X-Message-Number: 26127
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re:  Information Paradigm
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 14:38:52 +0100

But David Deutsch also wrote that it is not possible to simulate zero-G
flying in an electromechanical flight simulator, even though other
sensations of flight can be simulated.

The simulation of sleep poses a philosophical dilemma. If the subject
actually goes to sleep in the simulated world, surely he goes to sleep in
the real world as well, therefore it is not a simulation.

Death can be simulated by a "game over - you lose" notice, and the program
can even refuse to accept the same player with a different identity, but
annihilation is just that, there is no way to simulate it. It is real or it
doesn't happen.

-- 
Sincerely, John de Rivaz:  http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including
Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley
Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy,  Nomad .. and
more

Mike Perry wrote in cryonet, http://www.cryonet.org


>>
Message #26123
Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 22:16:09 -0700
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Re: Information Paradigm
References: <>

Robert Ettinger writes:

>In broader terms, the "information paradigm" is only a
>conjecture--entertained
>by some very bright people, but in my opinion pretty low on the
plausibility
>scale. After all, it not only fails to answer the ontological  questions,
but
>does
>not even address them.

Some interesting writings based on quantum mechanics have a bearing on this
issue. As one example, David Deutsch in *The Fabric of Reality* devotes
considerable space to arguing that a universal reality generator (as he
calls it) is possible, that is to say, physically realizable. This would be
essentially a type of quantum computer but capable of simulating a human
brain and giving it the experience of any given, physically realizable
environment, when suitably programmed. I won't try to get into any deep
ontological discussions here, but just note that the discrete nature of
happenings at the quantum level lends itself to computational
(information-based) interpretations--or so it appears.

Mike Perry
<<

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