Simulation Theory

[Silver]

Yes, this topic again.

I understand it better now, in ways I never did before, thanks to a show called Devs.

It's on Hulu:
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt8134186/

The simulation theory makes a kind of sense in understanding our reality, the concept of determinism and there being just an illusion of choice.

Discuss.

[onlinebiker]

"You know how I know that we aren' t in The Matrix? If we were the food would be better" - 
Sheldon Cooper /The Big Bang Theory.

[no one]

Yes, Earth and its parent universe is just a tamagotchi.

[HappySkeptic]

I don't have Hulu, so can't watch the show.

The information-centric view of Quantum Mechanics lends itself to analogy with a computational system. However, the degree of computation is insanely large. The whole universe is the computer, so it isn't being simulated by another computer (unless everything we think we know is fake, and false information is being piped into our senses at every moment).

I have no philosophical problem with determinism, and that free-will is an illusion. The thing is -- we can't break past the illusion. Our minds are caught within it, and chaos theory precludes us from predicting a mind. The mind becomes its own self-perpetuating effective cause, even though it may be deterministic.

The other problem with determinism is that we have into include quantum mechanics into the equation. If quantum events are truly random (and we can't tell any different), then it is impossible even in principle to predict the future of a chaotic system. It may be fully caused by previous events, but those causes are quantum causes -- i.e. probabilities, not certainties.

[onlinebiker]

I don't have Hulu, so can't watch the show.

The information-centric view of Quantum Mechanics leads itself to analogy with a computational system.  However, the degree of computation is insanely large.  The whole universe is the computer, so it isn't being simulated by another computer (unless everything we think we know is fake, and false information is being piped into our senses at every moment).

I have no philosophical problem with determinism, and that free-will is an illusion.  The thing is -- we can't break past the illusion.  Our minds are caught within it, and chaos theory precludes us from predicting a mind.  The mind becomes its own self-perpetuating effective cause, even though it may be deterministic.  

The other problem with determinism is that we have into include quantum mechanics into the equation.  If quantum events are truly random (and we can't tell any different), then it is impossible even in principle to predict the future of a chaotic system.  It may be fully caused by previous events, but those causes are quantum causes -- i.e. probabilities, not certainties.

It' s not necessary to simulate the whole universe.

What if - the whole of the simulation was only what is percieved by your viewpoint?

That wouldn' take as much.

And if it were taken from the view point of a fundamentalist Christian the whole thing would fit on a 3 1/2 inch floppy disc.....

[HappySkeptic]

It' s not necessary to simulate the whole universe.

What if - the whole of the simulation was only what is percieved by your viewpoint?

That wouldn' take as much.

And if it were taken from the view point of a fundamentalist Christian the whole thing would fit on a 3 1/2 inch floppy disc.....

I was allowing that possibility, but I deem it unlikely.  There would be many glitches in the Matrix that would be noticed by science (unless they are wiped from our brains), and some programmer wouldn't be able to resist being an actual god.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

If reality is not a simulation, then reality is not a simulation. If reality is a simulation, there’s no way to determine whether it’s a simulation or not.

I find it difficult to get fussed over this.

Boru

[Angrboda]

I'm simulating interest in this discussion. Can you tell?

[Fake Messiah]

To me, it seems to fit in the category of people who think that they can't tell if they are dreaming or awake, people who think they are characters in a book or a TV show, and now people think they are characters of a Sim City game.

[brewer]

misread title, disappointed