Simulation Trilemma

Simulation Trilemma

There’s a theory that this universe may be a simulated universe; that in fact there will be so many simulated universes that this is probably not the real one. Of course there could also be simulations within simulations, etc.; so we may be many levels up.

Suppose that there is a real universe that simulates all the others; call that the base-level universe. Is there a universe that simulates the base level? Call that a sub-base level. There are three possibilities:

The Line. The universe is simulated by another universe, which itself is simulated, and so on in an endless line, so there is no base-level universe.

The Ray. There is a base-level universe, but no sub-base; so it simulates all others and is not simulated.

The Loop. There is a base-level, and a sub-base level, and they simulate each other.

Of Line, Ray and Loop:

2/3 say that some universe simulates all others;

2/3 say that every universe is simulated;

and 2/3 say that there are no simulation loops.

This is a trilemma; they cannot all be true; so any two implies the negation of the third.