This isn't a strict proof, but Occam's razor applies here.
If we claim the Universe is a simulation, we're supposing, on no evidence whatsoever, that there's a whole other unknown universe running our Universe. That certainly makes us guilty of multiplying entities beyond necessity!
OK counter point here.
As computing power increases the number and complexity of simulations increases. Given that, the chances of us being in the 'real' universe scales with the exponential growth of simulations....basically the chances of this being real is about infinity to 1.
But no simulation within our Universe could be infinitely complex, which the Universe itself seems to be (e.g., as other people have pointed out, irrational numbers). If it is a simulation, then there must be another infinitely complex universe running it. Two infinitely complex universes seems like one too many.
We don't live in an infinitely complex universe as far as we can see. We live on earth almost exclusively and spinning up a solar system is something we can already do.
Given the universe is pretty big and simulations can be simplified (see Heisenberg uncertainty principle etc) it's reasonable that you could spin up a ton of concurrent simulations with only a small step up in needed power usage.
You're also making assumptions about power creation and its finite bounds.
One reason for us not being in a simulation is that we have irrational numbers that are seemingly infinite. Like pi. In every simulation that we are able to do, there is a limit to how precise the simulation is. For example, using pi only to 10 digits is more than accurate enough for any simulation we want to run. If we currently live in a simulation, then we could assume that the creators would do the same thing to save on computing power, but we have found many irrational numbers that never end. There is also the argument that the parameters of the simulation would be dynamic and change depending on more and more precise observation, but obviously, that's impossible to know.
Or the code that represents pi (or similar) has a recursion bug. The real value for pi is supposed to be succinct, but that damn angle tracing algorithm gets stuck in a computation loop. That ticket has been open for 3.2 billion years, but we're getting to it.
Alternitively, the simulation can handle pi perfectly, but does not expose to us a perfect way to quantify it. We are limited to one Planck length resolution.
This is such a frustratingly common misconception about the Planck length. It's not a pixel density, the Planck time is not a framerate. You can have lengths that are not multiples of the Planck length. The only significance to the Planck length is it's the distance scale where gravity becomes as strong as the nuclear forces, and physics gets weird.
Any day now...
Recursion would imply that's its a regular repeating sequence, not an irregular one, no? Pi, and other irrational numbers, have no pattern. They do not repeat.
Recursion would imply that’s its a regular repeating sequence, not an irregular one, no?
No. A loop is recursive if it calls itself, it can still do different work each time. As a less than ideal example, I can write a function that concats a character from /dev/random to a string then call itself. It will go forever without repeating itself.
That's what you get for logging it as a Priority 2 case which has a next universe response time. You should have logged it as P1 which has a half universe response time and the sla hasn't been breached yet.
The only way we're realistically in a simulation is if it's running on a (mathematically) real computer.
The fact that our universe emulates one that's continuous at macro scales and only quantized at micro scales and in very odd ways that seem to be memory efficient (though at incomprehensible memory scales) might support the idea that the original doesn't have quantization to limit its computational abilities.
So infinitely precise representations might not be a problem if the underlying hardware deals with real numbers.
there's no sensory input that can't be faked, simulation theory is undisprovable, the only thing you can prove is that a simulation as accurate and consistent as this would have to be is indistinguishable from a basis reality and therefore the question is irrelevant.
but for thought experiment purposes I like to think that simulating a computer must always require more processing power than the computer being simulated has, and therefore as we develop computing technology and proliferate computers the likelihood that it's all just an emulation layer on one big universe-computer diminishes rapidly.
When the frame rate slows down because of the need to process more computers, we don't notice because our perception cycles also slow down. We're all probably running on a Pentium 3 that's rendering one second per century of real time.
The only likely reason anyone would bother simulating this universe would be for use as a cautionary tale, and by this point they would have already made their point and pulled the plug.
Unless the simulation is to prolong a catastrophic event that's happening outside of this simulation which runs billions of years in just seconds in hopes they find a way to fix the true reality.
Or true reality is a vessel carrying the nexus for biologicaly seeding us a new home, traveling for billions of years across space, and the simulation is to keep concious thought alive and sane while the ship finds a destination for us.
Doesn't this kind of assume humans are a central focus of the simulation? What if the universe is a simulation, but the rise of humans was an unintended result in the simulation. Maybe there is actually other civilizations elsewhere that are the actual focus, or just to get a look at the diversity of life that would form throughout the universe. Or, maybe life in the universe isn't the focus at all and they just wanted to look at the evolution of galaxies and the like.
Or maybe I am misunderstanding your point. I kind of like the idea of being an unintended result of a simulation meant for other things though.
simulation theory is an egotistical fantasy, which presumes we feeble chimps have realized the ultimate purpose of Creation within computer games.. humans do this every few hundred years.. we invent a spiffy new device, and then immediately decide it must be perfectly analogous to God's mind, and that we are just one step shy of reaching Godhood ourselves..
Motivation. Our universe isn't optimized for anything.
Pointless CPU resources wasted on dark matter when slightly modifing gravity would have given pretty much the same results.
Occum's razor. You can view our universe as a computer program, you can also view it as the universe. You get the same results which would mean that we should pick the simplest. The simplest is one universe the complex is a hyper universe and out universe.
I think the issue is the word simulation. What is a simulation?
It implies that the thing doesn't really exist, but how can something not exist?
Let's say the computer game Frogger is a simulation. The electrons in the computer are very much moving in reality. The bits are changing and following the rules of the code. How is that not real? Okay, so we know it's not actually a frog, but the electronics are working just fine physically and creating the pixels so we can see what is happening. It is happening even if it's only a simple "universe" of dots on a screen.
So, let's say that something is a simulation when someone uses a system to test algorithms. If the universe is such an experiment, then it's still as real as ever because the algorithms are actually carried out. Atoms are moving. It is real, even if it's a simulation.
Like all other kinds of thoughts about who created the universe, what was before big bang or what happens when we move in the fourth spatial dimension, it's all just speculation. There's no proof of any of it being possible or existing, because it's based on something being "outside" the universe.
Similarly, asking for concrete proof of the simulation theory not being fiction is a logical fallacy. It can only be up to the believers to prove it.
But if the simulation we are experiencing is because a higher form of life put us under it it really is a simulation as in there is a real reality . Just because we play as leon in resident evil doesn't mean i or you are leon or we are were our charecter is .
But it doesn't make any difference in any way that we will ever be capable of knowing. They could turn it off tomorrow and we'd be none the wiser.
I will tell you as soon as you concretely prove that I am not th most powerful being in the universe
Ever notice how you can never reach the 13th floor on most buildings?
We had hackers trying for a Gold Duplication glitch for thousands of years, no success. Ditto Free Energy glitch.
The conservation laws would have been broken by somebody by now if we were truly living in an mmporg.
I don't find the distinction particularly useful. We seek to understand more accurately how our universe works, with disregard to whether it is direct reality or simulated reality. The increased accuracy that we discover may result in our knowing whether we are in a simulation, or it may not.
Either way, something is base reality, whether it is our universe as we observe and experience it, or some number of simulated levels "below" it. Our own state as simulated or real doesn't change that. There is isness.
When people had analogue technology (radio/phonograph) there was no solid concept of the universe being a simulation.
Once digital technology arrives(computers/smartphones)... "hey, did you hear? We are living inside a computer simulation".
This philosophical jump is due to thought and interactions being shifted to digital/online modes rather than face to face or analogue modes.
Those who predominantly have personal interactions, more than digital interactions, I doubt would feel anything like a simulation occuring.
There is much to be gained from a balance of the two.
Our universe has certain laws and rules of nature. You could call that code. You could call that simulation too.
The question is what even is the difference between a "simulation" and a "reality"? That you believe that it's real? And does it even matter?
If you put on a VR headset you're technically in a simulation, but you can also experience emotions and feelings just like "reality".
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