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I don't know, Timmy, being God is a big responsibility (2007)

qntm.org

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Re: I don't know, Timmy, being God is a big responsibility (2007)

#4

Post by socialist_coder »

Good story and I absolutely believe this to be true. It just seems like the most logical thing. I mean, as soon as any civilization ever can simulate a universe, or even a galaxy, they would. And they would do it infinite times. So the chances that we're the original are infinite to 1. Doesn't mean our lives aren't real though and we should change our behavior. We still experience joy. So experience as much joy as you can before your simulation ends =)

I don't believe the part about all the simulations being linked though. I don't see why that would have to be the case. Our simulation could have "started" 1 second ago and we wouldn't know it.

Re: I don't know, Timmy, being God is a big responsibility (2007)

#5

Post by NKosmatos »

Nicely written, I was reading as fast as possible to see how the story will develop. It’s a well known theme and there are numerous similar stories, but this one had a nice human touch.

Thanks OP for making us aware of the great site (qnrm.org) since it has many other short stories.

Re: I don't know, Timmy, being God is a big responsibility (2007)

#6

Post by drdeca »

socialist_coder wrote: post #4

Good story and I absolutely believe this to be true. It just seems like the most logical thing. I mean, as soon as any civilization ever can simulate a universe, or even a galaxy, they would. And they would do it infinite times. So the chances that we're the original are infinite to 1. Doesn't mean our lives aren't real though and we should change our behavior. We still experience joy. So experience as much joy as yo…

Currently accepted models of physics, aiui, don’t permit unlimited computation within a bounded space and bounded time?

Err, wait, I was going to cite Bremermann's limit, but that is for if moving from one quantum state to an orthogonal quantum state? Maybe that doesn’t rule it out completely if the computation is done in a way that doesn’t involve enough rotation of states to be able to distinguish? Ok, but I expect that with enough math that loophole could be ruled out.

Re: I don't know, Timmy, being God is a big responsibility (2007)

#7

Post by choeger »

socialist_coder wrote: post #4

Good story and I absolutely believe this to be true. It just seems like the most logical thing. I mean, as soon as any civilization ever can simulate a universe, or even a galaxy, they would. And they would do it infinite times. So the chances that we're the original are infinite to 1. Doesn't mean our lives aren't real though and we should change our behavior. We still experience joy. So experience as much joy as yo…

First of all, the chance that you are a simulation does not depend on the number of simulations in existence. In fact, there is no such chance, as there is no random distribution process you are observing, except you claim that every observer has one of finitely many souls somehow assigned to them. Such things belong into the realm of religion. But even then, either you are real or not. If you are not, there is no reason to assume that you exist in reality.

And then there is the fundamental laws of nature. If our universe is indeed a simulation, then it is either just an approximation of reality, or reality follows different laws of nature. In that case, again, it makes no sense to think of oneself as a random choice between one reality and many simulations, as oneselve's existence depends on one specific kind of universe.

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