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From: fransvo@htsa.uucp (Frans van Otten)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Simulation verus reality
Message-ID: <827@htsa.uucp>
Date: 7 Apr 89 15:03:13 GMT
Reply-To: fransvo@htsa.UUCP (Frans van Otten)
Organization: AHA-TMF (Technical Institute), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lines: 36

A lot of comp.ai writers seem to misunderstand the difference between
"reality" and "simulation".  Actually, both words are pointers to some
actual process, which has no name, I'm afraid.  Reality and simulation
are "relativity" concepts.

When we simulate a flying plain, it is (within the simulator) really
flying (in so far as the simulator simulates flying).  To us, it is a
simulation of a flying plane.  That is, in our reality the plane does
not fly, but in the reality inside the simulator it does fly !

Let's assume we made a computer system which can calculate the physics
of a person.  Let's assume we can communicate with this simulation.  Now
to us he is a simulation.  But if we asked him, he would say "Me ?  A
simulation ?  You must be out of your mind, I do really exist !"  Again,
in our reality the person is a simulation, but in the reality within the
computer system the person is real.

Our reality is not a "universal" reality, either.  The rules for our
existence are the chemical and physical rules, which are being executed
by the molecules.  The rules for the existence of molecules are being
executed by the constituting atoms.  The rules for the existence of
atoms are being executed by the constituting atoms.  Et cetera.  If we
would execute the rules for the molecules on a computer,  we would not
notice any difference except that nuclear fusion would not be possible.

The only problem is that a simulated reality is not physically in
contact with the simulating reality.  So I could never feed myself with
a simulated meal.  But that is also a very nice property of simulations:
whatever crashes a simulated plane makes, no real person dies !  And
nobody cares about all those killed simulated people, since we didn't
simulate their family and friends.
-- 
	Frans van Otten
	Algemene Hogeschool Amsterdam
	Technische en Maritieme Faculteit
	fransvo@htsa.uucp