virtual reality becomes new reality?

mikau · 2007-03-13 14:18:49

According to evolutionary theory, we developed our conciousness, our self awareness, and even our creativity and problem solving abilities as part of our biological evolution. This, to many, suggest that robots and technology could eventually become self aware.

Say in the future we figure out how to intentionally program self awareness into a computer. Apart from robots to interact with our physical world, we could also write computer programs or video games in which the characters were felt aware. But at that level, couldn't we program them to feel emotion or even pain? Think about it. If pain developed in people as messages from our nervous system, and our cognitive interpretations of those messages are what we call pain, it could certainly be simulated in a robot or even in a virtual object!

What does it mean when we can litterally create self aware, emotional beings capable of feeling pain? Perverts could write their own programs to torture or mistreat creatures from the comfort of their own home. And their pain would be as real as ours!

Kind of creepy if you think about it. In the future we could suddenly have REAL alternate realities running on thousands of computers allover the world! We'd actually have to have laws and regulations to be responsible...gods! We might be inclined to think it isn't quite as real but their perceptions and environmental stimulations, emotions and feelings are as real as ours! Who's to say their world isn't real? They see it, feel it, hear it, smell it, taste it! As far as we are concerned, that means it is real!

Wouldn't it be interesting to see what kind of world these people construct for themselves? The discoveries they make, the wars they fight, the sort of government they set up, who knows they may have better ideas than we do! It would be even more interesting to see their interpretation of the meaning of their existance, and the origin of the world they percieve. They might discover they're just a computer program developed by someone else but if they're anything like us, they will probably use their endowed senses to figure it out and eventually state that patterns they've observed are omnipresent laws of nature and simply cannot be broken. It would be amusing to see them conclude that their reality is the one and only reality, and their world formed as a consequence of these natural laws, but if you think about it, we've done the same thing! This of course asks the question, how do we know our universe isn't a program running on a quantum computer, written by a 40 year old nerd living in his mothers basement in some advanced civilization from an alternate reality! For that matter, HIS reality could be a computer program as well!

Just thought it was pretty cool to think about.

espeon · 2007-03-14 04:29:45

Yes it would be quite amazing. But already people have excelled themselves to create computers and are currently adapting their laws. The fact that they made computers and (a few) robots makes us think what's there in the future? Whats ahead of us all? Would it be like futurama or would it stay the same.

Also you said 'This of course asks the question, how do we know our universe isn't a program running on a quantum computer, written by a 40 year old nerd living in his mothers basement in some advanced civilization from an alternate reality! For that matter, HIS reality could be a computer program as well!'.

God's playing field is a classic example of this. Heres the url if you want to play on it. Its very funny and simular to your idea and question.

http://www.gamebadger.com/play-games/gods-playing-field

Zach · 2007-03-14 20:35:36

Virtual Reality was implemented in Japan many years ago.

It gave severe migraines and the creation was stopped.

Truth.

George,Y · 2007-03-15 00:03:02

The Terminator, A.I. ...

mikau · 2007-03-15 03:19:08

hehehee!!!

lightning · 2007-03-15 05:50:57

you can say that again

Tigeree · 2007-03-16 19:23:10

most of the time (especially when i was a little girl ) i wish i was in virtual reality like a book or some where imagenary to escape this depresing life and this depressing world of ours i was very depressed today

MathsIsFun · 2007-03-18 12:38:29

Ohh.. so sad, Tigeree. Luckily you have the power to improve your life.

Tigeree · 2007-03-18 13:44:08

i have improved Rod i am now a journalist YES!!!! GO ME

lightning · 2007-03-18 20:14:45

apperantly a funny one too ahahahaha!

espeon · 2007-03-20 06:28:50

Hmmm I'm a fan fiction writer for naruto (unnofficial)

Tigeree · 2007-03-21 20:24:22

espeon: yes i have (tryed) to write episodes/sieres of books/cartoons and such
lightning: grrrr

U7109 · 2007-04-11 17:48:14

George,Y wrote:

The Terminator, A.I. ...

I've seen many films like The Terminator. They are ULTRA scary... I had nightmares for a whole month.

About the virtual reality thing, I think that what Mikau said is true. Maybe we ARE some experiment of a 40-year old nerd still living with his mother in an alternate reality, and he is trying to make us more economic by threatening to unleash global warming on us to kill us all. Most people like that end up chained to the computer.

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2007-03-13 14:18:49

virtual reality becomes new reality?

#2 2007-03-14 04:29:45

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#3 2007-03-14 20:35:36

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#4 2007-03-15 00:03:02

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#5 2007-03-15 03:19:08

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#6 2007-03-15 05:50:57

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#7 2007-03-16 19:23:10

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#8 2007-03-18 12:38:29

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#9 2007-03-18 13:44:08

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#10 2007-03-18 20:14:45

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#11 2007-03-20 06:28:50

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#12 2007-03-21 20:24:22

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

#13 2007-04-11 17:48:14

Re: virtual reality becomes new reality?

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