In fact, I'd argue that simulationism is actually ontological simulationism, similar in some fundamental ways to Anselm's proof of the existence of God. As far

In fact, I'd argue that simulationism is actually ontological simulationism, similar in some fundamental ways to Anselm's proof of the existence of God. As far as provability goes, simulationism comes up empty; you have to assume certain a priori concepts (tractable hard AI, the ability to cheaply simulate a near-infinite number of lives, time and energy availability, etc) in order to hand-wave the denominator into existence. At that point, if you want to advance this past an amusing and somewhat illuminating philosophical toy, you might as well substitute God, or gods, in for their higher-dimensional alien programmers.