Riz Virk is an expert in computer game tech… so are we living in a simulated multiverse game?

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[00:00:00] Movie clip: Thomas, you seem particularly triggered right now can you tell me what happened? I’ve had dreams that weren’t just dreams.

[00:00:10] Alex Tsakiris: That’s right. He’s back. Neil’s back. The Matrix four is rebooted. Maybe Neil can straighten all that out. Speaking of coming back, we have a just terrific interview with a guy I have so much respect for. So, so smart Riz Virk new book, The Simulated Multiverse and MIT computer scientist explores parallel universes, the simulation hypothesis, quantum computing, and the Mandela effect. I’ve been doing a number of shows lately on computing, because I think it just fundamentally ties in to really all the stuff we’re talking about. But not everyone is always making that connection. So I feel the need to do it. Riz, of course, certainly fits in that category. As you’ll hear in this interview, here are some clips, I do hope you stick around for the whole thing. I think it’s really good. Check it out.

[00:01:02] Riz Virk: Now, in computation, we try to figure out which of those values of this graph are worth traversing. And so you can think of any process which is a series of choices as a multiverse. And that’s kind of the idea that I’m putting forward, whether they are physical or not becomes irrelevant, because they become physical only when we render them, meaning when we choose to explore that path.

[00:01:33] Alex Tsakiris: Okay, let me go all Skeptiko on you, are you stretching the metaphor too far? If we just start down the path of consciousness is fundamental?

[00:01:44] Riz Virk: Well, I think the metaphor fits pretty well. I mean, I spent a lot of time with the near death experiencers. And many of them report that they were able to look back in what’s called a life review. And so they were able to kind of go back and view the events, and many of them describe it as a room with a big projector. And so they’re using this metaphor, and it’s like, replaying something that has been recorded.

[00:02:16] Alex Tsakiris: But if you get past that, and you look at the accounts, overwhelmingly statistically, number one thing, love number one thing connection. Well, number one thing, spirituality that doesn’t really conform very well.

[00:02:31] Riz Virk: Well, it depends which metaphor you’re using, and exactly how you’re using it. I mean, for me, I think let’s use a different metaphor instead of a video game. Let’s use social networks, which people use all the time today and creates lots of angst. But why do we use social networks, we create an identity online. But primarily, what makes a social network different from a website is the social part of it. I would say the reason to be here perhaps is relationship. It’s to give ourselves the experience of having relationship with different parts of consciousness, which we see as other people, which eventually may be all connected.

[00:03:13] Alex Tsakiris: Welcome to Skeptiko, where we explore controversial science and spirituality, with leading researchers, thinkers, and their critics. I’m your host, Alex Tsakiris. And today, well, we have a good one Riz Virk is back to talk about his new book, The Simulated Multiverse. In case you don’t remember who Riz is, he is like this super-duper smart MIT computer scie...