These days almost everyone knows something about simulation hypothesis. But decades ago, it wasn’t the case. Perhaps only a few philosophers or scientists thought about this idea. The movie Matrix first comes to mind when thinking about possibilities that humans are living in some kind of computer simulation. But more scientific approach and popularity among philosophers and scientists became widely available after Nick Bostrom wrote the paper called: “Are We Living in a Computer Simulation”. In the paper, Bostrom articulates that people in the future will probably have mega-powerful computers on which they could run simulations of their ancestors. One could argue here on the topic of why would we even want to run simulations of our ancestors. Is it without any purpose, is it with live bodies, is it to control population growth? No one knows, but that’s a topic for another article. So, let’s get back to hypothesis and potential of finding the proof.
Related:The hypothesis is rather interesting and if you think about it, possibility is there for sure. How big is the possibility? No one knows. Some people argue that it is almost certain (Elon Musk for example), while some think that theory is just funny entertainment. But if we indulge this idea that simulation is real, is there any way to prove it? With current scientific approach and mathematical models – for sure not, however there is always imagination. So, let’s use exactly that – imagination – to write a short Sci-Fi article of how could we as humans one day really find out or prove that we’re not real. Or that we’re real (as physical bodies) but we’re placed in some containers connected to computers which are giving us our fake consciousness and view of the world.
Imagination of Proof
Therefore, let’s imagine that the author of this blog post is not really sitting now in bar, writing his imaginations about potential proofs for simulation theory. Let’s imagine also that author’s body is real, however he does not have real consciousness because computers are running simulation in his mind. In that case, how could he prove to himself (or to others) that all of this is actually simulation?
First and perhaps silly idea that comes to mind is some kind of blackout. Electricity maybe? If future people will even use electricity to power machines who then power our brains. If we continue with that analogy, then in case of some kind of outage and complete error in different backup systems we (humans) would wake up from a dream that is simulation. But just try to imagine how would that look like? You wake up in some chamber connected with wires to super-computers. What would look more like a dream; this current state that you’ve just awoken to or the state that you were your whole “life” – that is your simulated life. How would you even comprehend that? Would your first thought be: “Oh, Nick was right, so this is simulation and now I know?” I wouldn’t bet on that conclusion. I mean, if this simulation is really so great, why would “IT” allow for someone to be even capable of thinking that simulation can exist? It’s kind of mind boggling if you look at it in that way. So, that way of “finding out” could be proof (for you), but then you could ask yourself an additional mind-boggling question: “Hm…is this perhaps not the only (or first) level of simulation?” You’ve just woken up, but perhaps you’ve just woken up from first level programming and there is second, third et cetera…
String Theory and Computer Code
Secondly, we can try to imagine that in say hundred years, we’ll find out what are the lowest level particles of this world and that these particles are looking like computer code. Some authors argue that this could be the exact scenario. For example, James Gates claims he has detected what appears to be actual computer code embedded in the equations of string theory that describe the fundamental particles of our universe. Having that in mind, and if string theory progresses in the direction of James’s theory, then this could be perhaps the real proof of simulation theory. Especially if we will be able to deconstruct this code to find the real meaning. Imagine if this happens. It would be complete madness in the world. Or maybe, we would go through some kind of debugging or complete reset, so that no one remembers. Because it would be hard for people to live normal lives, knowing that their life actually isn’t theirs.
Third “proof” could be that the whole of humanity gets re-educated in a way that they believe in simulation theory from their birth. In this case we’re talking about some kind of “society reset” or evolution where the whole world is being thought from the beginning that they are not real. This would not be exact proof but certainly everyone would believe it. I mean, billions of people are still believing in different Gods. And they do not believe this because of their instinct; they are believing because of information received from an early age either from their parents or their religion. The same would happen for simulation theory if everyone was led to believe it to be true from a young age. Let’s call that Simulation Church of Nothingness.
In conclusion – in the current world it would be impossible to prove simulation theory. Even if every equation, every physical proof is discovered, no one would believe that this is true. Because if this is true, then you (and I) do not exist, and if someone or something does not exist then it cannot prove her/his/its non-existence. Or existence for that matter.
