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Existing in an un-simulated reality

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Existing in an un-simulated reality

If a reality simulation isn't ever run, does it feel real to the
actors inside it?

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Iah
Sep 9, 2023
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Existing in an un-simulated reality

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For a long time I've held a fairly unusual belief that explains why
we exist. Without a formal, or even an informal, training in a
related field I don't know whether someone else has argued the same
ideas... but I wanted to put it out there to the internet and hear
your thoughts.

My proposed theory is closely linked to Nick Bostrom's Simulation
Argument. The argument assumes that given one state of human
existence, it is possible to calculate a distinct next state. And
then a state after that. That is, if we had a powerful enough
computer to store the state of every single atom, and calculate their
interactions, we could play through time in that existence. It would
feel completely real to everyone in that simulation.

I believe that argument, but I'd like it to take it one step further.
I believe it would feel real to everyone in the simulation, even if
the simulation was never run. That is, you don't need to calculate
the simulation, in order for it to feel real for the actors inside
it.

Let's take a step back and think about a simple mathematical state
machine. A machine where every distinct step, is a unit increment of
the step before it. Something that looks like this:

 
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Now without calculating anything, if we zoom in on the number 956,891
we'd expect exactly this:

 
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Naming the states didn't create them. All possible states of this
state machine exist, and existed before I wrote this essay. I simply
believe if those states were much more complicated, complicated
enough for actors inside it to feel conscious, they would feel
conscious in their part of the state machine, and we wouldn't really 
create it by calculating it. That state always existed in the
infinity of possible states. And it felt very real to the people
inside it.

At this point I want to be clear that this theory does not preclude
choice. I don't view our world as a simple state machine. Atoms, and
sub-atomic particles, have chances of acting in different ways.
There's one potential next state where Schrodinger's cat is alive,
and one where it's not... but both could be calculated. And because
they could be calculated, the answer exists. And because it exists,
in an infinity of potential other answers, the feelings and thoughts
of the people inside that universe exists.

Do we really need to calculate it?

Thanks for reading! I started with an odd one, but most of my future
posts will be about community in NYC. Subscribe if you're interested

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