X-Message-Number: 17391
Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2001 22:56:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Scott Badger <>
Subject: Still more on Simulations

Hi all,

I made some earlier comments suggesting this apparent
reality was most probably a simulation and it was
either Olaf or Yvon that responded with what I thought
was a great counter-point.  Specifically, it was
suggested that it would be ridiculous to assume that
some entity would use the enormous amount of resources
required to simulate an entire universe just for us to
reside in.  Interestingly enough, this is an argument
I used to apply to the concept that god created an
entire universe just so that humans could cavort on
this single planet. 

Anyway, two counter-counter-points came to me
recently: 

(1) We really can't make any assumptions about how
reasonable/unreasonable it might be for an unknown
entity to go to that much trouble.  

(2) If this is a simulation, it may be the case that
the designer did not actually create the rest of the
universe. It may be that the designer only feeds us
(hubble, astronomers, etc) the information about the
universe.  IOW, when anyone looks at a point of light
we call a star, there's no proof the star is really
there.  We may examine the point of light with our
very best instruments and come to many conclusions
about the nature of that point of light, but for all
we know, it may just be information "about" the point
of light, not the point of light itself.  After all,
it wouldn't take nearly as much memory/resources to
provide us with information about the rest of the
universe as it would to actually try to simulate the
universe. 

This view is likely faulty, so somebody please correct
my thinking if they can.

I'm still chewing on George Smith's perspective on
self-worth and hope to respond after I've digested it 
more fully ... if I can find the time, that is.  

BTW, I really like it up here in northern Idaho so
far.  It's so pretty. 

Best regards,

Scott

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