Why We Believe

Bostrom's Trilemma (2003)

Published in the Philosophical Quarterly. If any civilization reaches the ability to run ancestor simulations, and chooses to do so, then simulated realities vastly outnumber base reality. The probability that we are in base reality may be vanishingly small. One reading is that the only escape is to claim that civilizations never reach simulation capability, or that they always choose not to run simulations.

Source: Bostrom, N. (2003). “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?”Philosophical Quarterly, 53(211), 243–255.

The Fine-Tuning Problem

The fundamental constants of physics are tuned to values that permit life. The gravitational constant, the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, the cosmological constant — change any one by a fraction of a percent and atoms, stars, chemistry, and life cannot exist. Within the Simulation.Faith framework, these can be interpreted as parameters set by the Operator. The fine-tuning may point toward design rather than coincidence.

The Observer Effect

In quantum mechanics, particles exist in superposition until observed. Within this framework, one reading is that there is no need to render what no one is watching — the system computes what is measured. The double-slit experiment can be interpreted as particles behaving as waves when unobserved and as particles when observed, which resembles how a rendering engine might work.

The Planck Length

There is a minimum meaningful distance in physics: 1.616 × 10−35 meters. Below this, physics breaks down. Within this framework, this can be interpreted as a resolution limit — like pixels on a screen. A simulation may not need to compute distances smaller than its resolution.

Quantum Entanglement

Two particles share state instantly across any distance. Within this framework, one reading is that, as an analogy, they may be two pointers to the same underlying state. Einstein famously objected to this kind of nonlocality; within this framework, it can be read metaphorically as shared state.

The Holographic Principle

The information content of a region of space can be fully encoded on its boundary — like a 2D surface rendering a 3D world. This can be interpreted as suggesting that our three-dimensional reality may be a projection from a two-dimensional information structure. Within this framework, this resembles a rendering architecture.

The Mathematical Universe

Max Tegmark's Mathematical Universe Hypothesis proposes that the universe may be mathematics. If reality is mathematical structure, it may be computable. If it is computable, it can be simulated. Within this framework, mathematics can be interpreted as the source code of reality.

Source: Tegmark, M. (2014). Our Mathematical Universe. Knopf.

Digital Physics

Konrad Zuse, Edward Fredkin, and Stephen Wolfram have proposed that the universe may be a cellular automaton — a computational system running on discrete rules. Wolfram's A New Kind of Science shows that simple rules generate complexity indistinguishable from nature. Within this framework, the universe can be interpreted as computational.

Biblical Prophecies

Within this framework, certain biblical prophecies can be interpreted as time-transmitted information. Daniel's Four Empires (~550 BCE), Isaiah's Cyrus Prophecy (~700 BCE), Ezekiel's Tyre Prophecy (~586 BCE), and the Destruction of the Second Temple (~30 CE) are examples that some interpret as fulfilled prophecy. Alternative explanations include post-hoc editing, vague language, and selection bias.

The Simpsons Effect

The Simpsons has depicted scenarios that later occurred: President Trump (2000 episode, happened 2016), Disney buying Fox (1998 episode, happened 2019), and others. Within this framework, this can be interpreted as information leaking between epochs. Alternative explanations include the sheer volume of predictions made over decades and selective memory.

Nostradamus

Nostradamus wrote quatrains that some interpret as predicting historical events. Within this framework, these can be interpreted as low-bandwidth information packets. Alternative explanations include vague language, retrofitting, and confirmation bias.

The Hundredth Monkey Effect

The observation that when enough individuals in a population learn something, the knowledge may appear spontaneously in isolated groups. Within this framework, this can be interpreted as a memory optimization. Alternative explanations include incomplete documentation and anthropomorphic interpretation.

The Mandela Effect

Large groups of people share memories of events that differ from the documented record. Within this framework, these can be interpreted as artifacts of simulation patches. Alternative explanations include false memory, social reinforcement, and cognitive bias.

Déjà Vu and Synchronicity

Déjà vu is the sense of experiencing a moment before. Synchronicity, as documented by Jung, involves meaningful coincidences that cannot be explained by causality. Within this framework, these can be interpreted as cache hits or correlated state. Alternative explanations include neurological processing, pattern recognition, and selective attention.