Matryoshka World


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Future of Scientific Simulations: from Artificial Life to Artificial Cosmogenesis

We argue that a simulation of an entire universe will result from future scientific activity. This requires us to tackle the challenge of simulating open-ended evolution at all levels in a single simulation. The simulation should encompass not only biological evolution, but also physical evolution (a level below) and cultural evolution (a level above). The simulation would allow us to probe what would happen if we would “replay the tape of the universe” with the same or different laws and initial conditions. We also distinguish between real-world and artificial-world modelling. Assuming that intelligent life could indeed simulate an entire universe, this leads to two tentative hypotheses. Some authors have argued that we may already be in a simulation run by an intelligent entity. Or, if such a simulation could be made real, this would lead to the production of a new universe.

 The Future of Scientific Simulations

Monday, June 4, 2012

Scientific American: The Case for Parallel Universes

The Case for Parallel Universes

 "Multiverse proponents Alexander Vilenkin and Max Tegmark offer counterpoints [to previous criticisms of multiverse theory], explaining why the multiverse would account for so many features of our universe—and how it might be tested."