On Mon, Dec 11, 2006 at 03:26:59PM -0800, William wrote: > > > If the universe is computationallu simulable, then any universal > > Turing machine will do for a "higher hand". In which case, the > > information needed is simply the shortest possible program for > > simulating the universe, the length of which by definition is the > > information content of the universe. > > What I meant to compare is 2 situations (I've taken an SAS doing the > simulations for now although i do not think it is required): > > 1) just our universe A consisting of minimal information > 2) An interested SAS in another universe wants to simulate some > universes; amongst which is also universe A, ours. > > Now we live in universe A; but the question we can ask ourselves is if > we live in 1) or 2). (Although one can argue there is no actual > difference). > > Nevertheless, my proposition is that we live in 1; since 2 does exist > but is less probable than 1. > > information in 1 = inf(A) > information in 2 = inf(simulation_A) + inf(SAS) + inf(possible other > stuff) = inf(A) + inf(SAS) + inf(possible other stuff) > inf(A) >
You're still missing the point. If you sum over all SASes and other computing devices capable of simulating universe A, the probability of being in a simulation of A is identical to simply being in universe A. This is actually a theorem of information theory, believe it or not! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) Mathematics UNSW SYDNEY 2052 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Australia http://www.hpcoders.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
