[Buddha-l] ARE YOU LIVING IN A COMPUTER SIMULATION?

[[DPD Web] Shen Shi'an]

"Self" is a remarkably stable, well-organised and persistent illusion
too. But yes, so we need to deal with that as conventional reality -
before we can awaken to ultimate reality of non-self.

Extra thought - In the Matrix trilogy, the folks woke up to the pretty
desolated "Desert of the Real" - now that's just "pure" Dukkha - the
reality of the First Noble Truth! Like Cypher, I wondered what's the
point of the bitter red pill. Thank Buddha us Buddhists have the Third
Noble Truth to "swallow" - sweet Nirvana! We have the additional Dharma
pills to go with just the red one! For what it's worth... some past
over-thought thoughts on the Matrix series -

The Matrix-Buddhism Connection
http://www.thedailyenlightenment.com/matrix.htm
The Matrix Reloaded
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zeph/message/171
The Animatrix
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zeph/message/186
We Are Survivors of "The Matrix Revolutions"
http://buddhistnews.tv/current/matrix-rev-091103.php

-----Original Message-----
From: Michel Clasquin [mailto:clasqm at mweb.co.za] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 3:16 PM
To: Buddhist discussion forum
Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] ARE YOU LIVING IN A COMPUTER SIMULATION?


On 20 Nov 2006, at 4:07 AM, Michael LaTorra wrote:

> Is the world an illusion, or a simulation?
>
> Or are we in the improbable position of living in the vanishingly 
> short time period before massive world-simulations begin?
>
> See philosopher Nick Bostrom's argument below.

It is entirely possible that we live in a computer simulation.  
However, on what basis can we decide that the next level "up" is the
computer? It could be a virtual computer being simulated in software a
higher-order computer, the way I can simulate a Commodore 64 on my Apple
to play old games. And THAT one could be a virtual computer being
simulated in an even-higher-order computer and so on and so on .... On
what basis can we decide that we've hit the actual hardware?

Infinite regression is fun, and it keeps philosophers gainfully employed
and off the streets. But the flat-footed Dutchman in me says that if
this universe is an illusion, it is a remarkably stable, well- organised
and persistent illusion, and I might as well deal with it as being
reality.

Play nice now, programs
Michel the skeptical subroutine

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