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Annotated Bibliography – Simulation Theory

Ashcroft, Rachel, “Nick Bostrom’s Simulation Theory: We Could Be Living Inside the Matrix”,

The Collector.com, 18 September 2022, https://www.thecollector.com/nick-bostrom-

simulation-theory/ .

This site comes from a neutral standpoint to explain Nick Bostrom's theory of

Simulation. Ashcroft goes over Bostrom’s main points and his ideas of the theory. Going over

how he believes that humans in the future got to a point where they advanced far enough to

create a universe in a simulation where the beings in it have consciousness. She goes into his

three propositions, the first being that there is no future civilization, the second being there is

one, but they do not want to make a simulation and the final being that there was one and they

did create the simulation. At the end of her article, she goes over the repercussions of Bostrom's

theory and how they have changed some people’s views on the world, and the ethics on making

simulations with beings with consciousness.

It is a secondary source, explaining the primary source of Nick Bostrom’s original theory. Its

credibility is good because it takes directly from the primary source, but it could have some

misinterpretations and different views than the original. It does not provide a different

perspective; it mainly just explains an idea.

Frank Wilczek. “Are we living in a simulated world?” Physics.mit.edu, 9, Jan 2020

https://physics.mit.edu/news/are-we-living-in-a-simulated-world/
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The physics department at Mit is against the idea of us living in a simulated world. The

article starts off by saying “Probably not” and only even considers the possibility of this being possible

since it is such an outlandish idea. The article then proceeds to demonstrate deductive reasoning as the

writer exemplifies the main reasons for this not being possible, for one he states there is no such

computer and asks what would a computer that powerful look like, as well as doubting its possibility.

The next questions he poses is “is our own world manufactured, in fact, from such abstract

data”(Wilchzek) right away he answers stating that is a no. He recognizes that there are many aspects

to physics that do not look like the product of an efficient computer and continues to exclaim how

certain laws would not work without continuous numbers since physics depends on time and space

being continuous. The article is credible from the notable university MIT and is a peer-reviewed article

in the physics department. His evidence is mainly his reasoning throughout and makes a strong case

against the idea.

Kehe, Jason. “Of Course We’re Living in a Simulation.” Wired, Conde Nast, 9 Mar. 2022,

www.wired.com/story/living-in-a-simulation/.

The wired is a part of the pro-simulation crowd who believes that all of life and the known

universe started from someone turning on a supercomputer and double-clicking on the

KnownUniverse.mov file where everything exists. Kehe believes that it does not make sense for the

universe to come from nothing, equating it to foam fizzling and popping until it bursts, creating the

universe. He also adds that since we can move faster than light, it seems like a sort of glitch that should

not be possible, furthering his theory that we all live in a supercomputer. He also cites movies like The

Matrix, Free Guy, and eXistenZ as proof that if we can recreate simulated video games, etc. in movies,

it is possible we are creating infinite universes inside of each other. He also uses examples like the
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2016 US election and the Covid-19 pandemic as real-world proof that the universe is simulated. He

then proceeds to rant incoherently about how his information is correct for multiple pages. The article

is a secondary source because it quotes and talks about other scientists’ studies to support his argument

and attempt to prove counter-theories wrong. This article is not credible at all because it does not take

itself seriously, using slang and nonprofessional writing, and the article seems almost satirical, to the

point I looked up the Wired to see if they were a satirical news article. There is no evidence to back up

any of his claims, only statements followed by “I’m right because I said so” and the bunch. He does a

lot of mental gymnastics to make his theories make sense even though his method of thinking is

supposed to be a “simplified” way of thinking about the universe.

Thomas, M. (n.d.). What Is Simulation Theory? Are We Living in a Computer Simulation?. Built In.

https://builtin.com/hardware/simulation-theory

This site talks neutrally about most of the arguments for the Simulation Theory. It gives two scenarios:

One where the world and all humans are a byproduct of code run through a highly detailed

supercomputer, and another where all humans exist biologically, but the world is an extremely

complex AI-run simulation that tricks the human mind into thinking it’s reality. It also provides

arguments for and against the theory. Notably, to prove the theory, the Multiverse/virtual

universe theory (alternate universes can exist infinitely, proven by mathematicians, and virtual

worlds can exist) and how technology has no defined limit (computers can eventually have

enough power to generate a simulation of the world). The arguments against the theory are why

an alternate species (or us) would want to simulate our daily lives for interest, and that simulating

on such an immense scale would prove too powerful for computers, even in the future. The
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article goes on to talk about the consequences of proving that the simulation is real, such as

human behavior changing forever.

As a secondary source, Built-In is a reputable source for career navigation and articles about

technological advancements and theories. It adds onto both sides, giving plenty of information on the

inputs and outputs of how Simulation theory could affect human living.