The universe as computer

[Brian Atkins]

Russell Turpin wrote:
> 
> >"If one regards the Universe as performing a computation", says Lloyd,
> >"most of the elementary operations in that computation consist of protons,
> >neutrons, electrons and photons moving from place to place and interacting
> >with
> >each other according to the basic laws of physics." What, then, is the
> >Universe computing? "Its own dynamical evolution", says Lloyd. As the
> >computation proceeds, reality unfolds.
> 
> Which raises the old philosophical problem: What, if
> anything, is the difference between a perfect simulation
> and the reality thus simulated?
> 

There is no difference between "reality" and an emulation (perfect sim) of
it running on a different substrate. Of course for all you know our Universe
actually is running on a bunch of Pentium III's. You can run vi on x86 or
a powerpc, but it's still vi. Likewise you can upload yourself into an
emulation of Earth and still be you. It's all just a pattern of bits waiting
to be majorly debugged.
-- 
Brian Atkins
Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
http://www.singinst.org/