Why Elon Musk says we're living in a simulation

Why Elon Musk says we're living in a simulation

Elon Musk: Are We Living in a Simulation?

Elon Musk discusses the possibility of us living in a computer simulation and the arguments supporting this theory.

The Simulation Theory

  • Elon Musk believes there is a high likelihood that we are living in a computer simulation.
  • He compares humans to an advanced version of The Sims, suggesting that our reality may not be as it seems.
  • Philosopher Nick Bostrom's paper supports this theory, stating that if civilization continues to advance, we will eventually simulate ourselves.

Future Scenarios

  • If civilization stops advancing, it could be due to a calamitous event or reaching a technological ceiling.
  • Alternatively, if we continue advancing and can simulate everything in the physical world, we may create billions of indistinguishable universes. This suggests that we are likely in one of these simulated universes.
  • Elon Musk argues that it is preferable for us to be in a simulation rather than facing the inevitable extinction of human civilization.

Possibilities and Implications

  • There are three possibilities: humans go extinct before running such simulations, humans choose not to run simulations due to ethical concerns or lack of interest, or we are currently living in a simulation.
  • Elon Musk believes there is only a small chance for scenarios one or two and leans towards the idea that we are living in a simulation.
  • The simulation theory also raises questions about higher-level beings and potential connections to religious concepts.

Conclusion

Elon Musk has rules about discussing this topic extensively due to its complex nature and potential implications.

Video description

You may like playing The Sims, but Elon Musk says you are the Sim. Help us make more ambitious videos by joining the Vox Video Lab. It gets you exclusive perks, like livestream Q&As with all the Vox creators, a badge that levels up over time, and video extras bringing you closer to our work! Learn more at http://bit.ly/video-lab Check out the full cartoon by Alvin Chang: http://www.vox.com/technology/2016/6/23/12007694/elon-musk-simulation-cartoon Elon Musk thinks we are living in a simulated reality. Nick Bostrom think those chances are more around 20 percent. The chances of human kind participating in a simulated reality is broken down into three options: 1) humans go extinct before we are able to run a simulation of this size. 2) Humans are uninterested in running ancestor simulations. 3) We are currently participating in the simulation. Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com to get up to speed on everything from Kurdistan to the Kim Kardashian app. Check out our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE Follow Vox on Twitter: http://goo.gl/XFrZ5H Or on Facebook: http://goo.gl/U2g06o