Re: are we in a simulation?

From: George Levy <glevy.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2003 20:37:55 -0700

We exist in an infinite number of simulations. Any arbitrary number of
simulations less than infinity would require a reason. We are led to
this conclusion by assuming a TOE which by definition has no a-priori
reason. (This is the philosophical rationale for postulating the plenitude)

Discreteness may be important in our world for the development of
consciousness, but it is certainly not necessary across worlds. I
believe therefore that the differences between the simulations is
infinitesimal - not discrete - and therefore that the number of
simulations is infinite like the continuum.

Not only is the number of simulations infinite but the number of levels
in simulation may also be infinite. The levels are discrete - I cannot
imagine how they could be otherwise.

Given the above, let's consider one particular conscious being. His
awareness of his own states is likely to be uncertain. Another way of
saying this is that several states transitions could generate the same
consciousness stream. Modeling the state transitions as an algorithm,
for example, there may be multiple algorithmic paths that could generate
the same output.

Hence his consciousness will have "thickness across the multi-worlds,"
overlapping a set of multi-worlds each slightly differing from the
others. How many multi-worlds will it overlap? An infinite number since
they differ as in a continuum. Everytime a "measurement" is made, the
set of worlds spanned by this consciousness is defined more narrowly,
but the number in the set remains infinite. In addition, each
simulation in the set need not belong to the same "level."

We're faced with the strange possibility that the consciousness spans an
infinite number of simulations distributed over widely different levels.
Each individual simulation implementation becomes infinitesimal and
unimportant in comparison with the the whole infinite set of
implementations that the consciousness covers. A particular simulation
that stops operating (for example because the plug is pulled) will
hardly affect or be missed by the consciousness as a whole. In fact I
rather think of the "simulations" as static states in the plenitude, and
consciousness as a locus in the plenitude linking these states in a
causally and logically significant manner. We live in the plenitude, not
in any particular simulation. Each point in the conscious locus
perceives the world that gives it meaning.

George
Received on Sun Jun 08 2003 - 23:38:43 PDT