Turtles, Anyone?

 

“We are in a virtual reality simulation.”

“Oh, so you believe in God.  I thought you were an atheist.”

“What!?  No, of course not!  We’re just at the mercy of some dude playing a game.”

“And how is that ‘dude’ different from God?”

“He doesn’t have any control over the software; he’s just playing in an elaborate sandbox, following rules he has no control over.”

“I see-the game designer is God.”

“No!  He still has limitations based on the hardware.”

“So the hardware designer is God.”

“No, there are limitations based on the physics of that world.”

“How is that world different from ours?  How do you know that that’s not a simulation, too?”

“Uh. . .we don’t.”

“And so the dude playing that simulation is under the control of the game creator, who is under the control of the hardware designer, who is under the control of the creator of the physics, who may be another game player, right?”

“Exactly!”

“But at some point, there is someone who started it all-that must be God.”

“No, there are simulations all the way down.”

With a hat tip to @vicepotentate for this post.

Published in Humor
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 16 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    The simulation theory is inherently unfalsifiable. So it’s kind of surprising when you see science types give it some degree of credence. 

    • #1
  2. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    How is it false?

    • #2
  3. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    Fake John/Jane Galt (View Comment):

    How is it false?

    If that was a question for me… No conceivable observation could falsify the simulation theory. That means it’s not a scientific hypothesis. 

    • #3
  4. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Fake John/Jane Galt (View Comment):

    How is it false?

    If that was a question for me… No conceivable observation could falsify the simulation theory. That means it’s not a scientific hypothesis.

    Yes, it’s a theory in metaphysics, not science.

    Still, it could be verified in observation, as happens in the movies sometimes. Not with a controlled experiment; someone from outside the simulation has to help in some way.

    • #4
  5. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Fake John/Jane Galt (View Comment):

    How is it false?

    If that was a question for me… No conceivable observation could falsify the simulation theory. That means it’s not a scientific hypothesis.

    Yes, it’s a theory in metaphysics, not science.

    Still, it could be verified in observation, as happens in the movies sometimes. Not with a controlled experiment; someone from outside the simulation has to help in some way.

    It’s me. I’m running the sim. Game over. 

    • #5
  6. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    TBA (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Fake John/Jane Galt (View Comment):

    How is it false?

    If that was a question for me… No conceivable observation could falsify the simulation theory. That means it’s not a scientific hypothesis.

    Yes, it’s a theory in metaphysics, not science.

    Still, it could be verified in observation, as happens in the movies sometimes. Not with a controlled experiment; someone from outside the simulation has to help in some way.

    It’s me. I’m running the sim. Game over.

    Actually, it’s Me. I run the arcade (sim) with the token dispenser on My belt. See Me when You run out of Yer 3 Lives (cash only). 

    • #6
  7. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Jimmy Carter (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Fake John/Jane Galt (View Comment):

    How is it false?

    If that was a question for me… No conceivable observation could falsify the simulation theory. That means it’s not a scientific hypothesis.

    Yes, it’s a theory in metaphysics, not science.

    Still, it could be verified in observation, as happens in the movies sometimes. Not with a controlled experiment; someone from outside the simulation has to help in some way.

    It’s me. I’m running the sim. Game over.

    Actually, it’s Me. I run the arcade (sim) with the token dispenser on My belt. See Me when You run out of Yer 3 Lives (cash only).

    Posers. Obviously I’m the real programmer.

    • #7
  8. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    You are both liars and blasphemers. 

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want. 

    • #8
  9. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    TBA (View Comment):

    You are both liars and blasphemers.

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want.

    Oh, please.  I programmed you to think that.

    • #9
  10. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    You are both liars and blasphemers.

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want.

    Oh, please. I programmed you to think that.

    You asked for it, and I won’t be responsible for the consequences. (Except of course that I am the only one who can be.) 

    Here’s the picture. This is the sim you deny exists. 

    • #10
  11. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    TBA (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    You are both liars and blasphemers.

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want.

    Oh, please. I programmed you to think that.

    You asked for it, and I won’t be responsible for the consequences. (Except of course that I am the only one who can be.)

    Here’s the picture. This is the sim you deny exists.

    • #11
  12. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Bob W (View Comment):

    The simulation theory is inherently unfalsifiable. So it’s kind of surprising when you see science types give it some degree of credence.

    Just because something is unfalsifiable doesn’t mean it’s true or untrue. Scientific types are becoming more aware of how much of reality is unfalsifiable. It’s a surprising amount.

    • #12
  13. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Jimmy Carter (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    You are both liars and blasphemers.

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want.

    Oh, please. I programmed you to think that.

    You asked for it, and I won’t be responsible for the consequences. (Except of course that I am the only one who can be.)

    Here’s the picture. This is the sim you deny exists.

    Well of course you can’t the computer simulation in its true form – that would be metaphysically impossible. 

    • #13
  14. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Bob W (View Comment):

    The simulation theory is inherently unfalsifiable. So it’s kind of surprising when you see science types give it some degree of credence.

    Just because something is unfalsifiable doesn’t mean it’s true or untrue. Scientific types are becoming more aware of how much of reality is unfalsifiable. It’s a surprising amount.

    Of course, the philosopher types have been there all along.  Click here for an introduction to the central point, from David Hume.

    • #14
  15. T.C. Member
    T.C.
    @TCNYMEX

    TBA (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    You are both liars and blasphemers.

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want.

    Oh, please. I programmed you to think that.

    You asked for it, and I won’t be responsible for the consequences. (Except of course that I am the only one who can be.)

    Here’s the picture. This is the sim you deny exists.

    okay, now I’m angry about WordPress and the cdn.ricochet.com old photograph host not hooking up to the new WordPress instance.

    cuz’ i really want to see if there’s somebody here at ricochet that really does have a cray in his basement, an obelisk surrounded by red couch would make for a hell of a rumpus room.

    • #15
  16. T.C. Member
    T.C.
    @TCNYMEX

    TBA (View Comment):

    Saint Augustine (View Comment):

    TBA (View Comment):

    You are both liars and blasphemers.

    I run the sim on meta-computer in my basement; a mid-’90s Cray-Cray. I have a picture for proof if you want.

    Oh, please. I programmed you to think that.

    You asked for it, and I won’t be responsible for the consequences. (Except of course that I am the only one who can be.)

    Here’s the picture. This is the sim you deny exists.

    okay, now I’m angry about WordPress and the cdn.ricochet.com old photograph host not hooking up to the new WordPress instance.

    cuz’ i really want to see if there’s somebody here at ricochet that really does have a cray in his basement, an obelisk surrounded by red couch would make for a hell of a rumpus room.

    • #16
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.