Are we living in a simulation? Scientists claim that we at BIRTH have all chosen to become characters in an advanced AI world
In the classic blockbuster ‘The Matrix’, humans are enslaved by AI because it wants our body heat to power its computers.
While this sounds straight out of the annulment of science fiction, one physics professor says we may be living in a Matrix-style simulation.
Melvin Vopson, associate professor of physics at the University of Portsmouth, thinks a series of everyday clues indicate this world is not what it seems.
Now he has tackled the hypothetical and philosophical question: if we live in a virtual simulation, what is its purpose?
In an exclusive talk to MailOnline, he outlines three theories, including the proposition that we all chose at birth to become characters in an advanced AI world.
“All these scenarios operate under the control of a master AI, obviously created by a future iteration of our civilization,” Professor Vopson told MailOnline.
“It could be that no one is awake anymore and we are trapped in the simulated reality controlled by the AI.”
The so-called “simulation theory” is popular with other figures, including Elon Musk, who said the chances of us living in a “base reality” – the real universe as opposed to a simulated universe – are “one in billions.”
A physicist thinks we’re living in a simulation — and now he explains his leading theories about why
In the classic blockbuster film The Matrix, humans are enslaved by AI because they want our body heat to power their computers. Pictured is Keanu Reeves as Neo who wakes up in the real world
Professor Vopson – whose research focuses on experimental and theoretical studies of applied and fundamental physics – emphasizes that these three scenarios are speculations and not something supported by scientific research.
But some of his research at the University of Portsmouth has indeed shown that the entire universe is a simulated construct or a giant computer.
The first theory is that we chose to participate in the simulation at birth purely as a form of entertainment – to keep our minds amused and occupied.
The real world we left behind isn’t very interesting, the theory goes, so people created a much more interesting, if fictional, approach to life: the ultimate VR game.
And with its plethora of celebrity gossip, sporting events, political scandals and more, the ongoing soap opera of modern existence is anything but boring.
“We created the simulation as a place of entertainment where we can choose to enter (at birth) and experience a whole new life with all its components,” Professor Vopson told MailOnline.
As for how we had the ability at birth to make the decision to participate in the simulation, it is possible that our consciousness would have made the choice before our new human was born.
The second theory is that the simulation can help people as a whole “learn something” that could provide a solution to a real-world problem.
Are we living in a simulated reality? Professor Melvin Vopson from the University of Portsmouth thinks it’s possible (file photo)
According to this so-called guinea pig theory, we could all be involuntarily trapped in the simulation for the greater good – the long-term benefit of humanity.
‘Imagine that our society has to solve a complex problem – environmental, economic, energy crisis, wars,’ Professor Vopson told MailOnline.
‘If we had the option, the best way to solve it would be to run a simulation (or several parallel simulations) and see what solutions the simulated version of us comes up with.
“If one of the simulations solves the problem, we can adopt it in ground reality as a viable solution.”
Finally, the ‘near-immortality’ or ‘Narnia’ theory suggests that time in the real world moves much faster compared to time in the simulation.
For example, a single minute in the real world could last as long as 100 years in the simulation, while one life in the real world could be comparable to 4.2 billion years, or more than 52 million lives in the simulation, assuming an average lifespan. of 80 years.
By choosing to live in the simulation, we were able to experience multiple lifetimes in a row, essentially achieving immortality.
“A hundred life experiences could last just 100 minutes in real life in basic reality,” Professor Vopson said.
Melvin Vopson, associate professor of physics at the University of Portsmouth, has already outlined the clues that we are living in a simulated reality
At a 2016 conference, Elon Musk said the chances of us living in a “base reality” – the real universe as opposed to a simulated one – are “one in billions” (file photo)
‘This is exactly how time dilation works when we dream.
‘In the dream the events we experience may seem to last minutes, hours or days, but in the real conscious state the dream actually lasted fractions of seconds.’
Professor Vopson has already outlined clues that we are living in a simulated reality.
The fact that there are limits to the speed at which light and sound can travel suggests that these may be determined by the speed of, for example, a computer processor.
And the laws of physics that govern the universe are also like computer code, he says.
He has also speculated that the proof that the so-called simulation hypothesis is correct is in the Bible.