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Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

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Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#51
post #28
post #2

For those, who want to read it in lay man's language, they can go through following articles: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/429561/the-measurement-th... http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/physicists-may-have-evide...

Interesting. So we're a simulation that can simulate 15 (femto)meters of cosmos that is indistinguishable from reality. This isn't much but it's still absolutely mind-bending. Reminds me of the movie The 13th Floor [1] [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0139809/

femtometers?

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#52

Sigh. Why would you dedicate your life to proving this? You will either find you cannot prove it, in which case you have wasted your entire life on falsehood, or you prove it true in which you undo your dilute your existence and everyone you have ever known and loved. Kinda like religion I guess...

You don't want to show that it's true. You want to find out whether it's true or not.

It's not entirely clear what, exactly, it would mean for this to be true. It's also not clear that defining what we mean by "Is the universe a simulation?" has any value if it is not testable.

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#53
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would a dodecahedral lattice explain why the universe stays symmetrical while expanding?

Does it?

Yep, it's expanding symmetrically in all directions in that the distances may increase between bodies but the masses such as suns and planets do not grow.

http://nautil.us/blog/the-universe-expanding-symmetrically-a...

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#54
On a semi-serious note, I've always had this nagging feeling ever since I first heard of Planck time and Planck length. Why would there be a lower limit to the resolution of the universe, unless there was something spooky going on?

(I know they're just theoretical, but...)

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#55
post #22

Keep in mind that if you wanted to create a simulated universe you can ensure nobody ever finds out. If someone does find out, you can simply fix the problem and revert to a point in time just before the data leading to the discovery was captured. Speaking academically, you might be playing with fire if you probe the outer limits of the universe and we are in a simulation run by some entity concerned with keeping tha…

> you can simply fix the problem and revert to a point in time just before the data leading to the discovery was captured. Only with classical computers, not quantum computers.

Assuming of course that the world outside our simulation is even remotely similar to our reality, which is not necessarily the case. Our reality could be a gross simplification of the physical systems outside of it, or maybe even one of many separate simulations that has had quantum mechanics added as a sort of "What would happen if..." test.

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#56

Sigh. Why would you dedicate your life to proving this? You will either find you cannot prove it, in which case you have wasted your entire life on falsehood, or you prove it true in which you undo your dilute your existence and everyone you have ever known and loved. Kinda like religion I guess...

This is a really odd website for you to be on if you're questioning the appeal of intellectual curiosity.

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#57
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you can simply fix the problem and revert to a point in time just before the data leading to the discovery was captured. Only with classical computers, not quantum computers.

Who's to say "real" computing, or "reality" at all, has to adhere to the laws we observe within the simulation? That's like Luigi in Super Mario Brothers saying you can't kick a turtle into a brick in the our world and not expect a gold coin to pop up in front of our faces.

The difference is mathematical, not physical, so it should still hold.

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#58
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you can simply fix the problem and revert to a point in time just before the data leading to the discovery was captured. Only with classical computers, not quantum computers.

Who's to say "real" computing, or "reality" at all, has to adhere to the laws we observe within the simulation? That's like Luigi in Super Mario Brothers saying you can't kick a turtle into a brick in the our world and not expect a gold coin to pop up in front of our faces.

Right. The grandparent comment assumes the world outside the simulation is like what humans think they know about what they think they observe inside the simulation.

But what's outside the simulation could be quite different. And humans could always be mistaken about both what they think they observe, their observations themselves, and the conclusions they make from these.

At best its a matter of estimating probabilities (ie. educated guesses), and even there they're probabilities regarding appearances. It has been argued as far back as Kant (over two hundred years ago) that one can never get to the "thing-in-itself" that is behind those appearances.

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#59

Sigh. Why would you dedicate your life to proving this? You will either find you cannot prove it, in which case you have wasted your entire life on falsehood, or you prove it true in which you undo your dilute your existence and everyone you have ever known and loved. Kinda like religion I guess...

They are applying the scientific method to testing a hypothesis... isn't it more like religion to NOT do it?

It's like religion in that people like to anthropomorphize wildly. The Cosmological argument ("Define God to be the first cause") becomes "... and that's why God smote a fig tree."

Here, "Huh, the universe might have some funny symmetry" frequently seems to become "the Gods running the simulation we live in will turn you off if you ask the wrong questions", or some other similar wild leap.

Re: Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation (2012)

#60
Should we perhaps hypothesize the motive of this simulation, if any? Death seems to be a very important focal point: All living organisms are condemned to their aging bodies, eventually begin decaying, then die. Death of the universe is also inevitable, "Heat Death". Then there are other existential issues our feeble brains have to deal with. Then of course, our Earth is replete with suffering around every corner. Perhaps other terrestrial planets operate differently, for better or worse. You would think our maker(s) should have known the possible outcomes and scenarios before hitting the "start existence now" button, or perhaps it is just part of the grand plan.

You have to wonder: Are these entity/entities sadistic pranksters of some sort?

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