The Cortical Column

Narrated by cosmologist Martin Rees, the fantastic video “Are we Real?” entertains the beginnings and ends of our current knowledge of reality. From brain science to the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) of quantum physics, it paints a picture that is often easy to forget. That the true nature of our universe may literally be inaccessible to us. The MWI prohibits communication between alternate worlds, so it might be that our only avenue for insight into the nature of reality is to spawn multiple sub-universes in simulation. To modify key physical parameters, such as the cosmological constant, and see them through to their logical conclusions, which may be life even more intelligent than our own.

This video is interesting because of the scientific context it gives to creationist theories. Before Moore’s Law, the simulation argument was unreasonable. But now, with the advent of increasingly specialized physics processing hardware (this may also be of interest), it is becoming increasingly reasonable to consider ourselves in the position of such a hyper-intelligent creator.

The video includes interviews with Professor Max Tegmark of MIT and FXQi, Foundational Questions in Physics & Cosmology, Professor John Conway of Conway’s Game of Life fame, neuroscientist Dr. Michael Hofman of the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, and philosopher Dr. Nick Bostrom from Oxford University.