is the universe a computer? (split)

[pharmakos]

Haven't read through the thread yet, but reminded me of an SMBC comics I saw the other day..

I used to have trouble imagining the universe as as a program, but it helped when I thought of it that it was realtime rendering, and that's why time progresses at the rate that it does.

NSFW:

that comic is brilliant XD

wave-particle duality is obviously just the universe's way of saving clockcycles. i've been saying this for years. why draw that particle if no one is looking at it!

 

[pharmakos]

if the universe is a computer then how come up up down down left right left right b a start doesn't work for me

 

[x-sun-x-moon-x]

More people playing the Galactic Joke - it's good to see - if you see what I mean?
The ones who find the code always act a little strangely!

 

[alasdairm]

the content in this thread was created by splitting posts from a thread which the op wished to delete. as such, the 'first' post (along with other posts) in the thread is now gone which may result in some discontinuity of discussion.

alasdair

 

[qwe]

maybe this thread came too close to the truth... time to consult capstone.

 

[MattPsy]

http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v107/i25/e251301

Check this out - just found it. This is pretty closely related to the idea of singularity as black-box encryption, I think. LQG is, of course, very closely related to computational models of the universe.

Here's a link for download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/547u0p

 

[Psyduck]

also,

http://www.zeropoint.ca/microcosm_4-fscientificAm.htm

"In August of 2003, Scientific American published an issue posing the question "ARE YOU A HOLOGRAM? (Quantum physics says the entire universe might be)."

maybe this reference to SA might be useful for those interested

 

[Lost Ego]

tl dr(your shit)...: i can verify my existence but what about yours? if you[something external to me] can influence my thought then a you must exist. just what are you then? are you god sent, are you a computer program, is the entire universe a computer simulation. i think therefore i am, i have to witness your thought to prove you arent just programmed to say what you say and do what you do. i'm not sure which idea i like better; everything i see is real and thats all there is or... nothing is 'real' but a creator of the fake exists. what would you label those two extreme ideas(in metaphysical terms, not spiritual), i went from one to the other and i love labels, especially when applied to myself