From: mauah@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr I D Bygrave)
Subject: Re: PHIL: Will ever VR be like reality?
Date: 1 Feb 1993 12:42:01 -0000
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK


In article <1khgkeINNa87@shelley.u.washington.edu> diego@minerva.st.dsi.unimi.it (Diego Montefusco) writes:
>I don't believe in God or nature. Only in Chaos and, although I don't
>know enough of Chaos Theory, I think that ... well chaos made a very
>good work with the universe!

I use the word God to replace the complicated description of how I think the
universe works. i.e. gravity,relativity,chaos etc...
But this isn't a philosophy newsgroup, I'd love to continue the discussion
by email.

>it'll have to leave out something, by means of which you'll be able to
>know whether you are in a simulation or in the every-day "real" world.

Are you saying that a VR has to be inconsistent? I would disagree. The
limitation of space is no limitation on consistency. I would like to make
the distinction between an incomplete simulation of a reality and complete
simulation of a fictitious (virtual) reality. There is a difference of
completeness, but I think both can be made consistent.
e.g. simulate a prison from which it is impossible to escape. 

>Dunno... maybe fear.  The idea that one day you could FULLY simulate
>the universe, to the extent that it is impossible to distinguish the
>simulation from the simulated, somehow frightens me...

What about the idea that you could fully simulate a little bit of it?
Of course, it would be impossible to run the simulation in parrallel with
the real thing...

>Diego

-Ian D. Bygrave Undergradate Computer Science at University of Warwick, UK
	mauah@csv.warwick.ac.uk
        ibygrave@dcs.warwick.ac.uk
"We, alone on earth, can rebel against the tyranny
 of the selfish replicators"-Richard Dawkins. The Selfish Gene.