141

Flat Earth Theory / Re: Why does the EARTH look Round?

« on: February 02, 2021, 04:13:08 PM »

Unless the earth is perfectly flat, uni-directional Universal Acceleration would not keep us planted on the ground, right?

142

Flat Earth Theory / Re: A Simulated Flat Earth

« on: January 24, 2021, 05:07:40 AM »

I completely agree with everything the original poster said. This is what needs to be discussed more regarding flat earth.

The only part you lose me at is the bit about Earth accelerating upwards infinitely and eternally.

I find it much more plausible that Earth is completely stationary, and all inherent functions of Earth are simply programmed into the simulation..

Yes, if we go with the 'limited computational resource' model of simulation theory then we could posit that its not necessary for the earth to accelerate to create gravitational effects. A downward force keeping everyone planted on a stationary flat earth is just as well. 

143

Flat Earth Theory / Re: A Simulated Flat Earth

« on: January 21, 2021, 05:26:10 PM »

It's an interesting idea, but with a few caveats.

The big one is you can't prove or disprove it. There is no test you can run to determine you are, or are not in a simulation. It's still an interesting idea to ponder.

It also assumes we will survive long enough to create so many simulations, which isn't at all a given considering humanity's track record.

We likely will have better things to calculate than simulating humans in the past, like trying to reverse entropy or halt the expansion of the universe or defend against aliens. I can't imagine simulating humans will be the top priority, although who knows, simulating trillions of people to come up with solutions to problems isn't a terrible idea.

More likely is it's aliens simulating us, trying to decide the best way to deal with such a cranky species and looking for the best outcome.

If we are in a simulation, we are also guessing who or what is simulating us, or what the real universe is like. There is no reason it has to be equal to the one we are living in, perhaps it has no speed of light limits, or has other physical properties that make physical computation much easier.  The real universe could be far more complex than we could ever hope to understand with out tiny little simulated minds.  Endless possibilities, but no way to ever know.

There is also the problem, that if advanced Simulation-capable beings could produce a localized simulation of the Earth and all its inhabitants, it may be just as trivial for them to simulate a whole round earth, the solar system, and the many galaxies, in all of their glory, including the potentially trillions of other forms of life to emerge and die across the multi-quadrillion year life of the entire universe. There's also no way of knowing if our parent-universe is not also a simulation of another, higher-order parent-universe.

144

Flat Earth Theory / A Simulated Flat Earth

« on: January 21, 2021, 04:59:12 PM »

Nick Bostrom postulates the following, that we are statistically very likely to be living in a computer simulation at this very moment:

Many works of science fiction as well as some forecasts by serious technologists and futurologists predict that enormous amounts of computing power will be available in the future. Let us suppose for a moment that these predictions are correct. One thing that later generations might do with their super-powerful computers is run detailed simulations of their forebears or of people like their forebears. Because their computers would be so powerful, they could run a great many such simulations. Suppose that these simulated people are conscious (as they would be if the simulations were sufficiently fine-grained and if a certain quite widely accepted position in the philosophy of mind is correct). Then it could be the case that the vast majority of minds like ours do not belong to the original race but rather to people simulated by the advanced descendants of an original race.

He concludes:

It is then possible to argue that, if this were the case, we would be rational to think that we are likely among the simulated minds rather than among the original biological ones.

Therefore, if we don't think that we are currently living in a computer simulation, we are not entitled to believe that we will have descendants who will run lots of such simulations of their forebears.

Essentially, if there is even a chance that we will develop supercomputers capable of universal simulation at any point in the future, then chances are that we've already done it and are currently inhabitants of one. 

In my view, a Flat Earth is totally plausible under Simulation Theory.

If we are living in a simulation of Earth in the 21st century, it wouldn't be computationally optimal to simulate the whole dang universe. Just a projected texture of a sky like a skybox would do. A flat earth that is infinitely accelerating upwards with a small star and moon, might actually be a computationally simpler task to simulate than a massive object in the distance. All the tricks that game designers use to optimize their games, ie simulations, are in play. Object permanence may be called into question as well.

Simulation Theory would also explain how there are millions if not billions of people unaware of the true nature of the planet. As the human mind would merely be information there is absolutely no limit to how it could be manipulated by higher-order beings.

If we one day also create a universal simulator then we can simply assume that the structure of the multiverse is turtles simulations all the way down.