Philosophy Now Forum

What's so interesting about Bostrom's highly speculative theory which it seems can never be proved or disproved, when we are working pretty hard at creating alternate reality simulations in real life right now? I think it's the fact that Bostrom's speculations suggest the possibility of transcenden...

While amusing, the idea of simulations within simulations is meaningless if you must presume some fundamental "reality" at the bottom of it all. That's why I like the "turtles all the way down" anecdote for all the wrong (right) reasons. If a completely convincing simulation of reality is possible ...

Hi Croatguy, Nick Bostrom rates the chances of us actually living in a simulation 20% in his simulation argument. Even if we are not living in one, then we will almost certainly create one once the AI singularity is reached. I cannot see why we will not create one when the technology and computer r...

Typist wrote:I'm proposing that we don't yet grasp how powerful these emerging simulation technologies are, and are still enjoying a naive delusion that we are in control of them.

To that, I agree. But I'm not sure that control is what we really want.

Allright, let's continue completely off topic: :lol: Point being, every time somebody on this forum aims the phrase "Fox News" in my direction they are making public the fact they don't know enough about American culture and history to be qualified to participate in these conversations. There you go...

I notice you don't engage my political rantfests here on the forum, which I respect and have no problem with. But this option would not be available to you if we were sitting around a table at the pub, especially if Arising was there and the brew was flowing. :lol: ? I have, actually, a few times. ...

Notvacka looks like a little bird to me at present. Very perceptive. :) Here is where I'm coming from: http://www.naturskyddsforeningen.se/kretsar-lan/kronoberg/vaxjo/aktiviteter/notvackan/ It seems that, generally speaking, in this environment we're all pretty much totally disposable. I don't thin...

But what if there are no "real" laws of nature, only simulation. Perhaps we can dismiss "reality" as a failed concept. It would be interesting to see that position developed. I don't myself find it very plausible in its undeveloped state. If the choice is between hanging on to the concept of realit...

To put it another way, there are two options: 1. The real laws of nature are like we think they are... 2. The real laws of nature are not like we think they are, because we are in a simulation. But what if there are no "real" laws of nature, only simulation. Perhaps we can dismiss "reality" as a fa...

I am utterly alone this very moment, as I type this. Nobody home but me. And I have no evidence that you actually exist, software could have typed your posts. Do I care? Do you care? The point is, we are having the experience we wish to have, whether it is fantasy or not. Debating with yourself wou...

There are, however, two important respects in which the argument is better than arguments for God. The first is that nothing supernatural is invoked. The second is that a specific mechanism by which the simulation arrangement could have come into being is given. I somehow fail to see these as posit...

In my abstract inner world, which I have control over, where I am God, Diane Lane calls me. Or, that is, she would, if she wasn't permanently attached to my lap. The only problem is that in your abstract inner world, where you are God, neither Diane Lane nor anybody else exist. You are utterly alon...

A rough analogy would be that book X shares z percent of its words with book Y. That doesn't mean that the actual content of the books need to be very similar. Humans are said to share 98 percent of their DNA with chimpanzees and 50 percent of their DNA with bananas and, not surprisingly, we are mor...

We can put all of the matter in a black hole. waiting to go bang . But the space is still there!!! I guess that I should stop nagging you about this, Godfree, but please read up on the basics before stating such scientific nonsense. All the space would actually follow the matter into the black hole...

...you don't want to discus what to you makes no sense??fair enough... It's not that it doesn't make sense to me. In fact, it makes perfect sense to me in a common sense way. The problem is that it doesn't make any scientific sense. Ever since the discovery of relativity and quantum physics, the sc...