(no subject)
I've sometimes heard people argue that the universe is likely to be a simulation because it looks like what we'd do if we were to simulate something: it's discrete, has finite detail, limited speed that information can spread outwards, etc.
But perhaps this is the wrong way around: perhaps our simulations tend to be like this because the universe is like this. Suppose, for instance, that it was possible to calculate (add, subtract, etc) truly real numbers in constant time. Then our simulations could have infinite detail in some respects as well, because they could encode that detail within those real numbers and manipulate them.
If so, then "our universe may be a simulation because it sure looks like one" indirectly begs the question.
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But perhaps this is the wrong way around: perhaps our simulations tend to be like this because the universe is like this. Suppose, for instance, that it was possible to calculate (add, subtract, etc) truly real numbers in constant time. Then our simulations could have infinite detail in some respects as well, because they could encode that detail within those real numbers and manipulate them.
If so, then "our universe may be a simulation because it sure looks like one" indirectly begs the question.
This entry was originally posted at http://davv.dreamwidth.org/55014.html. You may comment there using OpenID, or comment here if you prefer.