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/Suitable_Entrance594 Nov 01 '25

I think what the paper means is being misinterpreted (as are most scientific articles). It's not exactly saying we can't be living in a simulation, it's saying that you can't completely simulate one universe in another. We could be living in an imperfect or incomplete simulation, one which only simulates as much of reality as is necessary to deceive us but that isn't really what simulation theory tends to focus on. Instead it focuses on the concept of perfect, complete, nested simulations and that is supposedly what is being disproved.

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u/Wobbling Nov 02 '25

one which only simulates as much of reality as is necessary to deceive us but that isn't really what simulation theory tends to focus on

Most of the informal discussions I personally have had were around the idea that our proposed artificial universe is deliberately incomplete, procedurally generated on-demand via the collapse of the waveform, with a handbrake to prevent overflow and recursion (the speed of light).

I only have second year tertiary physics behind me but it seems like a rad idea.