[extropy-chat] Atheists launch inquisition...

[Hal Finney]

Mike Lorrey writes:
> To any sentient inhabitant of a simulation universe, its creator is a
> transcendant being, as is any agent of that creator capable of
> jockeying the rules beyond the capacity of naturally evolved sentients
> within that simulation universe.

If and when we become uploads, then everyone outside will be transcendent
beings?  Nonsense!  People will be able to participate in simulations
all they want without any such metaphysical alterations in the nature
of other inhabitants of the larger world.

And it doesn't make any difference if you know you're in a simulation
or not.  How could such knowledge make a difference about whether an
external observer was God?  That doesn't make any sense to me.

I would also like to echo Olga's question to Mike, whether you think
that non-belief in leprechauns is merely a matter of faith and whether
all of your arguments would apply with equal force to that case.

Hal