Is Consciousness Real? - NEW SCIENCE We're Living In A Simulation | Donald Hoffman

Is Consciousness Real? - NEW SCIENCE We're Living In A Simulation | Donald Hoffman thumbnail

Added: Jul 12, 2023

In this podcast episode titled "Is Consciousness Real? - NEW SCIENCE We're Living In A Simulation," Donald Hoffman explores the concept of consciousness and its relationship to reality. He proposes that everything we perceive is a simulation rendered in real-time as we engage with it. He argues that physicality and local realism are not true, and that neurons and particles only exist when they are perceived. Consciousness, according to Hoffman, may be a part of this simulation, and our awareness could be the qualia of being rendered.

Hoffman acknowledges that he is not confident in this area and that persistence is a challenging problem for artificial intelligence. He suggests that math is the representation of qualia and that our experiences are shared and triggered. He views headsets as projections of larger conscious dynamics and believes that our desires shape our experiences. Human behavior, in his view, is similar to a character in a video game, and emergent phenomena arise from the nature of the rule set and technologies. He compares consciousness to Gödel's incompleteness theorem, cycling through infinite possibilities. Hoffman discusses the concept of free will and suggests that it may exist at both the individual and collective levels of consciousness. He proposes a scale-free notion of free will that can be true at all scales, from individual agents to larger conscious entities. He acknowledges that this is a deep and complex topic that requires further exploration and the development of mathematical theories. The podcast also delves into the nature of reality and the relationship between consciousness and physicality. Hoffman suggests that consciousness is not physical and that it exists outside of space and time. He explains that our perception of neurons and brains is a projection of the interface between consciousness and the physical world. He emphasizes that his hypothesis is not based on the idea of a physical God, but rather on the concept of consciousness exploring and learning about itself. When asked about the possibility of returning to oneness with consciousness or staying in the simulation with special powers, Hoffman expresses a preference for exploring new dimensions and possibilities. He believes that there is much more to discover and that our current understanding is limited by the constraints of our current headset. He suggests that at death, we may take off the headset and continue to exist in a different form of awareness. Hoffman acknowledges that his ideas are still in the early stages and that further research and mathematical development are needed. He discusses his upcoming paper, which explores the connection between conscious agent dynamics and particle physics. He believes that making precise predictions and testing them is an important part of the scientific process, even if they turn out to be incorrect. The podcast concludes with a discussion about the nature of exploration and the limitations of our current understanding. Hoffman explains that our intuition about time and exploration is shaped by our current interface and may not hold in a realm beyond space and time. He emphasizes the importance of using precise mathematics to explore and understand the implications of our ideas. Overall, the podcast delves into the complex and philosophical questions surrounding consciousness, reality, and the nature of existence. Hoffman's hypotheses and ideas provide thought-provoking insights into these topics, while acknowledging the need for further research and exploration.

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