A widespread belief in the existence of rational creatures on other planets, despite lack of concrete evidence, has gained traction among many scientists. Similarly, the idea that we may be living in a computer simulation has intrigued figures such as scientific popularizer Neil DeGrasse Tyson, entrepreneur Elon Musk, and astronomer Martin Rees.
Last year, physicist Melvin Vopson from the University of Portsmouth conducted a study exploring the theory that we might just be characters in an advanced virtual world. According to Vopson’s research, the hypothesis of a simulated universe posits that our reality is artificial, akin to a computer simulation where humans are mere designs.
If our universe is indeed a simulation created by an advanced extraterrestrial intelligence, it may be impossible to detect unless a “red pill” scenario akin to the movie “Matrix” (1999) presents itself. Yet, if we consider this simulated reality, why should we believe in the existence of such “red pills”?
Astrophysicist Paul Sutter from Stony Brook University takes a “perhaps” stance on this issue. In his article for ARS Technica, he discusses the concept of living in a simulated universe and its implications on life experiences.
However, the question of why we should believe in the simulation theory remains. Sutter references the arguments put forth by philosopher Nick Bostrom from Oxford, who suggests that our advanced descendants could create universes with conscious beings, leading to a surplus of simulated minds over organic ones.
Theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser from Dart