Thanks for bring attention to the simulation argument again and adding the dream argument to that (until now a discussion on this topic did not seem to take off yet, and I was starting to lose hope...perhaps a discussion for another time, another day:)!
I really like the quote of Zhuangzi in the dream argument:
"He who dreams of drinking wine may weep when morning comes; he who
dreams of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt. While he is
dreaming he does not know it is a dream, and in his dream he may even
try to interpret a dream. Only after he wakes does he know it was a
dream. And someday there will be a great awakening when we know that
this is all a great dream. Yet the stupid believe they are awake,
busily and brightly assuming they understand things, calling this man
ruler, that one herdsman ‑ how dense!"
Perhaps we are trying to figure out what (computer) simulation is while at the same time being unaware of being in one ourselves? It has such a powerful 'meme' through out history...!
Perhaps we are a division of 'Brain Carrying Body Avatar's' created by the Universe so it could see itself (or ourselves from different perspectives)...thanks again Avi for posting the Tedtalk by Henry Markram http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/henry_markram_supercomputing_the_brain_s_secrets.html "The Universe evolved a brain to see itself.."
j.
________________________________
From: Clarissa Ribeiro Pereira de Almeida <almeida.clarissa@gmail.com>
To: YASMIN DISCUSSIONS <yasmin_discussions@estia.media.uoa.gr>
Sent: Tue, February 9, 2010 3:16:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Yasmin_discussions] dream argument + simulation hypothesis
Just sending some wikipedia links today on: dream argument + simulation
hypothesis
The dream argument contends that a futuristic technology is not required to
create a simulated reality, but rather, all that is needed is a human brain.
More specifically, the mind's ability to create simulated realities during REM
sleep <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REM_sleep> affects the statistical
likelihood of our own reality being simulated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_argument**
Simulation Hypothesis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_hypothesis**
http://www.simulation-argument.com/matrix.html**
cheers,
Clarissa
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