Living In A Base Reality — Are We In A Simulation?

Are we like Neo in The Matrix, living in a simulation that’s beyond our control? That’s the question scientist have started to ask, a few decades after the creation of The Matrix. Right now, it’s still a question, and at the moment a philosophical one as well as a scientific one. The biggest first question to ask is what exactly a base reality, a simulation, and an objective reality are.

• A base reality is the idea that there are multiple layers of reality, that progressively go deeper, until you get what reality actually is. Instead, what you experience is a very watered down version of real reality. The reason the base reality theory is so deceptively complex is due to the fact that it encompasses every sort of reality that could occur. This ranges from hypothetical to actual to perceived… etc. The reason we know that our version of reality is likely highly processed (almost like the difference between grapes and grape preservatives) is because it’s filtered through our organs and brain. Even colors, which are just detections of wavelengths, could theoretically appear different for everyone based on which photoreceptors they have.

In an base reality, the layer of reality which you’re able to experience is different from what reality actually is because you’re view of it is disrupted by the way you physically and mentally are capable of perceiving the environment around you.

• A simulated reality is the theory that the world is created by a quantum simulator, and thus is (to some degree) indistinguishable from actual reality. In a simulated reality (especially one designed by a quantum simulator), people would find it difficult to tell the difference, and thus wouldn’t bring into question the validity of the world in which they live. The fact that we have achieved a point in civilization where we’re able to recreate simulated realities suggests that we are, in fact, within a simulated reality ourselves. However, other arguments are made, like the “answer” as to why we haven’t been able to find alien life just yet is because the simulated reality can’t take more than one civilization at a time.

This is my blue cup — as long as everyone can interact with it, it’s a part of the objective reality.

• An objective reality is the world which everyone physically experiences, and thus exists. If I have a blue cup, and everyone in the world can touch, see, or at the very least interact with my cup, then it does exist and is in the objective reality. If everyone can interact with my cup except for Timothy, then my cup isn’t part of the objective reality. If only I can interact with my cup, then it isn’t part of objective reality. Objective reality only applies for things which are indisputably in the universe, and thus definitely exist.

These definitions are a basic layout to the question of whether or not we’re living right now in a objective reality, or if the reality is simulated. Another question people sometimes ask is if they’re the only person in the universe, and if everyone is merely a simulation, along with the rest of the world.

So Am I The Only Person Who Exists?

Probably not. Right now, there isn’t really any proof for any of us that anyone else really exists. However, taking this sentiment to heart is known as metaphysical solipsism, a philosophical theory which dictates that only the self exists, and that everything beyond that — including other people and the outside world — are simply reflections of that self and don’t hold any individual existence.

There are multiple varieties of solipsism, including epistemological solipsism (where the main idea is that the only thing the philosopher can be sure of is their mind, and the rest of the world is a question mark instead of simply fake) and methodological solipsism (in which only the existence of thoughts is known as true, and even the mind is a part of the outer world which would potentially be fake, but again, they don’t know).

In a simple breakdown, the belief that you’re the only person existent in the universe would be categorized as more of a philosophy rather than an actual statement, since there’s still no evidence that any one of us is a single player within a simulation.

Are We In A Simulated Reality? Or Is It Real Reality?

Right now, one of the biggest questions we can ask scientifically to determine if this is possible is to see if we can get a machine to gain consciousness. As humans, we have one of the most unique abilities in the universe of having consciousness and using that to our advantage in perceiving and interacting with our environments. However, machines and artificial intelligence don’t have this power — yet.

Once we’d built functional computers and started to build upgrades, it became clear to us that there was high intelligence in the computer circuit. Later, we determined that computers could even be designed to learn from their mistakes and try again, improving with each chance. When quantum computing came to light, we were able to use quantum annealing to generate simulations and run potential scenarios again and again.

With all this information we’ve proven computers and AIs are able to have, it’s obvious to us that with more evolution, computers could potentially gain consciousness, although scientists are still arguing about how a computer would go about getting it. In order to truly determine if it’s possible, however, scientists would have to be able to fully define what makes a human be considered as conscious and how their brain applies conscious thought to their life and decision making.

That’s the hardest part, for right now, because before we can determine if the world is a simulation, we first have to understand what we ourselves are as humans. We have to define what makes us unique, and how that uniqueness can explain our world, piece by piece. So to make a long story short, we don’t know if we’re in a simulated reality. For now, all we’ve got is speculation and questions, but soon — much too soon — we may know the answer.

Thank you for reading this article! I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe have a little food for thought to continue your day with! If you’d like to talk more, please email me at amesett@gmail.com, or find me on LinkedIn under Amelia Settembre!