Can someone who understands or is a proponent of universal simulation theory,, explain to me what it entails?

Originally posted by ImaFungi
Can someone who understands or is a proponent of universal simulation theory,, explain to me what it entails?

Our reality is just a computer simulation. If you haven't played The Sims or watched The Matrix, that might not make a lot of sense.

From a "proof" standpoint, the claim is that, if reality was just that, reality, there would be no minimal level of detail, whereas if this is a simulation, the limits of technology would impose a minimal level of detail (so there would be "pixillation", a level of generalization of reality that would be notable) and if we can define that level, and prove that it exists, we can demonstrate that our consciousness are merely subroutines running in a computer simulation.

Imagine if we were in a prison, I believe one day the incarceration system will work like this...

Someone isn't fit for "society" as it is, you beam him into a virtual reality, block part of his brain so he doesn't remember who he is... Since its a simulated artificial world things can happen much faster than reality just like in dream which can sometimes feels like days yet only couple minutes has past in real life...

You beam one down in the virtual world for a year which is felt multiplied by 100 in there, give them essentially a lifetime to "fix themselves" if successful they re-emerge a completely new person keeping with them the experience and new knowledge they had... If unsuccessful they get rebooted and start anew, they can "reincarnate" into the simulator for as long as their body lives in both case they aren't in a 4x4 room and are free of coming out whenever they really want but they need to get their crap together first...

Maybe that's why they say "Why does the best ones go first..." because they past the test...

It would be the perfect prison, you aren't held against your own will as you are master of your own faith in both case you can't say you have lost your life in prison between four walls you were given hundreds of lifetimes to fix yourself and if you did it the first time you get out back to your life with an entire lifetime of extra knowledge, experience and all...

Originally posted by adjensen

Originally posted by ImaFungi
Can someone who understands or is a proponent of universal simulation theory,, explain to me what it entails?

Our reality is just a computer simulation. If you haven't played The Sims or watched The Matrix, that might not make a lot of sense.

From a "proof" standpoint, the claim is that, if reality was just that, reality, there would be no minimal level of detail, whereas if this is a simulation, the limits of technology would impose a minimal level of detail (so there would be "pixillation", a level of generalization of reality that would be notable) and if we can define that level, and prove that it exists, we can demonstrate that our consciousness are merely subroutines running in a computer simulation.

I am familiar with the sims and the matrix.,,..,,.

I dont see how the conclusion backs up the theory,,,, when 130 years ago ( or so) and today,, the limits of technology ( like the limits of our senses) give us a hazy view of micro reality? there has to be a difference between the idea of reality being a computer ( which it is) and the concept of simulation ( which would mean/entail?)...

what would what be simulating? are you only implying determinism with the idea of simulation?

::stands and says to the ceiling:: Computer, load program.. "I am rich and famous, and surrounded by beautiful women." Anything??? No, crap! LOL My question is though: If the universe is a holographic computer program, who programed and controls the simulation?

Originally posted by SpacebumZaphod
::stands and says to the ceiling:: Computer, load program.. "I am rich and famous, and surrounded by beautiful women." Anything??? No, crap! LOL My question is though: If the universe is a holographic computer program, who programed and controls the simulation?

Hope the voice recognition system is better than what we have otherwise you might end-up a sex slave or worst... lol

A computer simulation... Wow. I’ve heard some silly things in my time. The whole thing about the environment being perfect for life makes absolute sense considering that life evolves and adapts to it’s surroundings, therefore it’d only be logical to think that the planet is perfect for life because life as adapted over however many hundreds of millions of years.

What if we really are a simulation? A perpetually running program within a massively complex machine. Relics of a long-dead civilization, or perhaps even one of many, stored & saved on something for the purpose of not fading into oblivion? For all we know, we're a very complex time capsule of some kind. Maybe we were much, much more advanced than we are now and created...well, ourselves, in a sense. Time is just that chunk of the program relative to being aware of it, it's not really moving so much as the program is being run. Perhaps this is where deja vu comes into play--a brief remembrance of the program being run or accessed previously. Maybe in some far-off era in our future, something catastrophic happened, and we're the simulated result, a digital memory of an extinct culture.
Maybe the paranormal, extraterrestrials, maybe these events are the real lifeforms running/accessing program, studying the ancients. Maybe we're a holodeck type of program they interact with and learn from? Maybe we're just a museum exhibit others interact with? "Step into this room, ladies and gentlemen, and let's take a walk through Year XYZ on Planet Earth." Our reality could be far more finite & isolated than we think--the end of existence could really be the BSOD.

Originally posted by _R4t_
Imagine if we were in a prison, I believe one day the incarceration system will work like this...

Someone isn't fit for "society" as it is, you beam him into a virtual reality, block part of his brain so he doesn't remember who he is... Since its a simulated artificial world things can happen much faster than reality just like in dream which can sometimes feels like days yet only couple minutes has past in real life...

You beam one down in the virtual world for a year which is felt multiplied by 100 in there, give them essentially a lifetime to "fix themselves" if successful they re-emerge a completely new person keeping with them the experience and new knowledge they had... If unsuccessful they get rebooted and start anew, they can "reincarnate" into the simulator for as long as their body lives in both case they aren't in a 4x4 room and are free of coming out whenever they really want but they need to get their crap together first...

Maybe that's why they say "Why does the best ones go first..." because they past the test...

It would be the perfect prison, you aren't held against your own will as you are master of your own faith in both case you can't say you have lost your life in prison between four walls you were given hundreds of lifetimes to fix yourself and if you did it the first time you get out back to your life with an entire lifetime of extra knowledge, experience and all...

Much like the martial arts training in the matrix films! But your idea of an entire lifetime (well simulated lifetime) of life training before being let loose in the big wide world is brilliant. Imagine a world where everyone gets along, All resources are infinite, all energy renewable, literally a parallel yet perfect world. Of course that would mean we're in the training world now, and all we need are those cheat codes!
Maybe us puny humans ask for too much...

This makes sense. The term computer simulation might make it sound a bit cartoonish for some to take seriously though 'programmed reality' would be an alternative term with a more scientific slant.

The universe is subject to mathematical principles, this suggests an intelligent design, humanity has always alluded to a 'higher power', given the proven concept of 'sixth sense' this is probably an accurate 'sensing' of this 'programming' and 'godly force'.

On a more personal scale, yesterday I sort of proved this to myself. While doing a life drawing, which was going well, I mentioned that a part was 'slightly over', I then drew the remainder of the picture slightly larger, subconsciously, almost as if I had 'programmed' my interpretation to over estimate the proportions. Almost akin to radio frequencies, as if something had caused 'interference' to the natural rhythms of the act of the depiction.

Originally posted by benrl
fourtunately people are working on proving or disproving this, we should know with in a few years if this theroy holds any water.

All it would take is a microscope with a high enough resolution to see pixelation in the universe, I remember watching a special where they where working on making just such a device.

Pixelation is just the method of image-transfer that we use for the mean-time.

Who's to say that in, let's say, twenty years, we come up with a display that uses a single plane to give us an image. No pixels, just a sheet of shielded smart-liquid that is perfectly flawless, perfectly seamless.


Those scientists will have a hard time finding pixels then.