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We're Probably Living in a Simulation, Elon Musk Says
Space.com ^ | September 7, 2018 | Mike Wall, Space.com Senior Writer

Posted on 09/07/2018 12:30:07 PM PDT by ETL

Elon Musk thinks we're all probably trapped in a "Matrix"-like pseudo existence.

The universe is 13.8 billion years old, so any civilizations that may have arisen throughout the cosmos have had loads and loads of time to hone their technological know-how, the SpaceX founder and CEO explained early this morning (Sept. 7) during a long, wide-ranging and very entertaining appearance on comedian Joe Rogan's popular podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience."

"If you assume any rate of improvement at all, then games will be indistinguishable from reality, or civilization will end. One of those two things will occur," Musk said. "Therefore, we are most likely in a simulation, because we exist."

"I think most likely — this is just about probability — there are many, many simulations," he added. "You might as well call them reality, or you could call them multiverse."

The "substrate" on which these simulations are running, whatever it may be, is probably quite boring, at least compared to the simulations themselves, Musk further told Rogan.

"Why would you make a simulation that's boring? You'd make a simulation that's way more interesting than base reality," Musk said, citing the video games and movies that humanity makes, which are "distillation[s] of what's interesting about life."

The billionaire entrepreneur is far from alone in this interpretation; a number of physicists, cosmologists and philosophers find the simulation hypothesis compelling. If even one advanced alien civilization with a predilection for creating simulations has ever arisen out there, the reasoning goes, then it could theoretically pop off thousands — or perhaps even millions or billions — of "fake" universes. And it would be hard for the inhabitants of these digital realms to figure out the truth, because all the evidence they could gather would likely be planted by the creators. 

Indeed, the simulation idea is one of many possible explanations for the famous Fermi paradox, which basically asks, "Where is everybody?" ("Everybody" being aliens, of course.)

This was far from the only ground that Musk and Rogan covered during their 2.5-hour conversation. For example, Musk reiterated his concerns about unregulated and uncontrolled artificial intelligence; stressed that a bright and appealing future for humanity involves exploring and settling other worlds, both in our solar system and beyond; and discussed the traffic-reducing potential of extensive tunnel systems, which his Boring Company aims to build in big cities around the world.

Musk also talked at length about Tesla, the electric-car company he runs, and the need for our species to wean itself off fossil fuels. Musk described humanity's mass displacement of carbon from the ground to the atmosphere (and from there into the oceans) as an incredibly dangerous experiment whose ultimate outcome is unknown.

"We should not do this," he told Rogan. "We know that sustainable energy is the end point. So why are we doing this experiment? It's an insane experiment. It's the dumbest experiment in human history." [Images of Melt: Earth's Vanishing Ice]

Musk also casually mentioned that he has an idea for an electric supersonic plane that takes off and lands vertically. But he said he doesn't view the development of this concept as a priority at the moment, given the other pressing problems humanity needs to solve.

Musk and Rogan sipped whiskey throughout their conversation. And at one point, the comedian lit up a joint, and Musk took a puff.

This was apparently a rare event; the SpaceX CEO said he almost never smokes marijuana (which is legal in California, where The Joe Rogan Experience is taped) and doesn't enjoy it, because it saps his famous productivity.

"It's like a cup of coffee in reverse," Musk said. "I like to get things done. I like to be useful." 

He told Rogan that ideas are bouncing around inside his head all the time — "it's like a never-ending explosion" — and that he realized he was different from other people when he was just 5 or 6 years old.

"I thought I was insane," Musk said. As a kid, he added, he worried that authority figures might notice his "strangeness" and put him away somewhere.

There was so much other interesting stuff as well. For example, Musk appreciatively handled a samurai sword in the studio that Rogan said was 500 years old. And at one point toward the end of the conversation, Musk said, "This may sound corny, but love is the answer." (Another choice quote: "I don't know what would happen if I got in a sensory-deprivation tank. Sounds concerning.")

You can watch the entire thing on The Joe Rogan Experience's YouTube page


TOPICS: Astronomy; Chit/Chat; Science; Weird Stuff
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Photo Tour Of Elon Musk's House - Business Insider

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"Take A Tour Of Elon Musk's $17 Million Bel Air Mansion..."

https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-tour-of-elon-musks-house-2014-11/?IR=T&r=SG

1 posted on 09/07/2018 12:30:07 PM PDT by ETL
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To: ETL
The universe has many more dimensions than we can perceive, and therefore does not exist the way we perceive it.

Quantum entanglement, AKA "spooky interaction at a distance," pretty much proves that our perception of space and time is an illusion.

2 posted on 09/07/2018 12:33:19 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (<img src="http://i.imgur.com/WukZwJP.gif"> zXSEP5Z, Audt7QO. xnKL3lW, RZ9yuyQ. XywCCJd, zQ9Ghyq.)
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To: ETL
p49
3 posted on 09/07/2018 12:34:24 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: ETL

Right On Dude ,puff puff


4 posted on 09/07/2018 12:35:28 PM PDT by butlerweave
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To: ETL

How’s that simulated marijuana torpedo doing for you, Elon?


5 posted on 09/07/2018 12:35:32 PM PDT by TADSLOS (Are you Humbly Grateful or Grumbly Hateful?)
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To: ETL

Wealth without wisdom. Who simulates the simulators? Who makes “simulation” possible? Is it possible that Musk is on the verge of a theological moment, or is he just desperately trying to avoid one?


6 posted on 09/07/2018 12:35:47 PM PDT by rightwingcrazy
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To: ETL

Dude...roll one for me as well!


7 posted on 09/07/2018 12:36:29 PM PDT by SamAdams76 ( If you are offended by what I have to say here then you can blame your parents for raising a wuss)
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To: ETL

He’s said all these things before except the idea about the supersonic electric plane I hadn’t heard.


8 posted on 09/07/2018 12:37:09 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Give a man a fish and he'll be a Democrat. Teach a man to fish and he'll be a responsible citizen.)
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To: ETL

In order for us to be living in the matrix, there has to be a creation and a computer powerful enough to drive the matrix.

So a matrix or simulation doesn’t get us away from creation.


9 posted on 09/07/2018 12:38:02 PM PDT by DannyTN (uit)
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To: ETL

Clearly Musk is several fries short of a happy meal. His erratic behavior has been increasing in both frequency and intensity for months. My guess is that he is having some kind of breakdown.


10 posted on 09/07/2018 12:38:17 PM PDT by NRx (A man of integrity passes his father's civilization to his son, without selling it off to strangers.)
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To: ETL

This was apparently a rare event; the SpaceX CEO said he almost never smokes marijuana (which is legal in California, where The Joe Rogan Experience is taped) and doesn’t enjoy it, because it saps his famous productivity.

...

Too bad he didn’t refuse it this time, but I hope it’s true he almost never smokes it.


11 posted on 09/07/2018 12:39:40 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Give a man a fish and he'll be a Democrat. Teach a man to fish and he'll be a responsible citizen.)
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To: ETL

Musk also talked at length about Tesla, the electric-car company he runs, and the need for our species to wean itself off fossil fuels. Musk described humanity’s mass displacement of carbon from the ground...

....

Where was that carbon before it was in the ground?


12 posted on 09/07/2018 12:41:27 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Give a man a fish and he'll be a Democrat. Teach a man to fish and he'll be a responsible citizen.)
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To: ETL

Drop him off in the middle of a wilderness area without anything except a knife and make him walk out unaided and unwatched. He’ll get right with God.


13 posted on 09/07/2018 12:41:57 PM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: ETL

If everything we observe is part of the simulation, the age of the universe can’t be used to deduce that we’re probably in a simulation.

Because that would also be part of the simulation and you couldn’t trust it as “reality”.


14 posted on 09/07/2018 12:42:09 PM PDT by StoneRainbow68
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To: ETL
"Therefore, we are most likely in a simulation,

Then there would be noticeable anomalies and imperfections in the simulation. Where are they?

15 posted on 09/07/2018 12:44:39 PM PDT by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
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To: ETL

Indeed, the simulation idea is one of many possible explanations for the famous Fermi paradox, which basically asks, “Where is everybody?” (”Everybody” being aliens, of course.)

....

There’s an overwhelming amount of evidence that life, especially anything like human life, is extremely rare.


16 posted on 09/07/2018 12:45:18 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Give a man a fish and he'll be a Democrat. Teach a man to fish and he'll be a responsible citizen.)
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To: mjp

Then there would be noticeable anomalies and imperfections in the simulation. Where are they?

...

Democrats?


17 posted on 09/07/2018 12:46:01 PM PDT by Moonman62 (Give a man a fish and he'll be a Democrat. Teach a man to fish and he'll be a responsible citizen.)
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To: ETL

"Can I buy some pot from you?"

18 posted on 09/07/2018 12:46:02 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: ETL

Was he watching The Matrix movies while stoned?


19 posted on 09/07/2018 12:48:36 PM PDT by Morpheus2009
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To: ETL

“...eerp...”

and an entire universe exists in a single cell of my thumbnail...

don’t bogart...

KYPD


20 posted on 09/07/2018 12:50:00 PM PDT by petro45acp (So why wasn't anyone there willing, able, and equipped to protect those people?)
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