simulation

The Simulation Hypothesis

Bill Hibbard August 2007

I submitted the following letter to the editor of the Science Times section of the New York Times on 15 August 2007, although they did not print it:

• John Tierney (Findings, 14 August) discusses the hypothesis that our universe may be a simulation by some super computer modeler. This hypothesis is not testable. We humans need languages that are as expressive as possible, but one of the great lessons of philosophy is that our languages enable us to pose questions that don't have answers. Such as whether our universe is a simulation. We may as well believe the simulator is called god and that he occasionally intervenes in his simulation to give comandments to Moses or to send his son into it to provide moral guidance. Humanity will be better off if we stick with testable hypotheses.