AaS! 167: Do We Live In a Giant Simulation?

Ask a Spaceman!

Paul M. Sutter

Astrophysics, Science, Cosmos, Holes, Black, Astronomy, Natural Sciences, Universe, Cosmology, Space, Physics

4.8 • 853 Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2022

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What is the simulation hypothesis? Is it just pseudoscience? How do we grapple with its implications? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!

Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com

Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PaulMattSutter Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaulMattSutter Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter

Read a book: http://www.pmsutter/book

Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE!

Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Justin G, Chris L, Barbara K, Duncan M, Corey D, Justin Z, Nate H, Andrew F, Naila, Aaron S, Scott M, Rob H, Lowell T, Justin, Louis M, Paul G, John W, Alexis, Erin J, Jennifer M, Gilbert M, Tom B, Joshua, Curt M, David B, Frank T, Tim R, Tom Van S, Mark R, Alan B, Craig B, Richard K, Steve P, Dave L, Chuck C, Stephen M, Maureen R, Stace J, Neil P, lothian53, COTFM, Stephen S, Ken L, Debra S, Alberto M, Matt C, Ron S, Joe R, Jeremy K, David P, Ulfert B, Robert B, Fr. Bruce W, Nicolai B, Sean M, Edward K, Darren W, Tracy F, Sarah K, Bill H, Steven S, Ryan L, Ella F, Richard S, Sam R, Thomas K, James C, Jorg D, R Larche, Syamkumar M, John S, Fred S, Homer V, Mark D, Brianna V, Colin B, Bruce A, Steven M, Brent B, Bill E, Tim Z, Thomas W, Linda C, David W, Aissa F, Marc H, Avery P, Scott M, Katelyn, Thomas H, Farshad A, Matthias S, Kenneth D, Maureen R, Michael W, Scott W, David W, Neuterdude, Cha0sKami, Brett, Robert C, Matthew K, Robert B, Gary K, Stephen J, dhr18, Anna V, Johanna M, Matthew G, Paul & Giulia S, Dr. D, Ron D, Steven M, Louis M, and Michael C!

Thanks to Cathy Rinella for editing.

Hosted by Paul M. Sutter, astrophysicist and the one and only Agent to the Stars (http://www.pmsutter.com).

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This episode of Aska Spaceman is brought to you by the good people at BetterHelp.
0:06.5	That's betterhelp.com. I know a lot of you listen to this show as a form of therapy, as a way of
0:16.1	escaping the world and just going among the stars on this wonderful journey.
0:22.2	I am a big advocate for therapy.
0:24.4	I personally see a therapist and you would be surprised if you don't currently see a therapist
0:29.5	how much they can really help you just navigate a difficult life,
0:33.5	just like you see a doctor to help you with physical conditions.
0:37.3	You should see a therapist. BetterHelp.com is a way to help you with physical conditions you should see a therapist
0:38.2	betterhelp.com is a way to do that that's convenient it's affordable uh these are licensed
0:44.5	professional counselors that you can connect to online a range of expertise worldwide it really
0:51.5	is an invaluable resource.
1:02.3	As a listener, you can get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at betterhelp.com slash spaceman.
1:07.5	You can join one million people who have taken charge of their mental health. Again, that's betterHelp.HELP.com slash spaceman.
1:17.7	Let's assume for the sake of argument, and yes, we will revisit these assumptions later that as time progresses,
1:30.2	computers get more and more advanced. That's not the craziest of assumptions. But let's say that
1:36.1	at some time in the far, far, far, far future. It doesn't matter exactly how far away this future is for this argument to work,
1:46.3	just as long as it eventually happens, that computers become so dang powerful. And I'm talking
1:52.3	like planet-sized computers using black holes as a battery, real sci-fi stuff kind of powerful, that these computers are so
2:03.2	powerful, so capable that they can simulate the entire universe. They can encode all the physical
2:12.6	interactions, all the forces, all the particles. they can recreate a universe in a box.
2:20.3	And this universe is so sophisticated and so faithful to the original universe that we know
2:28.0	and love that this universe ends up evolving life because you're doing all physics and life. Chemistry. Biology is all basically
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Paul M. Sutter, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Paul M. Sutter and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.