Is 'reality' unreal?

[Sarcastic]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50232422/ns/technology_and_science-science/

What if everything — all of us, the world, the universe — was not real? What if everything we are, know and do was really just someone's computer simulation?

The notion that our reality was some kid on a couch in the far future playing with a computer game like a gigantic Sim City, or Civilization, and we are the player's characters, isn't new. But some physicists now think they know of a way to test the concept. Three of them propose to test reality by simulating the simulators.

[Gaucho]

Take the blue pill.

[columbia]

On sure sign that we are in a simulation is our inability to prove it.

[CERV96]

[Rylan]

I wish we are in a simulation cause then maybe there would be hope for a few friends of mine to hit the reset button back to the previous auto save and still be alive or not paralyzed

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

Pinch yourself. If you feel it you're not dreaming.

[Willie Kool]

IMO the only thing of value in that article is -

The notion that reality is something other than we think it is goes far back in philosophy, including Plato and his Parable of the Cave, which claimed reality was merely shadows of real objects on a cave wall.

The rest, nothing but some Sci-Fi fanboys wasting research $.

[columbia]

IMO the only thing of value in that article is -

The notion that reality is something other than we think it is goes far back in philosophy, including Plato and his Parable of the Cave, which claimed reality was merely shadows of real objects on a cave wall.

The rest, nothing but some Sci-Fi fanboys wasting research $.

Why not be open to the idea?

[Rylan]

I miss the philosophy thread. I also like thinking of alternate ways in how time and space works. Like everything happening is on a sort of time delay and we are nothing but memories.

[Willie Kool]

IMO the only thing of value in that article is -

The notion that reality is something other than we think it is goes far back in philosophy, including Plato and his Parable of the Cave, which claimed reality was merely shadows of real objects on a cave wall.

The rest, nothing but some Sci-Fi fanboys wasting research $.

Why not be open to the idea?

IDK. It just seems unbelievable and contrived to me. I will continue to believe 'I am' or maybe more accurately 'I and I are' until it is proven otherwise. I don't presume to know exactly what, where, when, or how 'we are'; but I feel I have to take a stand at existence being real.

[viva la ben]

What is real?
How do you define real?

[MRandall25]

[Willie Kool]

[Willie Kool]

What is real?
How do you define real?

That which I can perceive or deduce.

[MWB]

I miss the philosophy thread. I also like thinking of alternate ways in how time and space works. Like everything happening is on a sort of time delay and we are nothing but memories.

What happened to the philosophy thread?

[columbia]

I miss the philosophy thread. I also like thinking of alternate ways in how time and space works. Like everything happening is on a sort of time delay and we are nothing but memories.

What happened to the philosophy thread?

The simulation failed due to a power outage.

[tifosi77]

Biggest plot hole in "The Matrix"....... why did the simulated world even have computers at all? Why didn't the machines simply make everyone believe it was 7th century Europe? Without computers in the Matrix, Trinity never would have been able to make contact with Neo.

[pensfan1989]

[columbia]

Biggest plot hole in "The Matrix"....... why did the simulated world even have computers at all? Why didn't the machines simply make everyone believe it was 7th century Europe? Without computers in the Matrix, Trinity never would have been able to make contact with Neo.

Creating a world with computers was coded into a required "include file", which was running on the computer which created the machines.

[shafnutz05]

/nizzylolwut

[canaan]

If this were true, mork would be the lawnmower man

[Kraftster]

I miss the philosophy thread. I also like thinking of alternate ways in how time and space works. Like everything happening is on a sort of time delay and we are nothing but memories.

What happened to the philosophy thread?

I got tired of talking to myself.

[Kraftster]

What if everything — all of us, the world, the universe — was not real? What if everything we are, know and do was really just someone's computer simulation?

Isn't that what approximately 90% of the U.S. thinks (more or less)?

[Pitt87]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50232422/ns/technology_and_science-science/

What if everything — all of us, the world, the universe — was not real? What if everything we are, know and do was really just someone's computer simulation?

The notion that our reality was some kid on a couch in the far future playing with a computer game like a gigantic Sim City, or Civilization, and we are the player's characters, isn't new. But some physicists now think they know of a way to test the concept. Three of them propose to test reality by simulating the simulators.

Isn't that what theologists postulate often? We are the latest iteration of an experiment of a superior being? I heard he's going to hit the 'reset' button Friday, so we'll know soon...

[Rylan]

What if everything — all of us, the world, the universe — was not real? What if everything we are, know and do was really just someone's computer simulation?

Isn't that what approximately 90% of the U.S. thinks (more or less)?

If it is I picked the wrong freaking reality.