What if our entire lives are a computer simulation. I know this idea has been thrown around a lot, but hear me out. Say the current reality we find ourselves in, is in fact, just a simulation of human life. We are unaware of this truth, and go about our seemingly real lives without this knowledge. Now say the human race within this simulation progresses to the point were we can simulate our reality and the human experience. The problem is, we are already in a simulation of reality, so we would actually just be creating a simulation of an already simulated simulation.
What if in fact, the ‘humans’ that are initially simulating our existence are too, unaware that they are living in a simulated reality. So in creating our reality, they are just creating a simulation of a simulation that eventually creates a simulation of there own simulated simulation. With all this in mind, who’s to say that we’re not just a simulation in a long chain of simulated simulations that are simulating themselves without the knowledge that they are already in a simulation.
Before dismissing this theory and writing it off as something obviously wrote by someone who’s taken too much acid, just bear with me for a few more paragraphs. Of the wall theories like this, are often dismissed by most people and remain in the realms of science fiction. However, I ask you, is there anyway of disproving this theory?
No. There is not. Don’t try to tell me otherwise, because as it stands, there is no way of proving that we are not living within a simulation. I am not saying it is true or that I believe it, I am simply saying that it is plausible, and should not simply be thrown out because it goes against our normal beliefs. Normally, the truth is something far stranger than what we thought at the time. I mean back in day, one would be burnt as a witch for assuming that the earth revolves around the sun. All I’m saying is that if a theory is plausible, then it is something that should still be considered, and not simply looked down upon because of our pre-conceptions associated with it.
Some final thoughts before I end my ramblings. As we’ve established, there is no way of disproving that we are not living in a simulation. If we can’t know for a fact that our lives are real, then how can be so sure of ANYTHING else. You can sit there all day and argue the fact that you definitely have legs, because you can see them. However, if we do live in a simulation, then you don’t have legs, your nothing more than a piece of code. If we cannot rule out the idea that we could be nothing more than a computer simulation then how can we be so sure about something as simple as having legs. The fact of the matter is, we can never be 100% certain of anything until we can rule out theories like this.
It’s cool to think about stuff like this, or you can just ignore it at the risk of realising maybe all of your life dreams and ambitious are completely and utterly pointless. Just maybe all these social constructs and emotions we hold so solidly are nothing more than a figment of our imaginations. But hey, whatever helps you enter sleep simulation better at night.
–THE LONELY WEST–
The Lonely West 