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  • Welcome to the Machine

    Is the Universe a Simulation?
    What kinds of things are mathematical entities and theorems, that they are knowable in this way? Do they exist somewhere, a set of immaterial objects in the enchanted gardens of the Platonic world, waiting to be discovered? Or are they mere creations of the human mind?

    Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation
    Observable consequences of the hypothesis that the observed universe is a numerical simulation performed on a cubic space-time lattice or grid are explored. The simulation scenario is first motivated by extrapolating current trends in computational resource requirements for lattice QCD into the future. Using the historical development of lattice gauge theory technology as a guide, we assume that our universe is an early numerical simulation with unimproved Wilson fermion discretization and investigate potentially-observable consequences. Among the observables that are considered are the muon g-2 and the current differences between determinations of alpha, but the most stringent bound on the inverse lattice spacing of the universe, b^(-1) >~ 10^(11) GeV, is derived from the high-energy cut off of the cosmic ray spectrum. The numerical simulation scenario could reveal itself in the distributions of the highest energy cosmic rays exhibiting a degree of rotational symmetry breaking that reflects the structure of the underlying lattice.

    I'm posting this thread in Nat. Sci. to capture an audience more likely to read and follow the paper (PDF), but you don't need an ability to do lattice QCD to follow the broader implications for theology. If there is a singular God, and the universe around us is Its creation, this is a peek behind the curtain into how it was done.

    Mathematics has historically played a role in theologies, from incorporation of the golden mean — (1+root(5))/2, sports fans — in the religious architecture of Greek polytheists to the apologetics of career Christians like William Lane Craig arguing the non-existence of actual infinities. Mathematical entities lay uncontroversial claim to many of the most controversial descriptive aspects of our human gods: They are eternal, objective, self-existent, and independent of our universe.

    On the femto-scale, lattice QCD allows us, as humans, to answer the age-old retort of Creationists asking us to duplicate creation by "getting our own dirt."

    As ever, Jesse

  • #2
    Originally posted by lao tzu View Post
    On the femto-scale, lattice QCD allows us, as humans, to answer the age-old retort of Creationists asking us to duplicate creation by "getting our own dirt."

    As ever, Jesse
    From your link:

    But one fanciful possibility is that we live in a computer simulation based on the laws of mathematics — not in what we commonly take to be the real world. According to this theory, some highly advanced computer programmer of the future has devised this simulation, and we are unknowingly part of it. Thus when we discover a mathematical truth, we are simply discovering aspects of the code that the programmer used.
    Why don't we just admit that this advanced computer programmer is God? And what else this programmer may be, it/he would be God or a god to us... Then how far are we from Berkeley's Idealism where reality consists of ideas in the mind of God? Perhaps a simulation in the mind of God?
    Last edited by seer; 02-15-2014, 10:37 AM.
    Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by seer View Post
      Why don't we just admit that this advanced computer programmer is God?
      We aren't brain dead.

      Feel free to disagree,

      Roy
      Last edited by Roy; 02-15-2014, 11:00 AM.
      Jorge: Functional Complex Information is INFORMATION that is complex and functional.

      MM: First of all, the Bible is a fixed document.
      MM on covid-19: We're talking about an illness with a better than 99.9% rate of survival.

      seer: I believe that so called 'compassion' [for starving Palestinian kids] maybe a cover for anti Semitism, ...

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by lao tzu View Post
        Is the Universe a Simulation?
        What kinds of things are mathematical entities and theorems, that they are knowable in this way? Do they exist somewhere, a set of immaterial objects in the enchanted gardens of the Platonic world, waiting to be discovered? Or are they mere creations of the human mind?

        Constraints on the Universe as a Numerical Simulation
        Observable consequences of the hypothesis that the observed universe is a numerical simulation performed on a cubic space-time lattice or grid are explored. The simulation scenario is first motivated by extrapolating current trends in computational resource requirements for lattice QCD into the future. Using the historical development of lattice gauge theory technology as a guide, we assume that our universe is an early numerical simulation with unimproved Wilson fermion discretization and investigate potentially-observable consequences. Among the observables that are considered are the muon g-2 and the current differences between determinations of alpha, but the most stringent bound on the inverse lattice spacing of the universe, b^(-1) >~ 10^(11) GeV, is derived from the high-energy cut off of the cosmic ray spectrum. The numerical simulation scenario could reveal itself in the distributions of the highest energy cosmic rays exhibiting a degree of rotational symmetry breaking that reflects the structure of the underlying lattice.

        I'm posting this thread in Nat. Sci. to capture an audience more likely to read and follow the paper (PDF), but you don't need an ability to do lattice QCD to follow the broader implications for theology. If there is a singular God, and the universe around us is Its creation, this is a peek behind the curtain into how it was done.

        Mathematics has historically played a role in theologies, from incorporation of the golden mean — (1+root(5))/2, sports fans — in the religious architecture of Greek polytheists to the apologetics of career Christians like William Lane Craig arguing the non-existence of actual infinities. Mathematical entities lay uncontroversial claim to many of the most controversial descriptive aspects of our human gods: They are eternal, objective, self-existent, and independent of our universe.

        On the femto-scale, lattice QCD allows us, as humans, to answer the age-old retort of Creationists asking us to duplicate creation by "getting our own dirt."

        As ever, Jesse
        I prefer . . . Observable consequences of the hypothesis that the observed universe [Maybe be modeled as] a numerical simulation performed on a cubic space-time lattice or grid are explored. The simulation scenario is first motivated by extrapolating current trends in computational resource requirements for lattice QCD into the future.

        Our observed, and by the way unobserved universe, is modeled based on hypothesis and theories from the human perspective based on present knowledge. You may call this being 'picky' in semantics, but I believe it is an important point. It is a word of caution that it is unwarranted to conclude the 'observed universe is . . .'

        When we model our universe with computers it may look like a computer

        Looking forward to following this thread.

        What do we know?
        following foot prints in the snow
        we should in humility know
        they are our foot prints in the snow
        Here today and gone tomorrow.
        Last edited by shunyadragon; 02-15-2014, 12:05 PM.
        Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
        Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
        But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

        go with the flow the river knows . . .

        Frank

        I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

        Comment

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