Simulation theory

[Tortured_empath]

I want to start another thread about simulation theory. I sometimes use this to disassociate when I am at my worst. Do you think it is possible that we live in a simulation?

In 40 years we have gone from Pong to photorealistic videogames, imagine what we can do in a 1000...

 

[oopswronglife]

It's as possible as any other theory. I personally hope its NOT true unless its some VR thing where I get to wake up and be healthy and live some amazing future. But classic Simulation Theory where I am just a SIM character? No thanks.

Truth is we have no idea and everything is just people guessing. I used to love the mental exercise of it. Also growing up in religious areas it was nice as a kid to feel I was smart and seeing things they refused to see. But ultimately I realized it is pointless because nobody knows and I hate to argue. It just makes me tired and doesn't change anything. One person might feel momentarily better because they "won" but otherwise nothing comes of it.

 

[Robbyna]

I do not think our shared reality is a simulation. But I am very curious about how this theory conceptualizes what is true reality if it's possible that this isn't it. Is it that we have a "real" body that's trapped in a machine, or are we a part of the simulation? Who built and is observing this simulation, and for what purpose?

 

[oopswronglife]

Who built and is observing this simulation, and for what purpose?

The idea of being some super advanced alien kid's science fair project is terribly depressing. Like pulling the wings off of flies to see what happens.

 

[JoeFailure]

The idea of being some super advanced alien kid's science fair project is terribly depressing. Like pulling the wings off of flies to see what happens.

What's also scary is what if there is an afterlife that's so much better...or we even find out that this was all a simulation and are really a different kind of being...but we're not aware that that's really just a simulation within another simulation?

 

[Orin]

I kinda agree with Elon's logic.

So assuming we ARE in one, are we merely NPCs, ......or actual "players" that exist in a higher plane so to speak?

 

[not-2-b-the-answer]

I want to start another thread about simulation theory. I sometimes use this to disassociate when I am at my worst. Do you think it is possible that we live in a simulation?

In 40 years we have gone from Pong to photorealistic videogames, imagine what we can do in a 1000...

I don't think so … if we were, my character would have been killed off years ago.

The idea of being some super advanced alien kid's science fair project is terribly depressing. Like pulling the wings off of flies to see what happens.

That is soooo depressing. I just wish someone would just kill me with the fly swatter so I could finally be free.
Your reference to flies made me think of this song by HIM which is so awesome.

 

[Tortured_empath]

Great points , thanks for all the input.

I see how it couldn't really matter in the end. It dosen't make our experience any less real. Also, is there really any difference between praying to god or to a programmer?

That being said, it does give me some strange deterministic, existential comfort.

On the question of whether it's true or not, there is also Bostoms trilemma, which states that either:

1. The fraction of human-level civilizations that reach a posthuman stage (that is, one capable of running high-fidelity ancestor simulations) is very close to zero", or
2. "The fraction of posthuman civilizations that are interested in running simulations of their evolutionary history, or variations thereof, is very close to zero", or
3. "The fraction of all people with our kind of experiences that are living in a simulation is very close to one"

One of these must be true. Either (1) a species will always die off before they reach a level required to run a simulation, or (2) there is such a strong concurrency between advanced species, that virtually none of them would have any interest in running simulation or (3) we are living in a simulation.

Unless we are now living in a simulation, it is reasonable to assume that our ancestors will never have the possibility, which I think is equally mind-boggling.

 

[Robbyna]

The idea of being some super advanced alien kid's science fair project is terribly depressing. Like pulling the wings off of flies to see what happens.

I really don't think that's the case. To be really honest I've always seen this theory as hubris. A way for man to create a universe the only way we know how and believing that that universe would be as real as the one we are in because if that's all WE can create than that must be all that can be created and therefore some other life form has done the same to us. We may just simply not have the ability to create; only to manipulate. I think that is extremely humbling to someone who doesn't want to believe there is anything greater than humans.

 

[Jean Améry]

This isn't new at all: Plato already used the cave metaphor to hint at the possibility of what we perceive as reality is actually an illusion.
Kant said that we only know the world superficially through our senses: what may lie beyond (the 'thing in itself' is fundamentally unknowable to us.

In any case: while it might be an interesting topic for philosophical discussion there's no way to know if it actually is the case.

 

[Sensei]

If we really live in a simulation, what will happen when we die? Will our programs be erased, reset, or reloaded into another simulation? Something I find appealing with the simulation theory is that it would explain all supernatural phenomena. If it's possible to change or circumvent the programming, then appearing as a spirit or walking on water wouldn't be such a big deal.

 

[Istanbulite]

We defo are in a simulation, yes

 

[LongtimeLoser]

This reminds me of one of the most interesting conversations I've ever listened to regarding life, aliens, simulation theory, and most of all, the theories of why aliens haven't visited us and our limited capacity thus far as a species. It's a podcast in which Josh Szeps interviewed Tim Urban. Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps episode 46. Thank me later.

 

[Alex6216]

Oopswronglife said it best. No one knows truly so does it really matter?
I will say, if we are truly living in a simulation then this is one shit game/computer program and whoever made it deserves to become blind and paralysed for their entire life.

 

[DynamicDepression]

 

[LucyB]

Yes you live in a video game! Elon Musk and other characters like him are not real people! They are projections of this reality.. They don't let real people become billionaires.

 

[Shu]

Yes you live in a video game! Elon Musk and other characters like him are not real people! They are projections of this reality.. They don't let real people become billionaires.

Damn Archons!!