this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
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If we were living in a simulation, how could we tell? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Hoping to provoke some discussion with this. If we were sentient beings created inside of an advanced computer simulation, would we ever be able to tell? What signs do you think we’d see? And…do you think we are?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yes. A simulation can be turned off. Or perhaps even crashed...

More generally, a simulation has stuff "outside the simulation" that can effect the simulation. There is nothing "outside" of fundamental reality.

"Magic" can occur in a simulation; things that appear to have great material costs inside the simulation cost nothing to implement outside the simulation.