Are we living in a simulation? There is only one way to test it

 The philosopher and mathematician at the University of Oxford, Nick Bostrom, is considered the father of the modern "simulation of reality" hypothesis. In his 2003 study, Bostrom stated that our reality is a computer simulation created by a highly advanced civilization.

Columbia University astronomer David Kipping, when examining this concept, has paid special attention to three aspects (better known as the "Bostrom Trilemate"), each of which can be an independent reality scenario:

Usually, civilizations self-destruct before they can simulate reality;

Advanced civilizations are not interested in simulating reality;

We almost certainly live in a computer simulation.

Bostrom explained that at least one of the three statements must be true, and that is quite logical. Kipping combined the first two assumptions because they lead to the same result - we are not living in a simulation. So the probability that we are living in a computer simulation was 50%.

If one day comes the day when humanity is able to simulate reality, even if it is quite crooked and sloppy, the probability that we are in the simulation ourselves will be greater than 50%. This is explained by the "matryoshka principle" considered by Bostrom and Kipping. The more different realities are built into the simulation, the more powerful the computer responsible for making this "matryoshka" must be. However, the farther the "simulation characters" descend into the "rabbit hole," the less power they have to create their own simulations.

Suppose that to create the most credible reality we will use the principle of quantum superposition (the "picture of reality" will exist only when it has an observer), which will significantly save computing resources. If such an approach turns out to be effective and the generated simulation looks very reliable, then by observing the simulation from the outside, we can only try to find the matrix errors. In addition, it is likely that the characters in the simulation we created will at some point also think about the unreality of what is happening and try to start creating their own simulations.

At this point, the "rabbit hole" will become even deeper and our conclusions about the unreality of what is happening will be given compelling evidence. Today it is impossible to prove or disprove such claims. If we create our own simulation before civilization collapses, then we are most likely living in a simulation that someone else has also created.

Given the speed with which virtual reality technologies have penetrated our lives, we are just steps away from creating parallel realities.