I assign a very high probability to this being wrong -- in other words, I wouldn't risk anything on this as a claim -- but if you ask what I would think, if I found out we were in a simulation created by conscious entities I would feel that these conscious entities were most interested in us, as other conscious entities. I would also feel that they were benevolent and cared about us.
My reasons are that I think consciousness is special. Even though it just comes out of the physics, it's something that gives the universe a point of view and thus a locus -- a point of origin and some reason to consider a particular time and place 'important'. I also think that consciousness is unifying. As soon as you have a sense of self, an entity begins categorizing things as 'self' or as 'other'. A sufficiently intelligent conscious being will recognize that other conscious entities are more like themselves than anything else.
It's hard to imagine the motives of a general intelligent being. But a being that simulates other beings is already a smaller group. They are curious and possibly lonely. I just think that loneliness is the fundamental condition of a self-aware being.
We were either simulated by conscious entities or simulated by non-conscious entities. If the former, I think we are the purpose of the simulation (or an initial step in the purpose). If we were not simulated by a conscious being, then we are being simulated by 'accident' and in that case I see no difference between that hypothetical simulation and the one we're in. Because I believe we are in a simulation, by how I define simulation, I just wonder if that simulation was created with intention or not.
I would also feel that they were benevolent and cared about us.
Why?!
My father, who is home recovering from surgery, emailed the following web page to me and a few other members of my family, and expressed interest in reading interesting responses.
Any thoughts?