shminux comments on The Useful Idea of Truth - Less Wrong

77 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 02 October 2012 06:16PM

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Comment author: Yvain 02 October 2012 10:17:49PM *  0 points [-]

Well, if the universe actually runs on a computer, then presumably that computer includes data for all stars, not just the ones that are visible to us.

If the universe doesn't run on a computer, then you have to actually digitize the universe so that your model is identical to the real universe as if it were on a computer, not stop halfway when it gets too hard or physically impossible.

I don't think any of these principles will actually be practical. Even the sense-experience principle isn't useful. It would classify "a particle accelerator the size of the Milky Way would generate evidence of photinos" as meaningful, but no one is going to build a particle accelerator the size of the Milky Way any more than they are going to digitize the universe. The goal is to have a philosophical tool, not a practical plan of action.

Comment author: shminux 02 October 2012 10:40:04PM 1 point [-]

Well, if the universe actually runs on a computer, then presumably that computer includes data for all stars, not just the ones that are visible to us.

Why should it if its purpose is to simulate reality for humans? What's wrong with a version of The Truman Show?

Comment author: Yvain 02 October 2012 10:43:05PM *  0 points [-]

Because since everything would be a simulation, "all stars" would be identical in meaning with "all stars that are being simulated" and with "all stars for which the computer includes data".

Comment author: MBlume 02 October 2012 10:54:35PM 2 points [-]

In a Truman Show situation, the simulators would've shown us white pin-pricks for thousands of years, and then started doing actual astrophysics simulations only when we got telescopes.