you think?

Oh, you definitely want AI before messing around with graphics and making it pretty.  Should Nintendo have held off with 'The Legend of Zelda' because they couldn't rock really awesome looking 3-D graphics yet?

Who said anything about 3D? I said COLOR, fool! Besides, the AI (if you could really call it that) in Zelda was by no means sentient.

[© Tweed the Younger]

perhaps the breakdown of our physical laws at certain extremes are really bugs/errors in the algorithms/programs that run our simulated world.  such as, weightless light having momentum, black holes, general relativity, etc.

[Boris]

I hope it is a simulation because then we have a point.

[aussieboy]

Suppose that one day humans acquire technology sophisticated enough to produce, on computers, simulated realities with beings that are fully conscious.  With enough time, these simulated beings might go on to create their own worlds.  Given the sheer number of worlds that may be created, which is more likely:

a) that we are the primogenitor of all worlds, (i.e., the real world)

or

b) that we are, in fact, our world is among the infinitely many simulated worlds ?

If this is accepted as true, then we are almost certainly living in a simulation.

I pick c) In the end, God created us all.