God, a Bored IT Tech

[Night]

What if god, the creator of our universe, is an IT tech?

Perhaps there is a very advanced civilization, with very powerful computers. These computers are so powerful that they can simulate every single particle in our universe accurately. Perhaps one day, a bored IT tech decided to simulate a universe, and our entire existence is the result of the simulation. This train of thought is intriguing to me. WE humans would never be able to discern whether our reality exists as a standalone product, or whether we are merely a simulation in a computer.

And maybe his existence is the result of a bored computer user as well. Perhaps we exist in a computer...that also exists in a computer!

Your thoughts?

To me, this idea STILL makes more sense than the christian god.

[crimethinker]

It's possible. The Blue Brain Project is an attempt to simulate a brain, and since we can create virtual computers within computers, I don't see why it's not possible. It may be that some day we'll be able to simulate a brain for every non-player character in a video game. Then it would only be a matter of time until we could do what you suggest 'God' did.

[Peter]

Jeez, where have you been?
I've been talking about this for months.

[crimethinker]

Jeez, where have you been?
I've been talking about this for months.

Nice article. I had not considered it might be more likely that we're in a simulated world than not. In which case, I resent the designers very much.

[Night]

Jeez, where have you been?
I've been talking about this for months.

Peter, where have YOU been, I mentioned this in 2007 when I joined volconvo! =p I'm too lazy to go back and find my old thread (or post, I've forgotten which) though.

[Peter]

Peter, where have YOU been, I mentioned this in 2007 when I joined volconvo! =p I'm too lazy to go back and find my old thread (or post, I've forgotten which) though.

In that case my apologies. The two problems I see with the theory are that we have no choice but to live our lives as if this is real and in any case it doesn't explain anything about the existence of the "Simulators". In that way it's very much like the poor theist argument that god always existed.

[Night]

In that case my apologies. The two problems I see with the theory are that we have no choice but to live our lives as if this is real and in any case it doesn't explain anything about the existence of the "Simulators". In that way it's very much like the poor theist argument that god always existed.

Would the idea that reality is simply a computer simulation make anything "less real"??? If so, why?

[minorwork]

Would the idea that reality is simply a computer simulation make anything "less real"??? If so, why?

That is the ass kicker of the question. What changes would be noticed if your postulation were true or not? How could you tell?

Thus it gets to heart of science endeavors that the world of ideas relate to the world of phenomena. Language does the relating in third person discussions. So isn't the problem that of language when it comes to what we mean by asking that would be noticeable if your postulate were the case or not?

[Night]

That is the ass kicker of the question. What changes would be noticed if your postulation were true or not? How could you tell?

Thus it gets to heart of science endeavors that the world of ideas relate to the world of phenomena. Language does the relating in third person discussions. So isn't the problem that of language when it comes to what we mean by asking that would be noticeable if your postulate were the case or not?

No one inside of the "simulation" universe would possibly be able to detect whether they are indeed inside of a simulation or not. Which is why it is just an idea. But it could just as easily be a religion. In fact, this idea makes a lot more sense than some sky god who hears everyone's thoughts and gets angry when insignificant humans don't believe he exists.

Imagine if my idea of an IT admin as a god. People would worship altars of him, which would be a fat man sitting at a computer desk drinking Mountain Dew and eating a bag of Doritos. Probably multitasking on his computer, checking on his simulated universe, and watching porn at the same time.

[crimethinker]

Has anyone started this religion? It would be cool to see such a thing gain momentum.

[minorwork]

No one inside of the "simulation" universe would possibly be able to detect whether they are indeed inside of a simulation or not. Which is why it is just an idea. But it could just as easily be a religion. In fact, this idea makes a lot more sense than some sky god who hears everyone's thoughts and gets angry when insignificant humans don't believe he exists.

"...makes a lot more sense..." lacks consistency in meaning from person to person.

Imagine if my idea of an IT admin as a god. People would worship altars of him, which would be a fat man sitting at a computer desk drinking Mountain Dew and eating a bag of Doritos. Probably multitasking on his computer, checking on his simulated universe, and watching porn at the same time.

But since no one that I know worships such described altars, this god must NOT make sense. Are IT admins worshipped so in your circles?

[Night]

"...makes a lot more sense..." lacks consistency in meaning from person to person.

It is more logically feasible that "creation" is a simulation in a computer...as opposed to an arbitrary Christian god that commits genocide and has a favorite tribe I'm the ancient world. Does this not make more logical sense to you? While neither philosophy can be proven, at least the IT tech god doesn't mythically interfere in human affairs and slaughter first born children for the actions of a single pharaoh.

But since no one that I know worships such described altars, this god must NOT make sense. Are IT admins worshipped so in your circles?

Just because something is worshipped doesn't mea it makes any more sense than something which is worshipped. In fact, in our world, the more something is worshipped, the less logical sense it tends to make.