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I think it's slightly different. You being a brain in a vat is a more solitary issue. The Universe being a simulation is more of a collective issue. Besides, yo

• thaumasiotes 13y ago
  Yes, I know people can be characterized as brains in vats. I used the terminology I did for a reason: http://www.iep.utm.edu/brainvat/ http://www.iep.utm.edu/brainvat/ There's one difference between the brain-in-a-vat question and the simulated-universe question: one, in theory, characterizes "you" as part of reality being deceived, and the other characterizes "you" as not part of "reality". But those are just words; they don't even have consequences within the hypothetical. Literally everything else that can be said about one can be said about the other. They're both impossible to gather evidence for or against, and they both (relatedly) have no ramifications either way. If you think there's any merit in positivism, then the only possible response is "that's a stupid question". A question for which evidence cannot be gathered one way or the other is meaningless.