What if our entire existence is just a simulation on someone's computer? I mentioned this idea in one of my previous posts, but I thought it deserved its own article.
Even if this were true, I don't know that it would change anything. Is our existence any less real as a result? I've always hoped that our consciousness was part of something permanent. I guess that's what bugs me most about this particular possibility. We are, however, somewhat limited in what our understanding of a computer is. When it comes right down to it, our universe is really a big information processor. Every interaction is governed by a simple set of rules. Its been shown that a simple set of rules can evolve into complex patterns of behavior. Perhaps this simulation is beyond what the designer can influence, or turn off. It might not be as simple as throwing a switch on a box, as we think of our own, very limited computers.
For some video on the subject, see Video -- Living in a Computer Simulation
Here's an article I found on the topic. It has some very interesting points...
http://www.simulation-argument.com/simulation.html
Here's the conclusion from the paper (which doesn't include a lot of the juicy details. Please read the paper to get those!):
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A technologically mature “posthuman” civilization would have enormous computing power. Based on this empirical fact, the simulation argument shows that at least one of the following propositions is true: (1) The fraction of human-level civilizations that reach a posthuman stage is very close to zero; (2) The fraction of posthuman civilizations that are interested in running ancestor-simulations is very close to zero; (3) The fraction of all people with our kind of experiences that are living in a simulation is very close to one.
If (1) is true, then we will almost certainly go extinct before reaching posthumanity. If (2) is true, then there must be a strong convergence among the courses of advanced civilizations so that virtually none contains any relatively wealthy individuals who desire to run ancestor-simulations and are free to do so. If (3) is true, then we almost certainly live in a simulation. In the dark forest of our current ignorance, it seems sensible to apportion one’s credence roughly evenly between (1), (2), and (3).
Unless we are now living in a simulation, our descendants will almost certainly never run an ancestor-simulation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality
jbravo
14 Comments
There's a first person shooter coming out where you start as a soldier that is hooked up to this ability-enhancing drug which enables you to see enemies, move quicker, and aim easier. The flipside of it is that it alters your perception - there is no blood, bodies disappear off the ground in a matter of moments, and the whole experience seems like that of a video game (even butterflies fly out of the sky to land on your gun). Once you reach a point in the game where you join the rebels and you get off the juice, your experience shifts; war is seen for what it really is. Not pretty. Interesting concept/commentary.
You want to stay what Kurzweil calls a MOSH (Mostly Organic Substrate Human).
As for me -- I wouldn't mind the enhancements. However, I've never been one to participate on the bleeding edge. I won't try anything like this until it's been well proven by others, and if I feel sure that nothing like what you describe (being controlled) is going to happen.
On the other hand, there is something eerily seductive in a quote from the Matrix, when Cypher says "Ignorance is bliss."
I mean, this theory is a begining to a ilumination of a process which want us to inquire knowledge about this simluation. Of course, this simulation could have predicted that and was programmed to never let us prove what we are. But I see this still as a flaw in this theory...
I think it's definitely possible for us to be aware of the possibility. Like our fractal universe, the hierarchy of simulations we may be a part of I suspect will share similarities up and down the line. We see that some day we might be able to have enough compute power to create our own universe simulation -- therefore we theorize we might be in one ourself. My meager little brain can not tell you if we can ever prove that we actually are.
It could be that we can not prove it unless our creator somehow reveals it to us.
I think about a video game. I project it into the future when there are characters in the game that are actually intelligent and aware. If there are no sensors in our reality that provide feedback into the game about the perspective we see, and no mechanism whereby characters in the game can influence our reality, then I think there is no way for these intelligent characters to prove that they exist in a simulated environment. If they are truly aware, then they may come to theorize that they are living in a simulation. But without any mechanism to transcend their world, I don't think they can ever actually prove it.
If, however, we provide them a window into our world, then they would see the truth. That window could be provided by (A) Sending input into the game that reveals our perspective or (B) Downloading their intelligence out of the game and into an artificial body/brain that exists in our world. Either one I think will be possible in the future.
I decided that things we consider as physical can not travel between simulation hierarchies, but intelligence and consciousness can. The notion of a physical object is an illusion. It exists in perception only because of the interaction of something abstract called information. That information is the only thing that really exists. It's pretty clear to me that information and consciousness can transcend what we consider the physical world.
So, how deep does the rabbit hole go, anyway? You're guess is as good as mine. It could be infinitely deep as far as I know. I don't think anyone really understands if there is a finite ability to process information. It could be that there is no fundamental limit.
Man, my head hurts. Maybe I should just declare "ignorance is bliss" and get on with my life :-)
http://www.simulation-argument.com/simulation.html
Here's the conclusion from the paper (which doesn't include a lot of the juicy details. Please read the paper to get those!):
--------------------------------------------------------
A technologically mature “posthuman” civilization would have enormous computing power. Based on this empirical fact, the simulation argument shows that at least one of the following propositions is true: (1) The fraction of human-level civilizations that reach a posthuman stage is very close to zero; (2) The fraction of posthuman civilizations that are interested in running ancestor-simulations is very close to zero; (3) The fraction of all people with our kind of experiences that are living in a simulation is very close to one.
If (1) is true, then we will almost certainly go extinct before reaching posthumanity. If (2) is true, then there must be a strong convergence among the courses of advanced civilizations so that virtually none contains any relatively wealthy individuals who desire to run ancestor-simulations and are free to do so. If (3) is true, then we almost certainly live in a simulation. In the dark forest of our current ignorance, it seems sensible to apportion one’s credence roughly evenly between (1), (2), and (3).
Unless we are now living in a simulation, our descendants will almost certainly never run an ancestor-simulation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality
The ideas discussed in these articles don't preclude independent thought. Certainly, a director of the simulation could interfere if they wanted -- but I think controlling everything would make the whole simulation kind of pointless. So, I'm going to assume that we do, in fact, have free will (wokky might disagree :-)
Also, if our brains and consciousness derive from a substrate that is not exactly what we think it is, I don't think that makes us any less real. "I think, therefore I am" still applies!
It just blows my mind to think of all the implications if we assume that this is the nature of our reality. Maybe the Buddhists have it right when they say that physical reality as we know it is just emptiness -- an illusion! At the same time, I think we have to realize that this doesn't make our existence any less real or important, as intelligence and consciousness transcends any physical instantiation.
The religious implications are, of course, the most profound. What if going to heaven is transcendence of our consciousness to the next level of existence above this simulated reality? What if God is the consciousness(es) that exist(s) at the next level that oversee these simulations -- some post-human, or post-whatever civilization that has transcended their own physical limitations, as we expect our own species to do post-singularity? Maybe God is the root consciousness at the base of a tree of simulated realities. Ahhhhh!!!!
When I was in first year uni, (not sure what Americans call it, is it freshman?) I studied philosophy.
One of the lesser known philosophers I studied was an Irish bishop whose name escapes me. His theory was that none of the senses can be trusted at all (much like Descartes) and that the only thing we know as being true is our thought process. I cannot believe that I am in someone else's simulation because I cannot believe that anyone else apart from me can control my own thought process. I call that scientific logic.
Even if we are living in a simulated reality, it doesn't mean you aren't controlling your own thought process. If you look at modern neural net simulations, genetic algorithms, etc -- they are chaotic, self-organizing systems. People actually use them now to solve real problems. For instance, a genetic algorithm can be used to help design a new airplane engine, where there are too many variables for a person, or even a traditional computer algorithm to work with efficiently. The cool thing about genetic algorithms is that while the programmer defines the initial conditions, the results of the simulation are totally unpredictable. It may come up with a completely unique and unexpected solution.
A human brain is also self-organizing and chaotic. It's basic structure is defined by a relatively small amount of information. The entire human genome, afterall, contains less information than Microsoft Windows! So, the brain is put together with some pretty simple rules -- but out of that comes some very complex, unpredictable behavior, depending on individual variations, and the environment to which it is exposed. Neurons behave in fairly simple ways, and are pretty "dumb" in themselves. But out of the whole system emerges a complex intelligence.
In a simulated reality, thought processes may be simulated, but they are ultimately defined with simple, underlying rules that lead to complex and unpredictable behavior. It may not be possible, even to the designer of the simulation, to predict this behavior.
Now, I'm sure it would be possible for the simulator architect to influence your behavior in very powerful ways -- if that's what they really wanted to do -- just as people around you can influence your thinking. Only, I'm sure they could do it to a much greater degree. But, I suspect that would make for a far less interesting simulation than just watching what happens when they don't interfere. I don't think they could directly control every thought you had -- not without destroying who you are in the process -- which they probably wouldn't want to do. Also, we don't understand if somehow consciousness can completely transcend any substrate -- be it what we think of as our biological brains, or a computational substrate of any other form. Their may be something far more powerful at work here.
It is unclear at what point in our perceived time that this simulated reality may have started running. Did it start at what we perceive to be the beginning of our universe? If so, every complex structure in the (simulated) universe emerged out of a fairly simple set of rules (that we as yet don't completely understand). The outcome of this simulation may have been completely unpredictable. The designers are hopefully pleased at what evolved here. :-)
Basically, don't worry about the past and don't worry about dying, it's already happened and it's gonna happen - you'll be fine. or don't worry about not being worried, reincarnate again, and you'll eventually realize that you don't have to worry. :)
Hey you know AdGuy always gets the last word! ;)