Reality - Your reality isn’t really real. That’s because you’re the product of someone else’s imagination. That could be imagination via wetware – their brain, say in a dreaming state; or that could be imagination via creativity in producing computer software, where you’re coded within that software. In other words, you’re a simulated being – and so am I.
Continued from yesterday’s blog…
I can hear the objections already. While I can’t obviously argue against objections based on personal belief that “it can’t be therefore it isn’t” or “I just refuse to accept it”, I’m open to any logical proof, even argument that “it can’t be”. If there’s anyone who can give a definitive proof (or serious argument) that we’re not the creation of someone’s (something’s) virtual reality (computer simulation, perhaps even their dream) then I’d like to hear it so I can cross this scenario off my list of things to have to worry about!
Anyway, the first obvious objection is that the entire history of the human race, maybe all life on Earth, perhaps that of our entire Universe is a very long time – far longer than any (extraterrestrial’s) dream or computer program could run for. That’s of course assuming a one-for-one correlation between our perceptions of real time vis-à-vis our dreamer’s or programmer’s perception. However, as Einstein showed, time is not absolute but different for observers relative to other observers. Regardless of that, our apparent reality could be speeded up relative to that of our (extraterrestrial) creator, such that the apparent passage of one year (our time) could be but a second or so in the lifetime of our (extraterrestrial) creator.
The second obvious objection is that explaining all that’s anomalous or unexplained (to date) in this manner could be described as a massive (in the extreme) cop out. It’s like saying ‘that’s the way it is because that’s the way God wanted it’. I acknowledge that, but that in itself doesn’t of necessity negate the theory (and I wish I could think of a way to do it).
Be that as it may…
What would the simulator’s universe be like? Who knows! When we simulate things in our computers, PCs, video games and the like, we either strive for accuracy or something pretty close to something that’s believable (as in a game) which, to be entertaining, deliberately contains fantasy elements. Thus, I would guess that if we have a simulator, then their reality isn’t going to be drastically different from what they are simulating.
If all this simulation speculation is true, what are the implications for you, or me? By analogy, do the characters in your dreams or (say) hallucinations have free will? Do they have any inkling of their fate when you wake (or sober) up? Whether asleep or awake, when you either wake up or die, the images of people and worlds that you have created all vanish. That’s kind of akin to hitting the delete key as an analogy with a computer image. You can create worlds; you can destroy them just as easily. But presumably, if you dream about somebody you know, and you wake up, that person still exists. But, if you dream of an (assumed) imaginary person, then presumably that person goes ‘poof’ when you awaken, albeit they could still exist in your mind in your awakened state. Regardless, all such imaginary persons go ‘poof’ when you die, while real persons in your mind and dreams still exist. One rule for one situation (imaginary beings go ‘poof’) and one rule for another (real persons stick around) are suggestive that this is all a pig-in-a-poke – there’s nothing to this at all.
Then there’s the free will vs. determinism bit. I suggest that if the universe is simulated, then it’s impossible to decide that can-of-worms either way. Any decision you make could be latitude in the software allowing you to make ‘free will’ decisions, or that software could be imposed on you and your decisions are predetermined for you. You’d never know on way or the other. You might think it was your idea, your decision, your free will, but then you’d have been programmed to think that. Translated, for the most part in the global/universal scheme of things, you’re so-called ‘free will’ is at best marginal, and at worst illusionary. Have a nice day!
It all makes a sort of sense albeit in a weird or strange sort of sci-fi way. I mean, to paraphrase a rather famous observation, “the universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it’s stranger than we can imagine”. That we (collectively) exist in a simulated Universe is probably the strangest Universe we can imagine!
For the skeptic, and that’s probably 99.9% of you, don’t be too quick to knock back the simulation idea – it might just prove to be your only ticket to an afterlife, albeit a simulated one!
There’s one other variation on this theme by the way. If some event can produce a Universe which can ultimately produce you, why not skip the middleman or middle step and just assume that you were produced directly and avoid all those time consuming in-between messy bits! Of course you would be produced directly with false memories about a family or a sunny day or this sentence you’re currently reading. Perhaps the sum total of what you call our Universe is just your brain – even your big toe is an illusion.
Conclusion:
I think it is fair to state that there are still many mysteries about the nature of reality left to explore, or continue to explore. The final word(s) has/have yet to be written, and maybe never will be.
Further reading:
Baggott, Jim; A Beginner’s Guide to Reality; Penguin Books, London
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