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The Computational Requirements for the Matrix

goombah99 writes "Nick Bostrom discusses the computational requirements needed to simulate human existence. He offers a proof based on the anthropic principle, that you are almost certainly a computer simulation and not "real". The idea is that given that humans don't go extinct in geologically short time then eventually computer capability will allow complete simulation of the human cortex. Consequently, there must be far more simulations running in future millennia than seconds since you were born. Thus its astronomically more likely you are a simulation than real ... if humans don't go extinct shortly. Recalling the 13th floor, Robin Hanson discusses how one should try to live in a simulation. David Wolpert also weighs in on the physical limits of Turing machines for simulation of the universe. This also may explain why time travel seems impossible: we dont meet visitors from the future since only the present is being simulated."

6 of 953 comments (clear)

  1. fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    fp

  2. VFP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Virtual first post ?

    1. Re:VFP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Virtually. But the tard who got it was MMMMMMEEEEEE!!!

  3. How about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    "I will kick you in the face with a soldering iron." --Me

  4. Re:MICHAEL IS THE SUPREME SLASHFAG by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I agree with this post.

  5. stupid schools by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    this is just further proof that universities waste too much time on diploma mills and not actually teaching anything.