I'm not a scientist or an academic but I am interested in science. I watch documentaries and also enjoy some reading too. I watched a documentary recently and it fascinated me. It was about how the universe and life came about, there were several hypotheses discussed. One of these was the Simulation Hypothisis. Basically, if the hypothesis was correct, we're all part of some computer simulation. It was that one that interested me the most. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with it but the thought of it is definitely interesting for me. I do feel that the more we find out about the universe and how it functions, the less we actually understand about why. So what's your take on the universe? Are we part of a computer program or the result of divine intervention? Or are we just pure maths and physics being allowed to follow a natural path?
Well, it would explain a few things. But here's a little mind-blower: if it is theoretically possible that a civilisation can achieve a level of technology that enables such a simulation, then (by its nature of being a simulation) a simulated civilisation can do so too. Which means that we could be a simulation inside a simulation. Which means, in turn, that we could just as easily be a simulation inside a simulation inside a simulation, or a simulation inside a simulation inside a simulation inside a simulation... and so on. In fact, it could be "simulations all the way down", so to speak. But here's the kicker: the above would mean that statistically speaking, it is infinitely more probable that we're a simulation than the original physical universe.
If we would all be in a simulation by some Alien AI from another universe or whatever why would we ever be allowed to figure that out? It is the same problem as with the Matrix movies, why wasn't Morpheus terminated long before he even started fighting back?
Maybe the "reality" of the Matrix was just another layer of simulation created for people who figured out that their world was a simulation.
Feynman once said "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't understand quantum mechanics." In fact, most people can't understand how time works. The answer, then, is so obviously beyond our comprehension that it isn't even worth asking. Every attempt at an answer so far, no matter how fancy the terminology, is basically "God did it!".
Yeah one of the physicists on the program got into that. He said though that if the simulation was running on hardware than had finite resources, then the fact that the sims were running sims (which took computational power) could mean that they had to scrap some of the sims they were running, effectively marking the death knell for us if we were the sims they scrapped
The infintely recursive nature of that scenario would indicate to me that it is unlikely to be the truth because it doesn't really explain anything. The creators are just explained away by placing another set of creators above them. Essentially nothing is resolved, it is a sort of circular reasoning. As a hypothesis it lacks an elegance and clarity that is consisent with our other explanations of nature.
Nothing I use right now to type this out with existed before someone imagined it, drafted the plans, then created it, at which point it manifested itself into this reality, for me to interact with. Works on our human scale anyway. As for what created everything else that remains an open question.
I don't know if it's something that automatically happens as you pass 40 but I've caught myself wondering more than a few time since I hit the big 40. Maybe it's when you hit 40 that you start facing up to the fact that you aren't actually immortal and time is catching up with you?? What I've found myself wondering was if there really was a god, how piddled off would he be at me when I hit the pearly gates Wouldn't it be a bummer if there really is a heaven and hell, because as an atheist I know where I'd end up.
But if there is a hell and thats where you've headed then you may be dead but you'd face an enternity of damnation. For hell to exist you'd have to accept that the afterlife exists.
Well the way I see it I've already been dead for 13.82 billion years and I didn't notice a thing. Then my mother grew me and gave birth to me and here I am. Once I cease to exist again, I have nothing to make me believe it will be any different from the first time I didn't exist
