[extropy-chat] Simulation Argument critique (was fermi's paradox:m/d approach)

[Harvey Newstrom]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote,
> On Fri, 2 Jan 2004, Harvey Newstrom wrote:
> > The size/duration/complexity of all real universes is 
> > larger than the size/duration/complexity of all their
> > simulations put together. [snip]
> 
> I'm not sure how you justify this Harvey.  It would seem to 
> assume that the universes in which the sims are run are 
> playing by the same laws of physics as our universe.

No, I don't see how.  No matter what laws exist in any universe, the
simulations within it are subject to those laws.  They cannot break their
own local physics to store more information per unit of matter/energy than
is possible in their real universe.  Whatever laws exist in any universe,
the simulations still are a smaller subset of their universe.  Even by
consuming all of their universe's resources, they cannot simulate more than
their own universe with greater detail.  Therefore, I am saying that the
total simulation units available in any universe is less than the total
reality units of its parent universe.  If every real universe is larger than
the sum total of all its simulations, then the total of all real universes
is larger than the sum total of all simulations.

-- 
Harvey Newstrom, CISSP, CISA, CISM, IAM, IBMCP, GSEC
Certified IS Security Pro, Certified IS Auditor, Certified InfoSec Manager,
NSA Certified Assessor, IBM Certified Consultant, SANS Certified GIAC
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