Making reality, make sense.
Throughout history, there have been numerous religions that have come into existence and faded with time. The ancient Greeks believed in a pantheon of gods who ruled over mortals from atop Mount Olympus. Egyptians worshipped their Pharaohs or "God-Kings". The Jewish peoples have followed the ten commandments since Moses spoke with the burning bush. Eastern religions have put so much faith in karma and reincarnation that civil order was strictly based on birthright. So what does this all mean? It means that we are searching for answers, and we haven't found them.
Why is this? Let's start with the fundamentals. It seems that every human that ever lived has posed the same question, "What is the meaning of life?". This addresses a greater set of questions we have regarding creation and existence, but for simplicity sake, we can encompass all these in the same question. Now let me reassure you, this blog post is not the answer to that question. I am sorry for that. I wish it was, but it isn't. I do however want you to understand one very important thing. The fact that we can even pose this question gives us answers in of itself.
"Cogito, ergo sum" - I think, therefore, I am. - I'm sure you have heard this before, but let's put it into the context of our own existence. If we were not able to conceive of our own existence, would we exist? Try to think of a color that doesn't exist? It's impossible, right? Try to imagine something you have never seen before, that is not a combination of parts you already know. For instance, we have seen birds and dogs, but have we ever seen a dog with bird wings? No, of course not, but we can imagine the combination of those things. Once we know something to be real, it is real forever. At the same time, it is impossible to imagine nothing. We could go into this much further but for now, let's agree that we must exist in a reality based on our perception. Seems easy enough right?
What are we perceiving? What do we see when we look at our hands? Are we looking at ourselves, are we looking at our hands or some combination of both? If I were to separate my hand from my arm, would it still be apart of me, would I still be myself? I think we would agree, yes, but what if a surgeon were to remove my brain from my body, and transplant it onto a new body. Would I be that person, or would I be my old self in a new body? Would my perception change? If the answer to this is yes, then we would assume that "I" or "Me" exists within the brain. If I were to hook that brain up to a computer and simulate a memory. What would that brain perceive? This is what I want you to contemplate as we move forward. If the brain is the center of our perception, whatever it perceives we must call reality.
If reality is what we perceive, and what we perceive can be manipulated, then reality can be manipulated. The Double Slit Experiment shows us that a particle does not exist until it's observed. It exists as both a wave and a particle until we introduce an observer. This means that nothing exists until it is observed, it simply has the potential to exist. This is the scientific equivalent of "Cogito, ergo sum". We'll call it "I see therefore it is". Imagine, an entire universe of possibilities. Some vast amount of possibilities, with the potential to be something. Could we call this potential energy data or stored information? If this is true, don't we have something very similar to that in our day to day lives? A hard drive contains stored information, that does not exist until it is loaded. Icons on your phone store information for potential outcomes. This brings to mind a very familiar thought experiment in popular culture. You may have heard of it Schroedinger's Cat. I will not explain it, you have google, but the point is that all possibilities are real until they are observed. Again, we find the potential for outcomes. We find; stored information.
Nothing exists until it is observed, it merely has the potential to exist. Our reality is based on what we observe or perceive, therefore reality only exists if it's observed. How is this possible? Isn't the observer a part of reality? If the reality doesn't exist without the observer, and the observer resides within reality, we have a paradox. What comes first, the observer or reality? The observer must not exist within reality. The observer must exist independently of reality. The observer must exist outside of reality. You, exist outside of reality.
This is why we have spent thousands of years searching for the same answers. This is why the same questions have been asked in every language for all time. Our existence is a paradox. Just as your arm is not you, your brain is not you either. It is merely the reality of your perception. So, if you're still with me, where are we? Where am I if I exist outside of reality. That my friend I do not have an answer for, however, I think there are some very rational and provable explanations. Until then, I hope that I've piqued your interest, or at least given you something to chew on. If you'd like to join in on the discussion please join us at https://www.facebook.com/SimulationObservers/
Why is this? Let's start with the fundamentals. It seems that every human that ever lived has posed the same question, "What is the meaning of life?". This addresses a greater set of questions we have regarding creation and existence, but for simplicity sake, we can encompass all these in the same question. Now let me reassure you, this blog post is not the answer to that question. I am sorry for that. I wish it was, but it isn't. I do however want you to understand one very important thing. The fact that we can even pose this question gives us answers in of itself.
"Cogito, ergo sum" - I think, therefore, I am. - I'm sure you have heard this before, but let's put it into the context of our own existence. If we were not able to conceive of our own existence, would we exist? Try to think of a color that doesn't exist? It's impossible, right? Try to imagine something you have never seen before, that is not a combination of parts you already know. For instance, we have seen birds and dogs, but have we ever seen a dog with bird wings? No, of course not, but we can imagine the combination of those things. Once we know something to be real, it is real forever. At the same time, it is impossible to imagine nothing. We could go into this much further but for now, let's agree that we must exist in a reality based on our perception. Seems easy enough right?
What are we perceiving? What do we see when we look at our hands? Are we looking at ourselves, are we looking at our hands or some combination of both? If I were to separate my hand from my arm, would it still be apart of me, would I still be myself? I think we would agree, yes, but what if a surgeon were to remove my brain from my body, and transplant it onto a new body. Would I be that person, or would I be my old self in a new body? Would my perception change? If the answer to this is yes, then we would assume that "I" or "Me" exists within the brain. If I were to hook that brain up to a computer and simulate a memory. What would that brain perceive? This is what I want you to contemplate as we move forward. If the brain is the center of our perception, whatever it perceives we must call reality.
If reality is what we perceive, and what we perceive can be manipulated, then reality can be manipulated. The Double Slit Experiment shows us that a particle does not exist until it's observed. It exists as both a wave and a particle until we introduce an observer. This means that nothing exists until it is observed, it simply has the potential to exist. This is the scientific equivalent of "Cogito, ergo sum". We'll call it "I see therefore it is". Imagine, an entire universe of possibilities. Some vast amount of possibilities, with the potential to be something. Could we call this potential energy data or stored information? If this is true, don't we have something very similar to that in our day to day lives? A hard drive contains stored information, that does not exist until it is loaded. Icons on your phone store information for potential outcomes. This brings to mind a very familiar thought experiment in popular culture. You may have heard of it Schroedinger's Cat. I will not explain it, you have google, but the point is that all possibilities are real until they are observed. Again, we find the potential for outcomes. We find; stored information.
Nothing exists until it is observed, it merely has the potential to exist. Our reality is based on what we observe or perceive, therefore reality only exists if it's observed. How is this possible? Isn't the observer a part of reality? If the reality doesn't exist without the observer, and the observer resides within reality, we have a paradox. What comes first, the observer or reality? The observer must not exist within reality. The observer must exist independently of reality. The observer must exist outside of reality. You, exist outside of reality.
This is why we have spent thousands of years searching for the same answers. This is why the same questions have been asked in every language for all time. Our existence is a paradox. Just as your arm is not you, your brain is not you either. It is merely the reality of your perception. So, if you're still with me, where are we? Where am I if I exist outside of reality. That my friend I do not have an answer for, however, I think there are some very rational and provable explanations. Until then, I hope that I've piqued your interest, or at least given you something to chew on. If you'd like to join in on the discussion please join us at https://www.facebook.com/SimulationObservers/
Piqued. The phrase is "piqued your interest."
ReplyDelete**Simulation failed. Reset: Iteration 42**
Ha! Thank you for the edit! Also, great reply!
DeleteI don't quite agree on the bit about observation. The outcome was the same for schrodinger's cat whether it was observed or not. Not seeing the suffering didn't change the outcome.
ReplyDelete