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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

Yes. The question of "Are we in a sim?" depends on whether we're in a finite computational space type sim or whether we're in a non-finite computational space (i.e. running on a quantum computer).

In a finite sim where we want it to be as realistic as possible, having a high speed of light would mean we'd have to simulate other civilizations too, thus reducing the achievable complexity of the sim on average.

In a finite sim with a low speed of light we only need to simulate locality with any kind of high degree of fidelity.

In an infinite sim, there could conceivably be no detectable difference between base reality and the sim.

Speculating on whether we're in a finite sim, I'd expect to see lots of attempts to compress unneccesarily detailed information and I'd also expect to see level of detail reduced when we're not looking at it. I'd also expect to see non locality happening faster than the speed of light but not necessarily explained by the physics of the sim.

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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

I agree with whoever said that the simulations wouldn't have to be simulations of historical events (you could argue that simulating a random possible universe would be unlikely to result in this particular universe, but I would shoot that argument down (since you can say that in any universe, provided that the universe exists))

Also, what I took away from the original paper about simulations was not a belief either that we are or aren't simulated. The point, as I see it, is that IF anyone simulates a universe (especially more than one) in the future, it means that we are probably in a simulation.

Also, I have homework to do. The internet is ruining me.

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