Biggest ever cosmos simulation
"'We are now able, using the biggest, fastest supercomputers in the world, to recreate the whole of cosmic history,' he told the BBC News." (Via CP.)
Might an arbitrarily advanced civilization create a cosmic simulation that produces individual planets and their respective inhabitants? More to the point: How can we be sure we're not simulations?
8 comments:
I think, therefore I am.
Whether or not the medium I use for thinking is internal or external to this body I perceive, is irrelevant. I'm currently aware of this channel as my only means of interacting with this 'place' and the entities I perceive within.
Maaaaaac!!!
Whaaaaat?
You're a technocreationist. Stop living the lie.
:p
Maybe I'm just paranoid...
well shit, blows the whole "I am unique" thought I had going...
Genesis as software implementation and testing
Suppose the Great Simulator took a modular approach. OK, Day One, we'll check out the basic program for a material universe -- light and darkness, check; matter itself, check. Hey, that worked pretty well, only a few bugs. OK, Day Two, stars and planets and, hey, let's throw in plenty of satellites and other rocks.... Check. Good. Day three, things seem to have cooled down a bit in our little simuverse, so, some water and continents for THIS world. Life Group -- your module about ready for implementation on Day 4...? I think we can probably see where this is leading (and may not want to!)
I think an incremental approach like that would defeat the intellectual fun that somes with creating a simulation.
Personally, I'd rather set the ground rules, set the sim in motion and sit back and watch to see what happens. In fact, I've done just this with A-life programs.