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Mathematical proof debunks the idea that the universe is a computer simulation (phys.org)

submitted 1 day ago by technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/science@lemmy.world

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Their findings, published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics, go beyond simply suggesting that we're not living in a simulated world like The Matrix. They prove something far more profound: the universe is built on a type of understanding that exists beyond the reach of any algorithm.

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[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 3 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)

You're assuming that:

If this was a simulation, that it would play out all the way to the heat death of the universe?
That the life span of our universe would have any relation to or bearing upon the life span of U0? Our trillions of years could be as significant to them as a single day is to us.

[–] rollin@piefed.social 1 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I'm afraid you didn't understand what I wrote.

If it were to take 1 year to render each minute, it would take 6500 trillion years to simulate the universe from the big bang to now. That is, the parent universe which is running our simulation must run it for an impracticably long time.

As for your other point, yes each simulation has to be a similar universe to the one we ourselves live in. Only that way do you end up with vastly more simulated universes than real universes, and the conclusion that statistically we must be living in a simulated universe and not a real one.

If you don't have that part, then you do not have anything more compelling than Descartes' age-old nightmare that an evil demon could be deceiving us about everything we perceive.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 3 points 16 hours ago

. That is, the parent universe which is running our simulation must run it for an impracticably long time.

I understood that. I'm pointing out that you're making an assumption that trillions of years is an 'impractically long time'. It is to us, but there's no reason it would be to another universe. Assuming time even works the same way and isn't just a cool thing they came up with for this simulation.

yes each simulation has to be a similar universe to the one we ourselves live in. Only that way do you end up with vastly more simulated universes than real universes, and the conclusion that statistically we must be living in a simulated universe and not a real one.

Firstly, the current discussion isn't about the probability of us living in a simulation. It's about whether it's possible to begin with.

Secondly, 'each simulation has to be a similar universe to the one we ourselves live in. Only that way do you end up with vastly more simulated universes than real universes' is in itself another assumption that doesn't necessarily hold true. The only thing the simulated universes need to have in common is that they contain sentience intelligent enough to continue the chain of nested simulations. The physical rules governing each simulation might be wildly different.