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sameolme
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bostrom's_simulation_argument
Strideo "The philosopher Nick Bostrom investigated the possibility that we may be living in a simulation.[1] A simplified version of his argument is:
i) It is possible that a civilization could create a computer simulation which contains individuals with artificial intelligence.
ii) Such a civilization would likely run many – say billions – of these simulations (just for fun; for research, etc.)
iii) A simulated individual inside the simulation wouldn’t know that it’s inside a simulation – it’s just going about its daily business in what it considers the “real world”.
Then the ultimate question is – if one accepts that points 1-2-3 are at least possible, which of the following is more likely?
a) We are the one civilization out there in the universe that will eventually develop the ability to run AI simulations? Or,
b) We are one of the billions of simulations that a) has run? (Remember point iii.)"
I don't know why but the logic behind this tickles my fancy. Not that I really believe we are simulations or that it would even be worth worrying over.
... 070803
Would a simulator repair problems
as they simulate? If so, we must be one of the earlier simulations.
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070806
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