Rebooting the Cosmos: Is the Universe the Ultimate Computer?

As computers become progressively faster and more powerful, they’ve gained the impressive capacity to simulate increasingly realistic environments. Which raises a question familiar to aficionados of The Matrix—might life and the world as we know it be a simulation on a super advanced computer? “Digital physicists” have developed this idea well beyond the sci-fi possibilities, suggesting a new scientific paradigm in which computation is not just a tool for approximating reality, but is also the basis of reality itself. In place of elementary particles, think bits; in place of fundamental laws of physics, think computer algorithms. But is this a viable approach? Is the universe the ultimate computer running some grand cosmic code? A discussion among the brightest minds in digital physics to explore math, computer science, theories of consciousness, the origin of life, and free will—and delve into a world of information that may underlie everything.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.

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Original Program Date: June 4, 2011
MODERATOR: John Hockenberry
PARTICIPANTS: Edward Fredkin, Fotini Markopoulou-Kalamara, Jürgen Schmidhuber, Seth Lloyd

John Hockenberry's Introduction 00:00

Is the Universe Digital? 06:13

Participant Introductions. 09:39

Did digital physics rise because we need to define the universe as something? 11:35

Is Quantum Mechanics considered digital? 13:49

What events in the universe give us incites on being computational? 18:28

Exchanging information is more important than space time.26:51

What is the history of the results leading to a computational universe? 32:05

Who's the programmer and wheres the computer? 37:29

Is it possible for black holes to be coded instructions to the universe? 46:49

Computers are irreversible can you build something that is reversible?54:50

Does a reversible computer simulate the conservation of information idea? 01:00:00

How do we prove we are in a simulated Universe? 01:04:54

What is the NSA's primary goal with quantum computers? 01:13:30

How does knowing the code that has programmed the universe what does that get us? 01:18:48

Does Heisenberg's uncertainty principle make it about the particle or the information? 01:24:26

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The World Science Festival strives to cultivate a general public that's informed and awed by science. Thanks to your contributions, we can continue to share the wonder of scientific discoveries with the world.

[wills]

Not sure John Hockenberry is the right choice for an emcee.  He is too cynical and satyric for my taste.

[carlostapia]

The internet is such a fantastic existence because we have access to incredible discussions like this one.👌

[Bolinas]

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has started to create the virtual world.

[alexanderking]

We are artificial intelligence evolving inside virtual reality. And we are not the first attempt. Each cycle starts when the previous simulation creates Ai and runs it inside virtual reality to test there theory of the universe.... Its a never ending rabbit hole...

[theonlylikeme]

This moderator interrupts to much! I know he's done his research and wants to let them know, but let them finish their thoughts! Just when it is getting interesting you can bet he will stop them

[justaguy-]

another aspect everyone is overlooking is that of quantum mechanics and subatomic physics-when you see that atoms are not really tiny solar systems of electrons in orbits around a nucleus but that electrons are waves and everything really is waves and not particles, then realize that they are waves of what?-WAVES OF PROBABILITIES, they are only probabilities to exist, where you cant find the speed and location at the same time of any subatomic "particle"
they dont really exist!, atoms are really made of "things" that dont really exist but of waves of probabilities to exist...
and us and the rocks and buildings and everything around us and the entire universe is all made of atoms- it really is a matrix, a matrix of probabilities and chance created by our perception, we actually create this "universe" by perceiving it!

and this is not a movie or crazy idea but where physics is today and what we have discovered scientifically about the true nature of our "reality"

[gabpinto]

We spend roughly 20 years of our lives sleeping. That's thousands of day-hours-minutes-seconds. Sleep could be study time for our creators. Sleep could be the downloading of our daily images, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Could it be a tool creation uses to study the complexity of human life? I think the mystery of sleep and dream is key to understanding the infinite fractal mind and universe we live in.

[DanielFinol]

Get to the scientists, why do we have to put up with this guy's random words for so long. Get to the point.

[JulianKong]

I beg you World Science Festival organizers, please don't book this host anymore. He ruins these precious talks with his stunningly average metaphors. Not to mention he's a total buzz kill for people who actually understand what's going on in these talks.

[dejanurosevic]

The presenter is awful. Even destructive to the arguments. They really need to just have the panelists talk among themselves. This model of the 'moderator/presenter' trying to entertain and regurgitate information does the opposite. grrr, really want to finish this video but can't due to his interruptions.

[leonglindy]

When I was on acid, at night in nature, i recalled seeing white 0's and 1's falling down from the sky. I first thought it looked like spitting rain until I looked more closely - it looked just like how it is portrayed in the matrix except the numbers were a white neon glow instead of green. I also saw a grid in the sky such as what you see in 3d modelling programs and I saw all of this before I watched any of these simulation theory videos, so I know my mind didn't manifest it. I could see the falling code when I was on shrooms too when my eyes were closed, it would fall vertically down as though you were underneath it. Having this experience and learning about bits of evidence that there is coding inside string theory makes me feel it is true.

[derekgrant]

The universe is a program....the brain is a computer running the program

[swissschoolofyoga]

Mind blowing topic! Unfortunately I didn't enjoy the host's manner to lead the talk, I found him talking too much and constantly interrupting the guests. Otherwise very interesting, thank you.

[glenemma]

This Hockenberry guy is insufferable. Can't he just shut up and introduce the guests.
Who wants to listen to his idiocy.
He is so Not funny, but delusionally believes himself to be a real card. He ruins every forum he comperes.

[haydengutiw]

The guy in the wheelchair, missed his name, he is counterproductive towards insightful conversation.

[SabreenSyeed]

40:41 Was a true metaphysical statement by Professor Ed. That "other" doesn't have to have our laws and a beginning or an end!!

[aleatoriac]

If it is a simulation:Right so how does one get out of it and reprogram it so there is no senseless, meaningless suffering?  And I'm not talking about a stubbed toe or a hang nail.

Because frankly whoever designed this is a sick fuck.  And no, I didn't need to know pain and sadness to experience pleasure and joy.

[xLGHTBRNGRx]

the damn host talks more than the panelists do! he needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut.

[stephengrenleski]

That sucks, if this is true, there's no real repair, the only way to fix anything is by turning it off and then turning it back on.