If we live in a computer simulation, does it make a difference to the meaning of life

Original post by shadowdweller

I've recently read a series of books called 'The Game is Life' by Terry Schott, which works around the premise of people being put into a computer simulation called 'The Game', and living their life there, unaware of the fact it's a simulation.

Throughout the process, they're awarded points for meeting various 'goals' in the simulation, but it also centres around them trying to find some greater meaning to life, and what it's objectives are.

Do you believe living in a simulation like that would make a difference to the meaning of life? And if not, would it make a difference if you were instead aware that you were in the simulation?

I think it would make a difference if we could somehow prove (unlikely) that we are in a sim of some kind. Not least, because it would radically alter our psychological and philosophical views to discover that God or 'the Creator' or 'Creation' (or whatever takes your fancy) is actually a super-sophisticated algorithm running on a stonkingly powerful megacomputer designed by who-knows-who, some cosmic geek? Bleargh.

Apparently some scientists have tried quite hard to determine if this might be the case with our universe, for example, looking for unusual repetitions in the substructure of matter, evidence of 'upgrades' since the universe began, etc. So far, the quest has drawn a blank.

Still, I suppose if we are in some kind of deity-created cosmos (an early cosmic super-planner) then perhaps we are effectively in a simulation anyway. Just an incredibly super-cool one.

Reply 2

Kindred

Original post by shadowdweller

I've recently read a series of books called 'The Game is Life' by Terry Schott, which works around the premise of people being put into a computer simulation called 'The Game', and living their life there, unaware of the fact it's a simulation.

Throughout the process, they're awarded points for meeting various 'goals' in the simulation, but it also centres around them trying to find some greater meaning to life, and what it's objectives are.

Do you believe living in a simulation like that would make a difference to the meaning of life? And if not, would it make a difference if you were instead aware that you were in the simulation?

This is what I reckon:

Assuming your were unaware it wouldn't make a difference to your meaning of life- what you believe you are there for- since you wouldn't know anything different from what we know in our world, but it would make a difference to the true meaning of life. Life would cease to be the main focus and instead it would be to entertain or to fufil the purpous of whatever game you were in.
If you knew, I immagine a lot of people's meanings of life would become rebelion or escape- to break this unfair reality where their life is not their own but only serves to fufil some oppresive overlord's desires.

Reply 3

plsn0ban2 *_*

It's a really bad simulation if the algorithms don't allow me to suck my own dick.

Even IGN rates 0/10.

Reply 4

Original post by shadowdweller

I've recently read a series of books called 'The Game is Life' by Terry Schott, which works around the premise of people being put into a computer simulation called 'The Game', and living their life there, unaware of the fact it's a simulation.

Throughout the process, they're awarded points for meeting various 'goals' in the simulation, but it also centres around them trying to find some greater meaning to life, and what it's objectives are.

Do you believe living in a simulation like that would make a difference to the meaning of life? And if not, would it make a difference if you were instead aware that you were in the simulation?

It would not make much of a difference to the meaning of life as I believe that the meaning of life is different for everyone for example some people may say it is for them to be happy with a family and others might say it is to become successful.

About being aware. I do think it would affect you because I played a visual novel game called Doki Doki Literature Club (pls don't make fun of me) and in it the character Monika who is the president becomes self aware and it completely messes with her. So yes I do think that being aware that life is a simulation would affect someone.

Reply 5

miser

Strictly speaking, I think reality is a simulation. It's totally governed by the laws of physics - there was a start condition and the "go" button was pushed.

Whether it was created by another conscious entity or not doesn't really make a difference in my opinion - the reality we experience is the same. And conscious experience is all that really matters in the end.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 6

Original post by miser

Strictly speaking, I think reality is a simulation. It's totally governed by the laws of physics - there was a start condition and the "go" button was pushed.

Whether it was created by another conscious entity or not doesn't really make a difference in my opinion - the reality we experience is the same. And conscious experience is all that really matters in the end.

It would be cool to live inside a simulation/video game. It'd be like the film Free Guy. Absolutely dope.

Reply 7

tazarooni89

I'm not sure it's easy to define the difference between our experiences being "reality" versus "a simulation". Surely that's just a matter of perspective?

For example if you have some ants in an ant farm, you could consider it a "simulation" (relative to the world we live in) because it's an environment we created and are observing from the outside, but you could also consider it "reality" because that is what the ants actually experience on a day to day basis.

Reply 8

Fullofsurprises

Original post by tazarooni89

I'm not sure it's easy to define the difference between our experiences being "reality" versus "a simulation". Surely that's just a matter of perspective?

For example if you have some ants in an ant farm, you could consider it a "simulation" (relative to the world we live in) because it's an environment we created and are observing from the outside, but you could also consider it "reality" because that is what the ants actually experience on a day to day basis.

Yes, in any God-created cosmos (or even just one created by a nerdy superhacker in an incredibly hitech lab), the external sentient force that creates it knows it to be their creation, but unless they choose to make the inhabitants of the simulation sufficiently sentient that they can determine they are in a simulation, those inside it remain oblivious, presumably not to their detriment.

I think I would feel offended to discover that this is all just a simulation. Why weren't we told? I feel the same about concepts of Gods. They need to share with us just a little more, if they exist.

Reply 9

da_nolo

22

could people live in simation and not a simulation?

Reply 10

Original post by da_nolo

could people live in simation and not a simulation?

simuception

Reply 11

Fullofsurprises

Original post by da_nolo

could people live in simation and not a simulation?

I assume your sentence was supposed to end "and not be a simulation". I would think the answer is yes and no. If the simulation simply(!) set initial conditions likely to produce sentient beings and then later on, running autonomously, emerged sentient beings, then it's hard to argue that the sentience is 'simulated', it is real and autonomous but also part of the simulation.

This is also the basic argument in some creator-God religions, the theory is that a supreme being created us but having done so, didn't control everything. This is usually accompanied by something like the need to pray, apparently the creator of the autonomous entity is subsequently willing to intervene on special request from His or Her sims. (A likely story.)

Reply 12

da_nolo

22

Original post by Fullofsurprises

I assume your sentence was supposed to end "and not be a simulation". I would think the answer is yes and no. If the simulation simply(!) set initial conditions likely to produce sentient beings and then later on, running autonomously, emerged sentient beings, then it's hard to argue that the sentience is 'simulated', it is real and autonomous but also part of the simulation.

This is also the basic argument in some creator-God religions, the theory is that a supreme being created us but having done so, didn't control everything. This is usually accompanied by something like the need to pray, apparently the creator of the autonomous entity is subsequently willing to intervene on special request from His or Her sims. (A likely story.)

interesting. I meant just being able to exist within a simulation as well as outside the simulation at the same time. but thanks

Reply 13

I mean it would be pretty cool to live inside a video game/simulation

Reply 14

da_nolo

22

Original post by mattheww0749

I mean it would be pretty cool to live inside a video game/simulation

since games are known for having time pass quickly, you could have several lives in one.

i think ill make a thread on this. maybe in chat. what would you do in the simulation?

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 15