On the internet I keep bumping into people who are extremely insistent that our universe could be a simulation. While I think it may, in the future, be possible to simulate a high fidelity universe - I don’t think we should confuse the ability to model a universe with the ability to actually build a universe.
For example, we can model weather patterns inside a computer. But it doesn’t mean the computer will then actually have the properties of those weather patterns (e.g. wind, humidity, snow, etc). Likewise, we could simulate a human brain inside a computer - but that doesn’t mean the computer would then have the properties of a human brain (e.g. consciousness).
Mathematical models are descriptors. They describe how something might behave. But they don’t have the necessary quantities of space/time and energy to actually do the things they’re describing.
I am, thus far, NOT convinced it’s possible for us to be inside a simulation. But I wanted to get your guys feedback on this. Am I missing something? Is there any actual evidence that a simulation could ever produce something like consciousness?
(I should note that I’m completely open to the idea we may be able to build machines capable of self-awareness in the future. But that’s NOT the same thing as simulating a machine that would be capable of self-awareness. Building is a physical system with high volumes of different types of energy moving through it. A simulation is not.)
[Also, if you’re simply going to argue we don’t know that it’s “impossible” for us to be in a simulation - than please don’t waste my time. The lack of proof of impossibility in no way demonstrates possibility]
