THE SIMULATION HYPOTHESIS

A writer explores the idea that life
is merely a simulation in this nonfiction book.

What if the real world isn’t real
but just some kind of computer program? As Virk (Treasure Hunt, 2017,
etc.) puts it, “The fundamental question raised by the Simulation Hypothesis
is: Are we all actually characters living inside
some kind of giant, massively multi-player online video game, a simulated
reality that is so well rendered that we cannot distinguish it from ‘physical
reality’?” Though the idea first entered the public consciousness courtesy of
the blockbuster Matrix films, it is actually a topic that has interested people
for far longer than video games have been around. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave suggests a similar concept, as do the
teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism. Jung was interested in the notion of mental
projection while Philip K. Dick—who frequently imagined such situations in his
fiction—firmly believed that the world was a simulation. In this book, Virk
explains how the Simulation Hypothesis is not as out there as it may initially
seem, outlining how computer science, humanity’s understanding of physics, and
mystical traditions going back thousands of years all point to the idea that
the world may not be as “real” as people think it is. The author’s prose is
clear and accessible, laden with pop-culture references and elucidated
scientific concepts. He excels, particularly, in making the notion of a
simulated reality—something that many readers might brush off as a subject best
left to the very high and very paranoid—feel relevant to everyone: “The goal of
what we call science is to understand the nature of reality. If we are in fact
inside a video game, then science becomes a matter of ‘discovering’ the rules
of this video game.” Most readers will likely not come away convinced that they
are living in the Matrix, but, particularly with his discussion of quantum
mechanics, Virk proves that reality is a much trickier thing than people are
usually inclined to admit. Those looking to expand their brains for a few hours
should enjoy this cerebral work.