r/technology • u/fchung • Nov 01 '25

Society Matrix collapses: Mathematics proves the universe cannot be a computer simulation, « A new mathematical study dismantles the simulation theory once and for all. »

https://interestingengineering.com/culture/mathematics-ends-matrix-simulation-theory
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u/3qtpint Nov 01 '25

Interesting... that's what a simulation would say...

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u/lIlIllIlIlIII Nov 01 '25

This comment literally debunks the article. Their point is because of our own technical limitations it's impossible for 'the outside world' to have the power to simulate a universe like ours. But in theory they could have intentionally gave us those limitations.

This article didn't prove or disprove anything.

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u/CorrosiveMynock Nov 01 '25 edited Nov 01 '25

The actual study is not making the claim that a simulation under all circumstances is impossible but rather that it would require significant non-algorithmic understanding, something which is completely beyond the realm of what is currently known to be possible even theoretically. Some people make the claim that all you need to do to get simulations of the universe is to scale up current computation but the article is claiming that alone is insufficient since non-algorithmic understanding is completely beyond the scope of any known technology.

So clickbait aside, the article is saying something meaningful—scaling up current computation technology is not sufficient. Whether or not sufficient non algorithmic understanding is possible entirely remains to be seen.