{ "attachments": [], "comments_archived": true, "date": "2003-06-20T23:39:57.000Z", "layout": "post", "title": "About That Algorithm", "wordpress_id": 427, "wordpress_slug": "algorithm-for-reality", "wordpress_url": "http://www.decafbad.com/blog/?p=427", "year": "2003", "month": "06", "day": "20", "isDir": false, "slug": "algorithm-for-reality", "type": "entry", "postName": "2003-06-20-algorithm-for-reality", "html": "
Let's say you're torn between two\nworlds. You know that\none is a fevered delusion that your mind has created and the other one is reality,\nbut which is which? ... Apply this\nalgorithm in both worlds...
\n\n\n
Source:Algorithm for Determining Imagination from Reality\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n

So, after having seen Matrix Reloaded, and having read advice on \nhow to live in a simulation,\nI find myself wondering, how might I determine whether I'm living in a simulation?
Well, I figure chances are, I'm not even living in a decent simulation. In fact, I could\njust be hallucinating right now. So, Aaron Swartz comes to the rescue with a very\nreasonable empirical test I can perform. Everything seems to check out.

\n

Problem is, though, the test is completely dependant upon me and my perceptions.\nFirst, I have to pick a really big number that's outside my ability to perform\na square root on it in my head. Then, someone else performs the square root\non a calculator. I then square that number by hand, and that answer should match\nmy first, and since I couldn't possibly perform a square root that large in\nmy head, the answer must've come from outside my head.

\n

Except for this: If I'm hallucinating, then there's a subdivision of me controlling\nthe perceptions of another subdivision of me. Who's to say that the me who's\nperforming this test isn't a complete idiot, and all the math skills are in the\npart producing the hallucinations? Or, hell, what if for the duration of the test\nmy hallucination producing side decides to make me blind to any numbers greater than\n4?

\n

Hmm. Well, just to be safe, I won't try the alternate \"Step in front of a bus\nand see what happens\" test.

\n\n\n\n

shortname=algorithm_for_reality

\n

Archived Comments

\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n", "body": "
Let's say you're torn between two\r\nworlds. You know that\r\none is a fevered delusion that your mind has created and the other one is reality,\r\nbut which is which? ... Apply this\r\nalgorithm in both worlds...
\r\n
Source:Algorithm for Determining Imagination from Reality
\r\n

\r\nSo, after having seen Matrix Reloaded, and having read advice on \r\nhow to live in a simulation,\r\nI find myself wondering, how might I determine whether I'm living in a simulation? \r\nWell, I figure chances are, I'm not even living in a decent simulation. In fact, I could\r\njust be hallucinating right now. So, Aaron Swartz comes to the rescue with a very\r\nreasonable empirical test I can perform. Everything seems to check out.\r\n

\r\nProblem is, though, the test is completely dependant upon me and my perceptions.\r\nFirst, I have to pick a really big number that's outside my ability to perform\r\na square root on it in my head. Then, someone else performs the square root\r\non a calculator. I then square that number by hand, and that answer should match\r\nmy first, and since I couldn't possibly perform a square root that large in\r\nmy head, the answer must've come from outside my head.\r\n

\r\nExcept for this: If I'm hallucinating, then there's a subdivision of me controlling\r\nthe perceptions of another subdivision of me. Who's to say that the me who's\r\nperforming this test isn't a complete idiot, and all the math skills are in the\r\npart producing the hallucinations? Or, hell, what if for the duration of the test\r\nmy hallucination producing side decides to make me blind to any numbers greater than\r\n4?\r\n

\r\nHmm. Well, just to be safe, I won't try the alternate \"Step in front of a bus\r\nand see what happens\" test.\r\n\r\nshortname=algorithm_for_reality\r\n\r\n
\r\n

Archived Comments

\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n ", "parentPath": "./content/posts/archives/2003", "path": "2003/06/20/algorithm-for-reality", "summary": "Let's say you're torn between two\nworlds. You know that\none is a fevered delusion that your mind has created and the other one is reality,\nbut which is which? ... Apply this\nalgorithm in both worlds...\n\n\nSource:Algorithm for Determining Imagination from Reality\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo, after having seen Matrix Reloaded, and having read advice on \nhow to live in a simulation,\nI find myself wondering, how might I determine whether I'm living in a simulation?Well, I figure chances are, I'm not even living in a decent simulation. In fact, I could\njust be hallucinating right now. So, Aaron Swartz comes to the rescue with a very\nreasonable empirical test I can perform. Everything seems to check out.\nProblem is, though, the test is completely dependant upon me and my perceptions.\nFirst, I have to pick a really big number that's outside my ability to perform\na square root on it in my head. Then, someone else performs the square root\non a calculator. I then square that number by hand, and that answer should match\nmy first, and since I couldn't possibly perform a square root that large in\nmy head, the answer must've come from outside my head.\nExcept for this: If I'm hallucinating, then there's a subdivision of me controlling\nthe perceptions of another subdivision of me. Who's to say that the me who's\nperforming this test isn't a complete idiot, and all the math skills are in the\npart producing the hallucinations? Or, hell, what if for the duration of the test\nmy hallucination producing side decides to make me blind to any numbers greater than\n4?\nHmm. Well, just to be safe, I won't try the alternate \"Step in front of a bus\nand see what happens\" test.", "needsBuild": true, "prevPostPath": "2003/06/19/flash-agg", "prevPostTitle": "Desktop server + Flash GUI?", "nextPostPath": "2003/06/23/wwdc-love-the-web", "nextPostTitle": "WWDC (or, I love the net)" }