Physicists To Test If Universe Is A Computer Simulation

I wonder of they are going to use a computer to test if our existence is a computer simulation?

I refer you all to Nick Bostrom:

"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."

Originally posted by OGOldGreg
These kinds of things kind of make my head hurt to be perfectly honest

Yeah, its is a neat concept, but makes my head hurt too... lol

I just read something Stephen Hawking said during a lecture at the California Institute of Technology recently.

It regarded M-Theory... which i know nothing about... But, it seemed to tie in with a computer simulation type universe and universe's being created out of nothing...

He closed by outlining "M-theory," which is based partly on ideas put forward years ago by another famed physicist, Caltech’s Richard Feynman. Hawking sees that theory as the only big idea that really explains what he has observed. M-theory posits that multiple universes are created out of nothing...

Source: NBC News

If true, I would like a "trainer" or cheat code, or maybe even a walk-through please...

Originally posted by MisterMiyagi
What a complete waste of time,effort and money in my opinion.

Shouldn't these highly paid scientists be putting their energy into solving the many social or environmental problems we face at the moment around the globe rather than trying to undermine or diminish the value of the human experience we share in this reality we call "Life"?

edit on 19-4-2013 by MisterMiyagi because: (no reason given)

No, because knowinng that would change the whole orientations of "solutions," to the problems of which you speak, because if it's all control mechanisms and subsets of controlled mechanisms (a fine, but important distinction there) then those problems are likely a controlled mechanism. Using the debate over banning firearms as an analogy, for instance, you can take all the weapons away, but you still wouldn't be at the root of any part of the issue of violence......it's just more dealing with "symptoms," but not the root causes of why anyone is violent.

For the love of Gawd and all that is Holy,
Please oh please say this isn't all running on windows

This makes me wonder...
Maybe every time we play a computer game we create a reality and when we turn the computer off, it runs independently and we can never interact with it again. Only create a new one.

reply to post by OGOldGreg


If we are a computer simulation, I imagine that there are parameters put in place that can't be altered by us. For instance, we know that the goal of all life on earth is to procreate. My question is: when someone is unable to produce a child, is that person a 'glitch' in the program?

reply to post by OGOldGreg
Ummm...the main point in all this is that...IF...the universe is a simulation...that would point to the need for a...simulator. Not just the hardware and software...but the programmer as well...

This would mean that creationism is right and...GOD...is an...IT...as well as an ET...

YouSir

Originally posted by spirit_horse
I just hope some virus or mal-ware doesn't hit the platform running our simulation. It could get real ugly for us inside of it. We could end up splattered all over the other alternate universes running on the same platform.

edit on 18/4/13 by spirit_horse because: (no reason given)

Ummm...unless humanity...IS...that virus. It would seem that we're intent on destroying the...HOST...doesn't it? Not just any meme...but a viral one to boot.

YouSir

Yeah, we are all existing in a molecule of dung stuck to a gnat's ass. Who could ask for a better existence, not to say we as a society deserve any better.

Originally posted by YouSir
reply to post by OGOldGreg

 

Ummm...the main point in all this is that...IF...the universe is a simulation...that would point to the need for a...simulator. Not just the hardware and software...but the programmer as well...

This would mean that creationism is right and...GOD...is an...IT...as well as an ET...

YouSir

An inter/intra-terrestrial/galactic/universal being.

Boy, I'd sure like a two-way conversation with him.

reply to post by OGOldGreg


Seeing at the source article in the op is about 6 months old has there been any results yet?

Originally posted by homeslice
Most of us basically live in our computers these days anyway.

^ that

reply to post by Char-Lee


If you find out you do have some actual super user controls, please let the rest of us know. I have a few strings I'd like to pull.

Consider what we see when we zoom in on our "reality".


Atoms in a crystal


Atomic bonds within a molecule


Tb on W(110)


Islands of GdFe2


Which part does not look like it is made by a computer?

Another dollar very well spent aye.

Originally posted by 123143

Originally posted by YouSir
reply to post by OGOldGreg

 

Ummm...the main point in all this is that...IF...the universe is a simulation...that would point to the need for a...simulator. Not just the hardware and software...but the programmer as well...

This would mean that creationism is right and...GOD...is an...IT...as well as an ET...

YouSir

An inter/intra-terrestrial/galactic/universal being.

Boy, I'd sure like a two-way conversation with him.

Ummm...I'm sure it all comes down to bandwidth...I kinda feel that humans are zipped files that can only truly experiance their Godhood...or unzipped nature in a pure energy format...

It reminds me of the Shiva and Shakti principle...where unison is only achieved beyond the humanistic plane...where entering into the "all knowing" stream is expansive...and returning to humanism is a truncatingly lessening, lesson...a re-zip as the flower returns to it's bud-nature...

YouSir

So many things to consider...

- what happens when the simulation becomes aware it is a simulation?

- what happens when scientists create a simulation within the simulation, is reality a continual loop of this happening?

- does the simulation save resources the same way a large game server would by only loading up objects around the player? explains observer effect and the double slit experiment - if a tree falls in the woods when no one is around does it make a sound? is there even a tree there?

- are there multiple simulations and do they cross-over, overlap or interact with each other in any way? how does this impact free-will if every possible combination of choice is played out? is the simulation running in real-time or outside of time? if time is only a factor for the simulation then those outside the simulation already know it's outcome, but we are still here because we are experiencing that moment in time.

- what is the goal or purpose?

- does the system have intelligence and is there anyone outside the system controlling it?

- if there is a creator is the creator the simulation itself or outside of the simulation?

- is there a way to hack the simulation? a way to cheat or bend the rules? is there a way out? and what happens when we die?

- where is Neo when you need him?

Thinking about this, it would certainly explain one of the discoveries in science that boggles the mind.

No electron can have the same energy value as another electron. Think about that, I'll say it again, no two electrons can have the same energy value, ever! Every electron HAS to have a slightly different energy level than every single other electron in the universe!

This gets more crazy, when if I heat up an atom, the electrons in that atom gain energy, so every other electron around every other atom, in the universe, has to change their energy levels slightly to keep that law true.

That's a lot of communication going on there, over vast distances, trillions of times a second......think about that!

I think people have got the wrong idea about this.

If the universe is indeed a simulation, I don't think it has been coded with precise second to second programming. I don't think you or me are programmed to be as we are.

It would be more likely that the simple seeds of a universe could be programmed at a big bang point and then let the simulation run to see what the results would be.

Eventually after changing the various constants you would eventually with a powerfull enough computer simulate the universe. Then you could view any place at anytime at points of interest.

This is what we would do i feel given unlimited computational power.

But, what we would do is put ourselves in the selected vector to experience the reality.

With total control over the simulation they could do be anythingnthey wished.

Maybe the likes of Hitler with no regard for human life was one of these entities experiencing the reality in a game style of war... Or maybe humans are really not that interesting and we will never see or hear of these programmers...

Or maybe they are here all the time but are perfectly invisible to us...

Who knows... But one thing is for sure.... I think there fore I am is something we all would do well to remember.

All the best,

Korg,