The fabric of the (simulated) universe.
As I’ve wandered through the internet, I’ve come across a rather bizarre yet interesting idea: that the universe we live in is not real, but simulated. A simulated reality helps us explain the weirdness of quantum physics and the fact that we have yet to encounter aliens. It explodes notions of a special role for humanity by reducing human existence to mere bits. It explains unexplainable phenomena and strokes of luck.
However, a simulated universe must mean that there is a god. There can be no other conclusion.
If our universe is a simulation, some sort of entity had to have created it, be it a creature or an artificial intelligence. This entity has unlimited power over the universe and can find out anything about it. Nothing in this universe would be able to interact with the entity unless the entity lets us. The entity can present itself as anything within the simulation, so we cannot learn its true nature. It can move us from one simulation to another and refuse to bring us back. We cannot even assume that physics works the same way out there as it does in here. It can change whatever it pleases.
In the context of a simulated universe, that entity is God. Not a magical man in the sky, but a magical creature or machine entirely outside our reality.
I personally do not believe this about the universe, but it is quite logically sound. It can explain virtually any religious tradition’s creation myths, as well as any deity’s interactions with our world. It even makes atheism seem unreasonable and religion seem logical. Perhaps that’s why the idea isn’t as zealously spread as atheism; it leaves too much room for belief in a God reviled by the global elite.
An idea meant to make humanity feel petty ends up being quite affirming. What a delicious irony!
I’ve heard this theory for a while. Intriguing, like you say, but I’ve never bought it. But you are right that even a simulated universe implied by necessity a creator.
That’s one thing that always killed me: even if you buy the Big Bang and evolution, what started it, and why? A random universe makes no sense to me.
As always, compelling food for thought.
But you are right that even a simulated universe implied by necessity a creator.
On top of that, with the simulated universe idea, you can answer “What created God?” with “evolution.”
1) Brian Greene’s book “The Fabric of Reality” is a good read on the physics/woo borderline. In particular he makes the point that inflation, by making a maximally-spread out distribution of mass-energy, provides the “unlikeliness” for dissipative processes such as ourselves.
The simulation->creator inference is superversive as can be; it exposes the no-Creator “just happened” Universe as an axiom rather than a conclusion. Of course for this to have dialectic effect the target would have to understand that circular arguments stand unsupported. That might require POKE(&brain, sense) from a root login.
Brian Greene’s book “The Fabric of Reality” is a good read on the physics/woo borderline.
Duly noted. Thanks for the recommend.
The simulation->creator inference is superversive as can be; it exposes the no-Creator “just happened” Universe as an axiom rather than a conclusion.
On top of that, we weren’t there to see what set off the Big Bang.
While my theology is firmer than this, thinking and pondering on things like this may help young people struggling with dogmatic atheism to understand that God and Eternity are rational concepts.
While my theology is firmer than this, thinking and pondering on things like this may help young people struggling with dogmatic atheism to understand that God and Eternity are rational concepts.
This concept also allows a “logical thinker” to believe in God without any feeling of guilt.