Are We Living in an Ancestor Simulation? ft. Neil deGrasse Tyson | Space Time

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The idea that our reality is a simulation is not as far-fetched as you may think. Many philosophers, scientists and tech-billionaires are seriously considering not just the possibility but the high probability that our civilization may be a program being run by another, more advanced alien civilization.

Written and Hosted by Matt O’Dowd
Produced by Rusty Ward
Graphics by Kurt Ross

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[puffdaddy]

This universe is definitely pay-to-win

[aaronsorensen]

I saw the full interview with NDT and, Matt, you are one of the most patient people I've ever seen. NDT interrupts you nonstop and you maintain your composure like a champ.

[Shogun]

If my user can see this, please enter:
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A.

[buddyzee]

wow Neil loves the sound of his own voice

[gojida]

Meanwhile, some alien civilization is probably thinking:
"the simulations are becoming self aware"

[samhayes-astrion]

If we're living in a simulation, I demand access to the developer console.

[khakimzhanmiras]

Hey ancestor, this is all meta and all, but the diarrhea is unnecessary

[seancannon]

Boltzmann simulation. The computer running the simulation in which we live randomly formed during a severe dip in entropy.

[MrTigerlore]

I’m an NPC?! Ahh, so that explains why I repeat the same dialogue, and sometimes walk into walls.

[coreydouglas]

YOU BEAT CANCER AND WENT BACK TO WORK AT THE CARPET STORE??

[atotheg]

Immediately checked the comments about Neil grabbing his arm. That was very “I’m more important and better then you” move.

[xiaoyu]

I need to stop watching these videos before I go to sleep

[EvenTheDogAgrees]

Alright, some remarks, off the top of my head:

1) We are not in a position to judge the required processing power to simulate our universe with regards to the available processing power in the real universe. We can't assume it is similar to ours: we might merely be a simplified model, but their laws of physics might also be entirely different from ours. For all we know, the real universe might not even be physical in nature, so how can we judge how feasible it would be in this external universe to simulate ours? The Eternal Dreamer might just have a vast mind capable of very complicated dreams. Apart from that, even if this was a "down to the individual quark or whatever" simulation, just because we perceive it in realtime doesn't mean it actually runs in realtime. For all we know, the real universe is eternally stable, and this program is a simulation of a universe that isn't, running at enormously reduced speed.

2) If we're in a simulation, it doesn't necessarily follow that you lot are real. For all I know, I'm the only "real" mind here (I call it a Meretzky Brain), while you're all simple "bots" without sentience. Placed here for me to interact with, totally oblivious of the fact that none of you are "real". That cuts down drastically on the required processing power, and means the universe does not need to be simulated precisely enough so that all inhabitants experience it the same: you guys don't perceive anything, and when I ask you how you perceive it, the program has you respond consistent with my world model.

3) Neil's "for their entertainment" theory regarding all the shake-ups and disasters is amusing in a Bill Hicks or George Carlin kind of way (and those are good ways), but nonsensical if you really think about it. We put that kind of stuff into our simulations, because it reflects (although it may exaggerate) what we experience in our world. So it's not unthinkable that they put this in their simulation because, well, it reflects their reality. If they're a simulation as well, extrapolate upwards until you reach the outer shell: they put it in their simulation because it happens in their world as well. Therefore, this stuff is plausible without attributing it to "someone putting it in there for their entertainment". As such, the presence of such events does not constitute an argument in favour nor against the simulation theory.

4) The whole numbers game is based on some assumptions that aren't necessarily true. But the video touched on the Fermi paradox, which is where I was going with this as well.

5) The idea that the universe must be simulated to sufficient detail to convince us that it's real is problematic as well. Any universe we inhabit automatically feels "real" to us, because in absence of other experiences, how would we contrast it to what's actually real? Again, we have no basis for assuming anything beyond our universe, if it turns out it is a simulation.

[Soldrhire]

Whoever is playing me absolutely sucks. Or he's playing hard mode.

[kennyrosenyc]

You don't need a computer the size of the universe to simulate the entire universe. You only need a computer that can simulate whatever aspect of the universe the viewer is experiencing at a particular point in time for every human on Earth. That is how video games work. The stuff that's out of view doesn't exist as anything other than data, and only then when needed.

[Trekari]

Is there a simulation where Neil doesn't interrupt everyone all the time?

[shadow]

The problem with this is that even if we are a simulation, there is still something out there beyond this that is real. Whether we are in the prime existence or some iterative offspring, something has to be the original. No matter how many turtles it goes down, one of them has to be the bottom.

[sunnychowdary]

Dear operator,
Please code my life better !

[travisboatner]

The computing power would be less if it didn’t actually simulate every single interaction of every single particle. It could have a wave function of probability and only decide to simulate the specific interactions if we were to attempt to measure it. It wouldn’t have to compute areas we weren’t observing until we actually attempted to observe it.

[ericvelasquez]

I've long been a Neil deAss Tyson anti-fan but really love the way Matt present scientific information. Going through a few comments below I can see that I'm not the only one.