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If there are simulators, can't / won't they detect our attempts to test the simulation hypothesis and patch any defects that scientists might notice to render s

If there are simulators, can't / won't they detect our attempts to test the simulation hypothesis and patch any defects that scientists might notice to render such experiments un-reproducible? Unless they really want us to find them. But then there are easier ways for that. One is simply painting in the sky: show me what you got.

nine_k 8y ago
This assumes that there exist some "they" who "set up" the simulation and are "watching" it. It's an excessively strong assumption, to my mind. E.g. known biological life critically depends on an implementation of a machine programmed by DNA, but there's little doubt that said machine was not specifically engineered for the purpose by anyone.
21 8y ago
It's not a trivial task - think about how hard it is to detect computer viruses in a computer. Then we also know that homomorphic encryption is possible in principle, where from the outside it's thought to be impossible to figure out what computation goes on inside the algorithm (for example searching for a simulation)
ken 8y ago
Aliens might not be constantly watching all billions of life forms. Aliens might not care if we find them or not. There's plenty of reasons aliens wouldn't bother to interfere. If you buy the Simulation Hypothesis, based on the premise that aliens have infinite computing power in which to run simulations like this, then logically you should also believe that we're not special. With infinite computing power, they don't need a giant datacenter and a research team to run us. It's just a few basic principles they chose last month (in their time), and a little box sitting on someone's desk, like the TNG episode "Ship in a Bottle". With infinite power, there's probably millions of simulations running. Maybe if it becomes self-aware, a light turns on, and they cheer, like we do when the bouncing DVD logo hits exactly in the corner -- and then they go on with their life. Maybe kids pick different initial conditions and race to see which universe becomes self-aware first. I don't believe the Simulation Hypothesis, but if it is true, the most likely scenario is that there's gobs of different simulations running, and aliens don't care about us at all.

nine_k 8y ago

This assumes that there exist some "they" who "set up" the simulation and are "watching" it. It's an excessively strong assumption, to my mind. E.g. known biological life critically depends on an implementation of a machine programmed by DNA, but there's little doubt that said machine was not specifically engineered for the purpose by anyone.

21 8y ago

It's not a trivial task - think about how hard it is to detect computer viruses in a computer. Then we also know that homomorphic encryption is possible in principle, where from the outside it's thought to be impossible to figure out what computation goes on inside the algorithm (for example searching for a simulation)

ken 8y ago

Aliens might not be constantly watching all billions of life forms. Aliens might not care if we find them or not. There's plenty of reasons aliens wouldn't bother to interfere. If you buy the Simulation Hypothesis, based on the premise that aliens have infinite computing power in which to run simulations like this, then logically you should also believe that we're not special. With infinite computing power, they don't need a giant datacenter and a research team to run us. It's just a few basic principles they chose last month (in their time), and a little box sitting on someone's desk, like the TNG episode "Ship in a Bottle". With infinite power, there's probably millions of simulations running. Maybe if it becomes self-aware, a light turns on, and they cheer, like we do when the bouncing DVD logo hits exactly in the corner -- and then they go on with their life. Maybe kids pick different initial conditions and race to see which universe becomes self-aware first. I don't believe the Simulation Hypothesis, but if it is true, the most likely scenario is that there's gobs of different simulations running, and aliens don't care about us at all.