Ramifications and Consequences of the Simulation Argument in

[Atheist-Lite]

We all know religion promises things in the after life that makes theists take dangerous and sometimes deadly risks with their own and other peoples lives?

So the simulation argument says we're in a computer simulation and appears to be the better way of looking at reality and certainly acceptable as a credible possiblity to skeptical and critical atheists?

http://www.simulation-argument.com/

So does knowing your in a computer simulation alter your risk taking parameters? You don't want to be deleted at the end of your 'run' on this simulation? You want to get noticed by the programmer? You need to leave with a bang that maximises your interest value to the programming agent(S) so you are more likely to be 'save'd you by some kind of almighty hack?

You want it don't you? You wan't to be on the otherside and still here? So, what you gonna do? Be boring and overlooked or plan something mega for to be seen by the system designer?

[charlou]

[Trolldor]

*snore*

Simulation argument? What argument? Mindless conjecture of psuedo-intellectuals who probably masturbate to the Matrix.

[Atheist-Lite]

*snore*

Simulation argument? What argument? Mindless conjecture of psuedo-intellectuals who probably masturbate to the Matrix.

How did you know about the masturbation? Your not a agent are you?

[wheels5894]

I have heard this idea before and I don't think one can just dismiss it quite so easily. Of course there are problems and the film industry has had a bit of a go at it too, but it might explain more than other theories manage. However -

• If we are all in a computer simulation what might we look for to try and show this to be the case. Presently we have been working out the nature of time and space and have gone a long way with it. We might expect that a suitable simulation would have all this built-in else the simulation would not work. However, if we are in a simulation we ought to be looking for other sorts of evidence that this is the case - maybe bugs in the computer - to try and see if it is the case.
• Does it make any difference to us whether this is true or not? If we are a simulation we are going to appear to ourselves just as real as if we are just that - real. So we cannot immediately tell what is going on. Apparently the simulation, if indeed there is one, is very predictable and, on the whole, people live and die as we might expect. How would this knowledge affect our way of life?
• Religion has been planted in the system by the programmers (presumably) to see what happened. There is not reason to assume that and of the future promises are true from this fact alone - indeed it may be that this is something the simulation was set up to test, people's reaction to religion.

There is a lot of thinking to do with this one though I doubt we could ever get anywhere with working out if it is true. Of course it would nicely account for the various miraculous happenings at the time of the start of various religions - even Jesus lifted into heaven and Big Mo flying on a horse into heaven too (though pot seems more likely by far!).

[Trolldor]

Thinking? There is no thinking at involved. There's nothing to think about.


And I mean 'nothing'. No evidence, no substantive claims, no curious blips in the fabric of reality, no suggestions, no mild interests. Nothing which indicate any of this is at all plausible let alone actual.

[Atheist-Lite]

Thinking? There is no thinking at involved. There's nothing to think about.


And I mean 'nothing'. No evidence, no substantive claims, no curious blips in the fabric of reality, no suggestions, no mild interests. Nothing which indicate any of this is at all plausible let alone actual.

[Loki]

If (and it's a big If) this was all a simulation, then what makes anyone think our little simulacrums would continue to exist after our "role" in the simulation was finished?

When we run computer models the data points generated simply cease to exist once their part is finished, why would a magic mega sim operate any differently?

[Atheist-Lite]

If (and it's a big If) this was all a simulation, then what makes anyone think our little simulacrums would continue to exist after our "role" in the simulation was finished?

When we run computer models the data points generated simply cease to exist once their part is finished, why would a magic mega sim operate any differently?

Your only hope of being saved is to catch the interest of the external programming entity(s) and if they are human descendants all that takes is to do interesting human things?

[Trolldor]

Thinking? There is no thinking at involved. There's nothing to think about.


And I mean 'nothing'. No evidence, no substantive claims, no curious blips in the fabric of reality, no suggestions, no mild interests. Nothing which indicate any of this is at all plausible let alone actual.

[Atheist-Lite]

[Robert_S]

We have no idea what the programmer/s are looking for and even if we do show favorable signs, we would probably just end up with bits of ourselves mixed in with other people's bits to form a new entity.

Kinda like what already happens on the genetic level.

[charlou]

The simulation argument is a speculative notion with no evidence to support it.

[Trolldor]

If we are programs, we wouldn't carry on at all. Copies would, copies of our data, thus making any notion of 'afterlife' et al. rubbish.

[Hermit]

Well, now we are living in a simulation, I'll get onto the programmer post haste and get him to delete all individuals named Kevin. That'll take care of the excess population within this computer and simultaneously reduce the rubbish spouted by a significant amount.

I am also beginning to become sympathetic to the opinion that metaphysics is a form of trolling.