Contemplating the Possibility of a Simulated Universe

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of reality possibly being a simulation, similar to the white room in 2001: A Space Odyssey. The comparison is made to animals in zoos or aquariums, and how they may not be aware of their environment being simulated. The possibility of a simulation being so accurate that it is indistinguishable from reality is also mentioned.
  • #1
Gomar
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http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/12/17/what-if-reality-were-really-just-im-universe/

"millions of virtual universes with billions of simulated brains in them."

Reminds me of the last scenes in 2001:A Space Odyssey. The white room is not real; it is
a sim of Dave's memories. Do zoo or nature preserve animals know they are in it? No.
Do goldfish know they are in an aquarium? No. Food comes from above, and they swim around, some creatures look at them, that's life.
 
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  • #2
Do goldfish know they are in an aquarium? No.
They could call their envionment "aquarium". Where is the problem?
They could see a correlation between the creatures looking at them and food coming from above (assuming they are fed manually). They could (given enough time) observe ageing of those creatures looking at them, and see the result of reproduction. With a human-scale intelligence, more fishs to work in science and the option to build special equipment, they could discover most of our modern physics, significant parts of biology and chemistry and evolution. They could study cells of the human skin falling into the aquarium, and even discover similarities between their DNA and ours.

I think it is very hard to run simulations so accurate that no deviation can be observed with current technology, unless the timescale of those simulations is very short (like hours or days of our time).
 
  • #4
A sophisticated sim would be indistinguishable from 'reality'. In fact, the 'computer' running that sim could also be a sim.
 
  • #5
@Chronos," turtles, all the way down."
 
  • #6
This is not physics.
 

Related to Contemplating the Possibility of a Simulated Universe

1. What is a simulated universe?

A simulated universe is a hypothetical digital or computer-generated version of reality that is indistinguishable from the "real" universe. It is often referred to as a "virtual reality" or "virtual world."

2. How is it possible to simulate an entire universe?

With advancements in technology and computing power, it is theoretically possible to simulate an entire universe by creating complex computer programs that mimic the laws of physics and the behavior of particles and objects in the universe. This would require an immense amount of data and processing power.

3. What is the purpose of contemplating a simulated universe?

The idea of a simulated universe raises philosophical questions about the nature of reality and our own existence. It also has practical implications for fields such as physics, computer science, and artificial intelligence.

4. How do we know if we are living in a simulated universe?

There is currently no way to definitively prove or disprove the existence of a simulated universe. Some scientists and philosophers propose that if our universe is a simulation, there may be glitches or anomalies that we could potentially detect.

5. What are the potential consequences of living in a simulated universe?

If our universe is indeed a simulation, it could have significant implications for our understanding of reality and our place in the universe. It could also raise ethical questions about the creators of the simulation and our relationship to them. However, until there is concrete evidence for or against a simulated universe, these consequences remain purely speculative.

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