StarTalk Radio Cosmic Queries – Living in a Simulation with Nick Bostrom
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Dec 21, 2021 
In a captivating discussion, Nick Bostrom, a Professor at Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute, tackles the tantalizing question: Are we living in a simulation? He explores the implications of this theory on consciousness, free will, and existence, engaging in a thought-provoking dialogue about the future of advanced civilizations creating virtual realities. Bostrom dissects the philosophical challenges and ethical dilemmas related to simulation, all while questioning the nature of our reality and the possibility of superintelligent AI reshaping our understanding of life itself.
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Simulation Argument
- Either civilizations go extinct before reaching technological maturity, or they lose interest in creating ancestor simulations.
- Or we are living in a computer simulation.
Simulations Duplicating Themselves
- Neil deGrasse Tyson suggests that if simulations can duplicate themselves, we're either the original or the last simulation.
- This improves the odds compared to randomly landing in one of countless powerful simulations.
Types of Simulations
- Technologically mature civilizations might create various simulations, not just ancestor simulations.
- Ancestor simulations are the focus for argument's sake.
