I believe
to have said here several times that all that regards the quantum theories and
how they affect our lives, every moment of our lives fascinate me to no end, so
today I’m going to discuss what I believe it to borderline crazy, or the
simulation hypothesis.
This theory
that reality - as we consciously experience it – isn’t real goes back to the
indigenous people who believed that we exist in a dream or illusion. In our
current timeline, we refer to our virtual reality experience as a matrix, with grids,
simulation and hologram. There are those trying to prove the hologram exists
and others who are trying to break us out of it. Theories about reality being a
simulation are increasing. It used to be difficult for me to find one good
article, now they are manifesting along with consciousness.
In case you
are unaware, the simulation hypothesis in short proposes that since the
construction of a convincing simulated reality which can host consciousness
will in all likelihood become relatively easy (and cheap) in the future, that
it is more likely that we are currently living in a simulation than in a true
reality. This is because the number of convincing simulated realities will be
many orders of magnitude larger than existing base realities. Therefore the
probability that we are currently operating in a simulated reality is orders of
magnitude (immensely) higher than the probability that we
are living in a physical reality. There are of course several versions of this
reasoning; however I think the key point might be understood from a
thermodynamic or minimal energy point of view. If a future state of technology
exists where simulated reality requires less energy than reality to host
consciousness, then statistical thermodynamic equilibrium will require that the
overwhelming majority of what we call sentient consciousness must exist in a
simulation.
I would
think this should be obvious. However, there seems to be enough people invoking
the simulation hypothesis without realizing that it amounts to a modern
retelling of the story of Plato’s cave (Plato was another of my preferred authors of script in
Latin when I was at high school/Liceo). This includes the philosopher who is the
author of the most recent incarnation of this idea, Nick Bostrum. Neither in
his paper nor in any of the more popularized articles on the subject could I
find a single reference to Plato. Perhaps it was thought to obvious to state?
However I think it’s worth saying since it exposes the logical consequences of
this line of reasoning. Consequences which Plato understood and explained
several millennia ago. That is, that idealized forms (or information) are the
true foundation of reality.
The ‘base
reality’ is the data, quantitative relationships or in the Platonic
terminology, idealized forms. One can see this more clearly if we consider the
likelihood of a given simulation generating its own native simulation of its
reality. This seems all but assured given the technological assumptions. Thus
we have the case of an infinite recursion of simulations, perhaps with no real
base physical reality, or a base physical reality of little importance. Of
course I’m just making here a small introduction to what you can clarify better
going to the websites below, to make up your own mind about what seems to me,
with my injured brain very unrealistic, however looking at the number of
serious scientists who are in favor of this hypothesis, I’d be fool if I wouldn’t
give it its space here.
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-we-living-in-a-computer-simulation/
- http://www.sentientdevelopments.com/2007/08/dark-side-of-simulation-argument.html
- http://www.crystalinks.com/holographic.html
- http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/the-simulation-argument.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_hypothesis
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