What if our world was merely a simulation?

[greggK]

How does a TV work? The process that splshes the sub-atomic particles onto the back of the TV screen is the same process that the sun goes thru and the screen that causes this world to be is the atmosphere.

[ravergirl]

One of my favorite alternate reality concepts. Matrix-y.

I think if we were a simulation we wouldn't have been allowed to make a movie about simulation.

[Orion von Koch]

Scientists agree that there is a 20% chance of us living in a simulated reality. Maybe all of this is just a program running on a super computer ran by post-humans or an advanced alien civilization. I mean think about it, just think about how Earth is SO "coincidentally" well-fit for life, and how we got here which was completely luck.

I'm a video game fan, and I play games constantly. There's one quote that really makes me ponder. It's this: "Do you ever feel like you're not in charge of your own destiny, like...you're being controlled by an invisible hand?"

That makes me think... How do I know I'm not being controlled, and that all of this isn't some insane MMO played by advanced aliens who get entertainment out of all this, much like we get entertainment out of controlling a character in a game?

There could be a chance also that this is all one massive MMO, sure, it's far-fetched and sounds stupid, but I like thinking about it. I mean how does my character in a particular game know he's controlled? What if he thinks everything he does is on his free will, everything he says he just randomly thinks up, and when I log him off he's asleep or in a state of limbo? I mean someone could be making me type this, but the program is making me believe I'm actually typing this on my free will.

Another fun question is that if our creators in the "physical world", are they REALLY in the real world? Or yet another simulated reality? Will we get to the point of running a simulated reality, a universe such as the Sims series, but much more evolved? Yes, actually, we will, very soon we will have computers fast enough to run such a program, and we will be able to see our own little worlds, evolving, growing, and perhaps living long enough to make their own simulated reality. And then the process repeats.

Simulation-argument.com

Long ago, I was working with the national computer graphic association. I thought about simulation since I wrote on a subject called THE MOIRE MATRIX.

SEE THIS: it is in my blog.

Soulular Travel is the physical leveraging of Time/Space for the benefit of knowledge and wisdom to the spiritual soul, the eternal monad. It can only be accomplished by the higher being existing within and throughout the realm of perceived existences. That higher being is ever changeless yet outwardly changing and monadically multifaceted in expression. It has been said that it is almost holographic in its emulation, what some refer to as holo-spirited. Mankind is the progeny of this multifaceted generator or God. His means will be experienced here:

Upon being projected into the Realms of Time/Space (Meta-Fictional).

Learners, I am going to insert you into this program for extracting incremental worth from and to the Monadic Soul. It is a program not unlike a simulation utilizing holographic virtual elements. It will appear as real as existence can possibly be yet it is a device for learning. For each of you it will initially seem strange because you will experience event sequences via a framework or vehicle that will exist within the Zeta program only. Its parameters are set to various conditions and means of solving vehicular problems within that environment. It is not unlike what you have here in this realm but you will be able to be subjected to existences that you never imagined before and you will not recognize yourself in that realm. It is indeed a very advanced RPG or Role Playing Game.

What is great about this experiment is that you are at present highly advanced in all that you know which seems like everything. But, when you enter this realm, you will be highly unfamiliar with the apparatus of motivation. There will be much learning that will be somewhat frustrating in the beginning. You will be highly clumsy and make many mistakes. There are others of us already in the program that will help you move through all the timely challenges. You will grow to admire many of those who are already moving up the chain of the gambital learning site. Their expertise in this highly challenging environ will aid you in your periodic movement through the various tests.

The program is written to allow you to grow in knowledge and it is the very same for everyone who is in the virtual realm. It rewards and punishes you vehicularly by taking away certain aspects of power and leveraging for movement in the realm. The program is highly robust with the laws of consequence and if one makes too many mistakes you will have need to opt out of the program and start over.

Your vehicle will have an onboard computer that must record every aspect of every event that takes place in this world or realm. It is like a server that keeps everything headed in the right direction automatically. You will have some leeway for creative efforts in the realm but pretty much the program has you by the lifeline when it come to working the challenges that will fly at you from the beginning.

The controls you have for movement in this realm are hair trigger and extremely deft. Of course you are highly advanced as a thinker, and extremely creative, but in the early stages it is mostly learning how to leverage the projected challenges to just sustaining some kind of composure that allows life in this environ. You may find it hard to stand and deliver.

Your other facets of being will join you and become players in the gambit. Some will be ahead and others behind but time will seem the same for all of you. You will play this game through to the end though you will be able to slip out when the vehicle itself crashes on a cyclic basis. When this happens you will return here for a debriefing and briefing with your colleagues where you will try to work out the next sequences of events in this realm and perhaps revisit the same gambit from a different perspective.

I must warn you. In the early stages of this simulated vehicular role playing, you will remember your advanced stages of being here in Timelessness, but as you learn the physical apparatus you will suffer immersion with the vehicle and begin to buy into the gambit. Unless you meditate and seek to maintain your present knowledge of the Eternal Monadic Realm, you will lose all contact with us. I know it seems strange being as intelligent as you are, but the program is good.

Of course, this event of being in the program is almost instantaneous for us, it will seem to you as a lifetime, because everything is on a different sequence coupled to events that are fired at you as potential to leverage.

Good luck, this thing is much better than ZBOX 137. It is holographic and extremely high resolution. It is better than a ride at Atlantis’ best theme park, and some of you will think this is the only realm of existence. This will be due to the fact that you have put too much emphasis on the self. Remember — Not that one is, but that whereby Is, is. Our charge is to overcome selfish desires. Learning will amplify with those of you who SEEK.

This program is extremely difficult and will require much of you. Do not let it defeat you, for you will have to do it over until it is understood. Try to maintain contact with meditation and prayer. This is your charge. GB.

__________________________________________

Suggested Reading: Gnosis of the Cosmic Christ — A gnostic Christian Kabbalah by Tau Malachi also Michael Talbot's Holographic Universe. (Many of David Bohm's works also have references that may assist someone who can see what this little Opening Piece is about.

[Nessieman23]

Ahh, simulated reality, a topic of great controversy. What if we don't really exist? Would we be talking about this now? Why would we be wondering if we exist if we didn't? Then again, maybe our "programmers" are making us talk about this. Why, though? What would be the point of discussing reality in a game? I mean, if you were playing the Sims, would you make your character sit on the computer all day? No, the Sims is a bit easier than real life, though, after playing it for a whole day, I was wondering, but then, I wondered, why would my player make me think this?

TL;DR:

Why would our "players" make us think if we exist or not?

[ShadowsAndDust]

Often wondered this myself, but I spose we will never really know.

[saturnrings]

Scientists agree that there is a 20% chance of us living in a simulated reality. Maybe all of this is just a program running on a super computer ran by post-humans or an advanced alien civilization. I mean think about it, just think about how Earth is SO "coincidentally" well-fit for life, and how we got here which was completely luck.

I'm a video game fan, and I play games constantly. There's one quote that really makes me ponder. It's this: "Do you ever feel like you're not in charge of your own destiny, like...you're being controlled by an invisible hand?"

That makes me think... How do I know I'm not being controlled, and that all of this isn't some insane MMO played by advanced aliens who get entertainment out of all this, much like we get entertainment out of controlling a character in a game?

There could be a chance also that this is all one massive MMO, sure, it's far-fetched and sounds stupid, but I like thinking about it. I mean how does my character in a particular game know he's controlled? What if he thinks everything he does is on his free will, everything he says he just randomly thinks up, and when I log him off he's asleep or in a state of limbo? I mean someone could be making me type this, but the program is making me believe I'm actually typing this on my free will.

Another fun question is that if our creators in the "physical world", are they REALLY in the real world? Or yet another simulated reality? Will we get to the point of running a simulated reality, a universe such as the Sims series, but much more evolved? Yes, actually, we will, very soon we will have computers fast enough to run such a program, and we will be able to see our own little worlds, evolving, growing, and perhaps living long enough to make their own simulated reality. And then the process repeats.

Simulation-argument.com

I believe that the argument in your post is actually fair because i have expereinced lapses of time in my mind. when everything stops and looks like a hologram........ineresting feeling to go with it as well. it seems as if you look thru a glass but cannot locate your body. i might be sounds adventurous if i say that it feels as another type of astral projection?????????......hmm i leave it at it...............

[Blueguardian]

I once had a theory that we could all somehow be in coma's somehow connected or something like that, but its too much for me to comprehend. But it would make sense. Sadly I would rather this reality to be fake then real. I'm a sad kid

[John from Lowell]

I once had a theory that we could all somehow be in coma's somehow connected or something like that, but its too much for me to comprehend. But it would make sense. Sadly I would rather this reality to be fake then real. I'm a sad kid

May be it would help to know that we create reality simulations so that we can study energy.

Humans are designed to think and feel that their reality is limited. Our 5 senses do a wonderful job of confining our grander senses. Is it so hart to trust that we do this with great forsight and purpose?

John

[Gunmunky]

It's a great theory, because until we know for sure, there is always a chance.

[Wookietim]

Scientists agree that there is a 20% chance of us living in a simulated reality. Maybe all of this is just a program running on a super computer ran by post-humans or an advanced alien civilization. I mean think about it, just think about how Earth is SO "coincidentally" well-fit for life, and how we got here which was completely luck.

I'm a video game fan, and I play games constantly. There's one quote that really makes me ponder. It's this: "Do you ever feel like you're not in charge of your own destiny, like...you're being controlled by an invisible hand?"

That makes me think... How do I know I'm not being controlled, and that all of this isn't some insane MMO played by advanced aliens who get entertainment out of all this, much like we get entertainment out of controlling a character in a game?

There could be a chance also that this is all one massive MMO, sure, it's far-fetched and sounds stupid, but I like thinking about it. I mean how does my character in a particular game know he's controlled? What if he thinks everything he does is on his free will, everything he says he just randomly thinks up, and when I log him off he's asleep or in a state of limbo? I mean someone could be making me type this, but the program is making me believe I'm actually typing this on my free will.

Another fun question is that if our creators in the "physical world", are they REALLY in the real world? Or yet another simulated reality? Will we get to the point of running a simulated reality, a universe such as the Sims series, but much more evolved? Yes, actually, we will, very soon we will have computers fast enough to run such a program, and we will be able to see our own little worlds, evolving, growing, and perhaps living long enough to make their own simulated reality. And then the process repeats.

Simulation-argument.com

How, exactly, does a person come up with a probability of "20%" for something that can't really be proven?

[The Unseen]

Scientists agree that there is a 20% chance of us living in a simulated reality. Maybe all of this is just a program running on a super computer ran by post-humans or an advanced alien civilization. I mean think about it, just think about how Earth is SO "coincidentally" well-fit for life, and how we got here which was completely luck.

I'm a video game fan, and I play games constantly. There's one quote that really makes me ponder. It's this: "Do you ever feel like you're not in charge of your own destiny, like...you're being controlled by an invisible hand?"

That makes me think... How do I know I'm not being controlled, and that all of this isn't some insane MMO played by advanced aliens who get entertainment out of all this, much like we get entertainment out of controlling a character in a game?

There could be a chance also that this is all one massive MMO, sure, it's far-fetched and sounds stupid, but I like thinking about it. I mean how does my character in a particular game know he's controlled? What if he thinks everything he does is on his free will, everything he says he just randomly thinks up, and when I log him off he's asleep or in a state of limbo? I mean someone could be making me type this, but the program is making me believe I'm actually typing this on my free will.

Another fun question is that if our creators in the "physical world", are they REALLY in the real world? Or yet another simulated reality? Will we get to the point of running a simulated reality, a universe such as the Sims series, but much more evolved? Yes, actually, we will, very soon we will have computers fast enough to run such a program, and we will be able to see our own little worlds, evolving, growing, and perhaps living long enough to make their own simulated reality. And then the process repeats.

Simulation-argument.com

If thats the case I would like to start over.

[saturnrings]

Scientists agree that there is a 20% chance of us living in a simulated reality. Maybe all of this is just a program running on a super computer ran by post-humans or an advanced alien civilization. I mean think about it, just think about how Earth is SO "coincidentally" well-fit for life, and how we got here which was completely luck.

Simulation-argument.com

oh rightio lets talk about the movie Matrix.......

[The Unseen]

I believe that the argument in your post is actually fair because i have expereinced lapses of time in my mind. when everything stops and looks like a hologram........ineresting feeling to go with it as well. it seems as if you look thru a glass but cannot locate your body. i might be sounds adventurous if i say that it feels as another type of astral projection?????????......hmm i leave it at it...............

sounds like to me you got a tumor.LOL

[Fenzo]

I highly doubt it, even if you're right.. and we're being controlled by "alien likes"

Would they really let us think about the fact that we're being mind controlled? Would they even let us get close to their so called truth?

[John from Lowell]

I highly doubt it, even if you're right.. and we're being controlled by "alien likes"

Would they really let us think about the fact that we're being mind controlled? Would they even let us get close to their so called truth?

What if the simulation was created by our highest-awareness so that our conscious awareness could focus on some energetic expression of interest to US.

[Fenzo]

What if the simulation was created by our highest-awareness so that our conscious awareness could focus on some energetic expression of interest to US.

That seems a little too far fetched to me tbh.

Besides.. we have a free will, good job controlling us..

The LHC Super Colider is said to bring an end to the world (by some)

Global warming, Nuclear wars etc.. they basically gave us the power to destroy their own simulated world?

Time for the GM's to interfere dontcha think

[Nessies 2nd Cousin]

Would it have to be an MMO. Life could all be one large dream in which we all are some figment of an imagination. We only use a tiny proportion of our brain, so why could there not be a being with such brain power to imagine us all up.

We could say that our world has too much detail, but doesn't also our dreams, our fantasies, our plans?

[pinkmonk98]

I actually had a simliar thought except i thought we were part of a long video... :] i guess we will never know.

And First POst!! Woot!

[Mattshark]

Scientists agree that there is a 20%

No a philosopher guessed that number. It is not scientific.

[Tiggs]

As I recall, 20% is a little on the low side. The original Simulation Argument makes very interesting reading.

[Ziggy Stardust]

As I recall, 20% is a little on the low side. The original Simulation Argument makes very interesting reading.

Interesting, but not feasible IMO. It makes too many assumptions, which the framework of the whole concept depends on. Or maybe I'm just intimidated by the idea.

[EyeWonder]

If our existance is a simulation, then that means the controllers out there somewhere are making us think about the possibility of being controlled by them (because they'd control our thoughts and actions), which simply wouldn't happen.

Even if we did discover that we were being controlled by something or someone bigger than ourselves, it wouldn't change anything as as long as we are here and human, we'd still be nothing more than a simulation unless we could find a way to change our form and leave earth, which still wouldn't be our decision anyway.

[Godsnmbr1]

If our existance is a simulation, then that means the controllers out there somewhere are making us think about the possibility of being controlled by them (because they'd control our thoughts and actions), which simply wouldn't happen.

Even if we did discover that we were being controlled by something or someone bigger than ourselves, it wouldn't change anything as as long as we are here and human, we'd still be nothing more than a simulation unless we could find a way to change our form and leave earth, which still wouldn't be our decision anyway.

Ok but you're assuming that our "simulation" has to be controlled by something. Why? It's the environment that would be simulated, not consciousness.

When you think about what we know of the world, it's actually more likely than not that we really are a simulation. For example, think about what version of The Sims will be coming out in 2100. A perfectly replicated, and completely virtual, 3d environment inhabited by sentient programs. Unless told by someone outside the game, the "artificial" characters that exist in this game will be as assured of their reality as we are of ours. Now assuming that AI really can be created by man (which I think is likely) then this is a guarantee. An entire universe could be (and like I said most likely will be) created and run through on a single supercomputer. What if the AI (us) in this artificial universe were to eventually create their own simulation of the universe? It would be an endless cycle. So now honestly, what are our chances of being in the first, and only "real", universe? Not very good.

In the god-game of our future we will quite literally be able to experience what it would be like to be God. Or at least something a lot closer than what we've got now...

[newbloodmoon]

Would this be a viable defense in a court of law? I can see it now, some criminal with his hot shot lawyer standing before a judge and when asked if he is guilty or innocent the defendant replies...

"Well you're honor it's really not my fault that I ran over 36 nuns with a bus, set a puppy on fire, and beat up all those homeless people at the park. You see at first I thought it was just bad upbringing or a defect in my families genes. Nope, I am being controlled by some sort of slug like malcontent who has found this particular simulated universe on his computing station and he is controlling my actions. So am I free to go?"

and let the insanity plea bargaining begin.

[Hocus]

the whole universe could very well be a simulation. if it were, we may not be being controlled as such we may have ai and be allowed to decide things for ourselves and our minds set to a certain level so that we cant work out the real truth. alot of things in this life make sense for this theory such as time slips that people say they occur, that time slip or dimension travel could be a glitch in the system. not ment to happen but ocassionally does becasue just like every computer it can and does mess up from time to time, and the dimension travel that they experience and say they have seen futuristic citys filled with humanoids or aliens for example may just be other simulations running of one big computer and there all connected but when it messes up you may end up in another simulation forever or maybe temporarily. its impossible to say wether we are currently living on one an interesting thought none the less though.