Elon Musk: One in Billion Chance We AREN’T Living in a Computer Simulation

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

Staying 'grounded' is good! LOL.

. . . thankfully, our Hope is based on a fare more sure foundation than mere 'ground,' though!

The "everything that is everything" (that's really the only term for it) is basically playing with itself -- to and from infinity. In order to do this though, it has to wipe any memory of itself from (itself) the players.

What good would experiencing everything that can be experienced if you remembered where you came from and who you are...?

In a nutshell we are all shards of the infinite -- and there are an infinite number of these shards, each given amnesia that they were once a part of (and will eventually go back to) the infinite.

A good description I heard/read referred to this place/being/is-ness as the "world sea" -- and we are but drops of water of that sea. You can't separate out the individual drops of water when they reside in the ocean, but when they are dropped here and there on land they make unique splatter patterns.

We come from, and go back to the infinite sea of all that is. When we are cut away, we loose all memory of being from that place where time does not exist.

The only that does exist is paradox. It is a place where paradoxes make sense, and no paradoxes don't make sense. Some people go completely insane after seeing/touching this place and babble on and become incoherent.

There is a good reason why we keep and hide this information from ourselves...most could not, and cannot handle it. For many, they would loose the will to live and not see the point. Others would become arrogant...

People often make the mistake of thinking that "simulated reality" means "Matrix," and while there are similarities between the concepts, the differences make all the difference.

In the Matrix, human beings existed outside of the Matrix, but were "plugged into it."

In the type of simulated reality being discussed by Musk (and others), we are part of the simulation. All the universe, from the largest galaxy to the smallest subatomic particle to all the empty spaces inbetween, and every sentient thing therein, is part of the simulation.

In short, the simulation is not an artificial reality. Rather, is IS reality.

Of course, this does suggest that there is something OUTSIDE the simulation, but one can arrive at the same conclusions regarding a natural universe.

Truth be told, it doesn't change much. It merely turns God from an unknowable spiritual force into an unknowable computer programmer.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

I happen to like that description a lot. It reminds me of the teachings of Thales, and even more closely so, Anaximander's theory of the Apeiron:

For Anaximander, the archê, or first principle, is not any of the elements—earth, water, air or fire—but that which precedes the elements (and everything else), from which the elements emerge and which they all ultimately are (see also Aristotle, Physics I.4; 187a 12: "something else which is denser than fire and rarer than air then generate everything else from this, and obtain multiplicity by condensation and rarefaction"). From it comes all things, but it is none of those things: "all the heavens and the worlds within them." Because this archê is no existing thing, but the source and foundation of them, Anaximander names it the apeiron (the infinite), by which he means that the archê is indeterminate and has no characteristics: it is before and beyond all distinctions made with respect to being. In the passage cited above, Simplicius says that Anaximander was the first to name the archê the apeiron. The Christian Apologist Hippolytus similarly explains Anaximander's position as follows: "This man said that the originating principle of existing things is a certain constitution of the infinite (apeiron), out of which the heavens are generated, and the worlds therein; and that this principle is eternal and undecaying, and comprising all the worlds....This person declared the infinite (apeiron) to be an originating principle and element of existing things" (Refut. 1.5).

source: www.mycrandall.ca...

Nevertheless, the possibility of our universe being a computer-simulated reality is a pretty interesting one. I do, however, agree with Greggers in the sense that this doesn't change much in the grand scheme of things.

a reply to: LordAstaroth
See? I told you there were gems to find.

a reply to: pikestaff

That depends on the hard drive. If I were writing a program that did indeed generate every blade of grass, I would use the event horizons of black holes to store the data.

But that would be a type 1 or 2 civilization strategy. A late type 0 or early type 1 would just procedurally generate the universe as needed. In fact, we do that now, in games like Minecraft and No Mans Sky. In fact, No Mans Sky is a terrific example because it does indeed generate an entire universe, with literally millions of galaxies, stars and planets for the players to explore. Is it a large and complicated program? Absolutely. But a little procedural math goes a long way, once you nail down the variables.

I think the real question here is: "How does "god" cool his processors and video-cards? If it were me, I'd place the hardware in a vacuum, just a few degrees above absolute zero....

a reply to: BO XIAN

My only problem with the notion that we only live one life, and that it is very critical to the infinite which comes after is the oldest problem in the book:

How does that explain children born into poverty, who starve and die before they are 3 years old? How do you reconcile childhood Leukemia? What choices do 8 years old's have that they can be held responsible for?

a reply to: Apollumi

Wow. I think I was fourteen and I thought up this wacky idea that there was more than one god and they were playing against each other,in a way, to find a god to replace one of them, they all find a potential god and the best potential god replaces the lowest ranked existing god. The lowest ranked god would then be back in 'The Game', as I called it. And things just cycled like that.

Strangely my current outlandish thought kinda ties in with my kid thought: that the point of the universe is to gain experience, like leveling up in a game. To what ends? I have no fricken clue! But what better way to learn/know all than to play everything at once, as an atom, animal, star, the universe...
(that' just one outlandish thought, others would contribute or contradict to this thought. I'm on the fence. )

The scary thing about that is, if this is gods mind gaining this experience. Because if so, then none if this has happened AND it has already happened. So in that case it would be like a simulation, more of a shimmer, in which we feel conscious while riding our concept of time. If that is the case, how do we experience anything at all? Enough to feel alive whilst typing/reading this message? (it's the consciousness particles!)

I think it would be true to the topic that if we are in a simulation the real defining control would be our experience of time from past, to now.

AAAAnyway. I like the whole simulation idea, but I don't like it. Maybe I'm scared that I don't 'exist', like, for reals. But I really hope it's more natural than that, e.g. we get advanced enough to see the other side of the universe, other dimensions, whatever, and we just go "wow, that's how it works". I wanted that knowledge so bad as a kid. I don't worry too much about the 'why', I just want to know how. Then maybe the 'why' might make sense. Honestly? "Why?" ...because

a reply to: BO XIAN

I think the crucial part is what he added "or the world is doomed"...
If you apply a tiny bit kitchen table psychology you see what it really is: a guy grasping straws because he realised all his wealth won't help him # if we don't work towards fixing the planet.
Anyone believing simulated reality is just as stupid as those believing god will save us. It's the same line of thought.

a reply to: Jimjolnir

My 14 year old thought was that we divided on purpose to experience love without the burden of unity, so that we could come together later and share what we had discovered.

Years later, I figure that -- whatever you call it, the universe is learning itself through first hand experience, and some of the best players are recording their most memorable experiences and selling them to the highest bidder as "exclusives."

It's a hell of a racket.

A mix between Dante / Milton and infinite capitalism, where the angels pay-to-play, and the best moments, in the best seats are reserved to the powers willing to pay the most....

a reply to: TerryMcGuire
You did. I haven't had time today to really explore due to life's responsibilities, but it is interesting!

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
The "everything that is everything" (that's really the only term for it) is basically playing with itself -- to and from infinity. In order to do this though, it has to wipe any memory of itself from (itself) the players.

What good would experiencing everything that can be experienced if you remembered where you came from and who you are...?

In a nutshell we are all shards of the infinite -- and there are an infinite number of these shards, each given amnesia that they were once a part of (and will eventually go back to) the infinite.

I thought about going here. Glad you did instead. Included is an excerpt from Lou Famoso's NDE that says so much and I have had a very similar experience. Back when I was trying to "dodge" my senses and having lucid dreams. Back when I was on a hard search for God. I had something happen that made me realize this. There is NO seperation. There only is and that is singular. We are fragments of fragments of God.

In a sense we are God. All of the fragments are "experiencing" every possible aspect of life. God could know it intellectually (shallow word for God's perspective) but you never truly know something unless you experience it.


Btw, I really like Lou's NDE

didn't understand how all this was of me and me of HE when a magnificent crystal serving platter appeared and it shimmered the colors of many rainbows.

In an instant it shattered into thousands of pieces, each piece brilliant in its own right.

Ever so slowly now all the pieces began to rejoin themselves to once again form the original serving platter once again and I now knew what this Being of Light was showing me: we pieces are the platter. I was just one of those thousands of pieces, as were all those I was seeing here and those back in the "World".I

originally posted by: Jimjolnir
a reply to: Apollumi
AAAAnyway. I like the whole simulation idea, but I don't like it. Maybe I'm scared that I don't 'exist', like, for reals. But I really hope it's more natural than that, e.g. we get advanced enough to see the other side of the universe, other dimensions, whatever, and we just go "wow, that's how it works". I wanted that knowledge so bad as a kid. I don't worry too much about the 'why', I just want to know how. Then maybe the 'why' might make sense. Honestly? "Why?" ...because

When you die ( the simulation ends) you are eased back into the whole. Robin Williams movie "What Dreams May Come" is as close as I can think concerning that phase. It's why all of the NDE stories aren't the same. But, but, your uniqueness does not end. You are still you. But you will have the consciousness of God because you are part of the whole also. And sorry to say, you will "choose" to come back and experience another life to infinity because time simply does not exist.

I will give you an example from an NDE I read. An atom is made up of living things that are all unique. Cells in your body are made of these living atoms and the cell has a consciousness as do the atoms, as do the living components of the atom. You, have a consciousness and are made up of living cells that have a consciousness. That are made of atoms that has a consciousness, that are... Well, you get it. The planet has a consciousness that is made up of...

Everything is being grown and evolved but the unique consciousness never ceases to exist.

Lol, a billion to one odds that probability was totally made up. This guy isn't Spock, he can't just produce probabilities of complex and unquantifiable # like this because he's a billionaire.

a reply to: snarfbot

Maybe. Or maybe they (his brother? I can't remember exactly, not going to spend time watching the video again) calculated the billion to one odds using a defined set of variables and came up with 10^9.

Kind of like how we calculate how far Saturn is from the earth at its furthest distance, or 10^9 miles.

a reply to: 0zzymand0s

The last shall be first and the first shall be last.

Somehow I trust Yehovah in His Wisdom infinitely more than I trust chance and way infinitely more [LOL] than I trust human 'nature.'

The reports from NDE and other convincing visits to Heaven are that the verse about the sufferings in this sphere are NOT WORTHY to be compared to the glories of the eternal life with God . . . comes to mind.

And children who were horribly abused to the point of death are quite forgiving and nonchalant about what had to be horribly painful days and hours or years before a very painful death.

That eternal perspective is obviously different than ours. I prefer that one.

originally posted by: nOraKat
a reply to: lavatrance

I would not measure him by the amount of money he made.

No but I do measure him by the amount he lost !!! Nobody loses a Billion dollars!!!! It's nuts. Only a moron would Lose that much

originally posted by: Apollumi
a reply to: BO XIAN

K, I'll go first (or not). I've often wondered the same thing. Most of us have I imagine. Not a simulation with a metal data spike in the back of your head but something much craftier.

I have read thousands of NDE accounts. This is where most people tune me out. In NDE as soon as the body shuts down 'pop' out you come and you see things in a "more" vivid way and reality becomes much more intense. You see the reality of where you came from as something like a dream. How many times I have I read an account where after they left they knew they were home and that life after death was the more true reality? Many..

I almost died once. Really bad asthma attack. I walked into the E.R. but they checked twice with two different machines and I had no detectable vitals. Long story, but the respiratory therapist was the only one who was authorized to deliver the appropriate medication and she had decided to go on an extended lunch break.

I got pretty loopy. I don't remember losing consciousness, and nobody said anything about that happening, but there came a point where I knew I was probably going to die and it was ok, very peaceful. I became very aware of the emotional states of the people swirling around me, and I wanted to tell them to stop worrying, it was ok, I wasn't really suffering and I wasn't scared to die. But, I remember I could sort of zoom in on conversations. Like something would catch my attention and I could hyper focus and hear every word. There was this one nurse who was flipping out. They had taken a blood sample at some point (don't remember that either) and she was standing there with the vial going "Look at her blood! It's black!" Holding it and talking to another nurse. She was really agitated. I noticed her and sort of zoomed in on the vial. I didn't move, but I was suddenly standing right there. I was looking at the vial (and it was very dark) and I felt bad that she was so upset. One of the other nurses escorted her out.

Eventually the respiratory therapy tech. got her hiney down to the E.R. and I lived (apparently), but that was weird. And I also now know that lack of oxygen is not such a bad way to go, but it must be just awful to watch.

Edited to Add:

I should clarify. For me that wasn't exactly a spiritual experience, even though I know for a lot of people it would be. It felt more like my interface with reality had changed; not a higher or lower level or quality, just... different. It's like the usual priorities were reversed, what happened to my body no longer mattered, what mattered was the emotional states of the people around me; that was suddenly WAY more interesting than my own visceral existence. So, these conversations about a universe that is a simulation make more sense to me than conversations about god or heaven or hell. I know that lots of people, most even, have a different perspective on a NDE, but that's mine.

a reply to: lavatrance

Or a Maverick.

I follow Elon very closely. And I am invested into his endeavors. He is a brilliant, yet cooky at the same time. I hold stock in what will become one of the largest corporations in the USA.

He is allowed to have imagination. And that is where the chips are.