We will first explore the significance of Descartes’ demon in his Meditations, arguing that the demon is not merely a hypothetical entity for doubting reality but a powerful and virtuous figure that catalyzes the cogito. The author analyzes the text closely, demonstrating that the demon’s role in Descartes’ thought is more profound than generally acknowledged. Then we will discuss the relationship to Simulation Hypothesis, the idea that we may be living in a computer simulation.

Descartes’ Demon—More Powerful and Virtuous than God?

September 2015

Joshua M. Hall

University of Alabama at Birmingham

The Garden of Simulated Delights

Daniel Story https://www.prindleinstitute.org/2023/05/the-garden-of-simulated-delights/

This technical report from the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University examines the feasibility of whole brain emulation, a hypothetical future technology that would involve creating a digital copy of a human brain.

Nick Bostrom & Anders Sandberg outline a roadmap for developing this technology, discussing the necessary advancements in areas like scanning, data interpretation, and simulation. They analyze the computational resources and theoretical limits required for successful emulation, while also acknowledging uncertainties and potential alternative pathways.

The report delves into the various levels of brain emulation, from simple computational models to detailed molecular simulations, exploring the complexities and challenges associated with each level. Finally, the authors address the implications of whole brain emulation for society, the economy, and the future of humanity.

Whole Brain Emulation: A Roadmap

Technical Report #2008‐3

Anders Sandberg & Nick Bostrom

Future of Humanity Institute

Faculty of Philosophy & James Martin 21st Century School Oxford University

Ray Kurzweil's book "The Singularity is Near” discusses the concept of the Singularity, a hypothetical point in time when technological advancement will accelerate beyond human comprehension.

It explores various technological revolutions, including those in biotechnology, nanotechnology, and robotics, arguing that these revolutions will lead to an exponential increase in computing power and the development of artificial intelligence surpassing human capabilities.

Will humans ultimately merge with technology and transcend their biological limitations?

Nick Bostrom's new paper "AI Creation and the Cosmic Host" explores the possibility of a "cosmic host" – a set of powerful entities, potentially including advanced civilizations, simulators, or even deities, that exert a dominant influence on the cosmos.

Eric Schwitzgebel uses the concept of virtual reality, as popularized by cyberpunk science fiction and philosophers like David Chalmers and Nick Bostrom, to argue that the fundamental nature of reality might be unknowable and fundamentally different than we normally suppose.

Today’s article (Two New Doubts About Simulation Arguments) challenges the popular simulation argument, the idea that we may be living in a computer simulation. The authors, Summers and Arvan, argue that the simulation hypothesis is unlikely to be true if panpsychism or panqualityism is true. These views hold that consciousness or qualities (like colors) are fundamental to reality.