“Simulation Argument”
Suppose the advances in computer programming and hardware continues with the current rate (there’s no question of slowing down; I meant suppose that it doesn’t accelerate more!) Already we are simulating a lot of real-world phenomena with varying degrees of success and verisimilitude, from the stock market to political dilemmas to games. When will we be able to simulate living creatures at the complexity level of ourselves and worlds like our own?
The Matrix was, without a shred of doubt, the most influential piece that helped me form (the disfigured and incomplete picture that is) my life philosophy and ideology. I’m sure you’re not surprised that I’m talking about simulating a world for humans to live in. I agree with many that the exact way that the citizens of Zero-One were using the Matrix is almost not plausible, but entirely simulated humans are not something unthinkable anymore, and hasn’t been for some decades (if not centuries. Those philosophers of old had one wild imagination!)
Anyway, suppose in near or far future, we have the technical ability to simulate a world and the human(s) in it. Is it really that hard to believe? If we do have the technical ability, is it that far-fetched to assume that we will in fact be interested to do that? Just imagine the benefits that will arise of having a perfectly functional human society or even civilization, without being bound by space and time? All the sciences, even entertainment will change fundamentally.
Now, suppose that we can and do run simulations of human groups (or individuals) with great benefits and results. Would it be too hard to run many of these simulations concurrently? Definitely not. Given advanced enough technology (which is inevitable) I don’t think it impossible or even improbable for every average Damian (or Joe?) to run his own simulated world, or many simulated worlds. Think about it. We will be able to do something that either entertains us or benefits us as much as we want, almost without any costs, repercussions or responsibilities. We are not humans if we don’t overdo it! There will be a lot of simulated worlds, with many people inside each, which results in an almost infinite number of simulated humans.
So, at any given point in time after availability and prevalence of simulations of real world, the number of simulated humans can be much more than the number of real humans (whatever that means) and much more than the number of humans that have ever lived.
And many of those simulations will without doubt be either historical simulations (let’s watch Bill Gates get slammed in the face with a cake in 3D Super-HHHHHHD!) or historical what-if situations (what would happen if Albert Einstein would have invented a means for time-travel and had gone back to 1920 and had gotten rid of Adolf Hitler? (that sounds strangely familiar!))
Do you disagree with the possibility of anything I’ve said above? If not, then the obvious result is that statistically, we are much more likely to be simulated humans living in a computer simulation right now than be real humans living in a real world (again, whatever “real world” would mean.)
