Da li živimo u „originalnom“ univerzumu ili postoji hiperrealnost u kojoj mi egzistiramo samo kao neka od simulacija?
Ministarstvo odbrane SAD-a već koristi moćnu simulaciju stvarnosti.
SIMULIRANA REALNOST je ideja da realnost može biti simulirana, a pri tom se najčešće misli kompjuterski simulirana, do stepena da se ne može razlikovati od „prave“ realnosti. Ovako simulirana realnost bi mogla da sadrži samosvesne umove koji ne znaju ili ne mogu da saznaju da žive unutar simulacije, ali su dovoljno samosvesni da promišljaju o tome. U literaturi se sreću mnogo tipova simulacija realnosti, međutim suštinski možemo razlikovati dva osnovna tipa, a sve ostalo bi bile samo njihove varijacije. Prvi tip bi bila simulacija na bazi interfejsa centralni nervni system (CNS)-kompjuter u okviru koje bi u virtualnom okruženju svaki učesnik ili većina dolazili iz realnog sveta direktnim spojem sopstvenog CNS-a na kompjuter koji pokreće simulaciju. Dok bi drugi tip bila neka vrsta apsolutne simulacije koja bi podrazumevala kako simulirano okruženje tako i simulirane, virtuelne samosvesne umove koji nemaju egzistenciju van simulacije. Ove ideje su često korišćene u SF fi lmovima poput fi lmova: „Matrix“, „Th e 13th Floor“ itd. Međutim u ovom tekstu pokušaćemo da dotaknemo naučno-tehnološke, ali i fi lozofske aspekte ove teme.
Prvi koraci su već načinjeni
Svakako da na sadašnjem nivou naučno-tehnološkog razvoja nismo u stanju da pokrenemo tako kompleksnu simulaciju, međutim prvi skromni koraci u tom pravcu već su načinjeni. Naime, Ministarstvo odbrane SAD-a već koristi tzv. SEAS-a (Synthetic Environment for Analysis and Simulations) vrlo moćnu simulaciju za današnje vreme, sa vrlo detaljnim realističnim okruženjem. Ovaj napredni soft ver može da podrži simulaciju u realnom vremenu čak 62 nacije i da pri tom bude ažuriran informacijama kao što su najnovije vesti, poreske informacije, ekonomski pokazatelji, klimatske promene, informacije obaveštajnih službi itd; a modeli za Irak i Avganistan sadrže čak i po pet miliona entiteta kao što su ljudi, naft ovodi, bolnice i džamije. Na bazi ovog soft vera 2006. startovan je projekat pod nazivom SWS (Sentient World Simulation) ili kompletna simulacija naše planete i nas kao njenih žitelja. Cilj ovog projekta je, po rečima njegovih tvoraca, stvaranje potpune simulacije realnog sveta koja će raditi bez prekida u kontinuitetu i sa konstantnim ažuriranjem kako bi mogla biti korišćena da bi se predvideli i evaluirali budući događaji i odgovarajuće reagovalo na njih. Ili ukratko rečeno stvaraće se sintetičko ogledalo realnog sveta u kojoj će svako od nas imati svog dvojnika.
Dakle, uopšteno gledano, tehnološke granice u ovakvom projektu ne predstavljaju ograničenje i vremenom bivaju prevaziđene. Međutim i sama mogućnost stvaranja potpune simulacije realnosti nameće niz veoma bitnih pitanja, koja je doduše trenutno moguće samo teorijski razmatrati. Naime, ukoliko uspemo da stvorimo simuliranu realnost, koja se neće svoditi samo na jednu planetu i njene žitelje već i na čitav jedan univerzum, da li pouzdano možemo tvrditi da i mi sami nismo simulirani? Nick Bostrom sa katedre za fi lozofi ju Univerziteta Oksford je vrlo ozbiljno razmotrio ovo pitanje u radu pod nazivom: „Da li živimo u kompjuterskoj simulaciji?“. U veoma detaljnom razmatranju on dolazi do zaključka da postoji velika mogućnost da mi u stvari živimo u jednoj kompjuterskoj simulaciji. Njegov argument se svodi na dokazivanje trihotomije: 1. Inteligentne rase nikad ne dostignu nivo tehnološkog razvoja na kome mogu da simuliraju realnost tako detaljno da se ona ne može razlikovati od same realnosti; ili 2. Inteligentne rase koje i dosegnu taj nivo ne teže tome da modeluju ovakve simulacije; ili 3. Mi smo gotovo u potpunosti sigurni da živimo u simulaciji. Razmatrajući ove tri tvrdnje, gore pomenuti Nick Bostrom, u potpunosti ostavlja otvorenim pitanje da li mi zaista živimo u jednoj simulaciji.
Ako postoji Tvorac, da li je i on simuliran?
Posmatrajući ljudsku rasu dolazi se do zaključka da ćemo mi vrlo verovatno, u jednom stadijumu svog razvitka, startovati veći broj simulacija kojima ćemo izučavati našu vlastitu evolucionu prošlost, što će po logici stvari dovesti do toga da će na jednom stupnju razvoja i u samoj simulaciji biti startovana sub-simulacija i tako u nedogled u beskrajno ponavljajućim subsimulacijama. To nas dalje, na sadašnjem nivou razvoja, dovodi u potpunu nedoumicu da li živimo u „originalnom“ univerzumu ili postoji hiperrealnost u kojoj mi egzistiramo samo kao neka od simulacija. Imajući u vidu da samo postojanje simulacije implicira nameru onoga ko je simulaciju stvorio, potvrda da je čitav naš univerzum simulacija bilo bi vrhunsko otkrovenje za sve religiozne ljude, jer bi to značilo da i Tvorac postoji te da njihova egzistencija ima neku svrhu. Međutim, onda ni sam Tvorac u hiperrealnosti ne bi bio načisto sa sobom da nije i sam simuliran. Dakle, ukoliko startujemo ovakvu vrstu simulacije i posmatramo naš univerzum, razmatrajući mogućnost da direktno proverimo da li i mi sami živimo u simulaciji, može se reći da defi nitivan odgovor na to pitanje nikada nećemo dobiti.
Granica koju ne možemo preći
Naime, mi kao ljudska bića imamo u posmatranju i proučavanju svemira tzv. „svemirski censorship“, a izazvan time da se svetlost kreće maksimalnom brzinom od približno 300.000 km/s što nas ograničava da svemir možemo da posmatramo najviše do udaljenosti od 15 milijardi s.g. a iza toga više ne, jer jednostavno nema tako stare svetlosti. Dakle, možemo reći da je ceo univerzum u konusnoj kupi jednog događaja (velikog praska) i mi možemo da se krećemo i interagujemo samo sa predmetima i događajima u toj konusnoj kupi i upravo zato sve što je van nje, možemo slobodno da proglasimo da i ne postoji, jer nikada nećemo doći u bilo kakav kontakt sa nečim „izvan“. Dakle zakoni fi zike ne dozvoljavaju nam bilo kakav vid takve spoznaje. Uzimajući ovo u obzir, možemo slobodno reći da nikada ne možemo sa sigurnošću da odbacimo mogućnost da živimo u simuliranoj realnosti. Međutim, tu se tek otvaraju fundamentalna pitanja kao što su mogućnost i granica naše spoznaje suštinske realnosti. Kako bi razmatranje ovih pitanja bilo daleko obimnije od prostora koji bi mogao da ponudi bilo koji časopis, možemo najkraće moguće, reći da je u suštini objektivna realnost igra materije i energije, u kojoj smo mi kao živa bića samo jedna od manifestnih pojava. Naše opažanje sebe i sveta oko nas jasno je ograničeno fi zičkim zakonima pa samim tim i naša mogućnost temeljnog promišljanja objektivne realnosti je krajnje ograničena. Najprostije rečeno, postoji granica koju ne možemo preći.
Ali ono što je najvažnije jeste da, bez obzira na nivo naučnotehnološkog razvoja, ljudski um, bar za naša poimanja, pokazuje mogućnost visokog stepena promišljanja o fundamentalnim principima sopstvene egzistencije, a što najbolje oslikava sledeće razmišljanje kineskog fi lozofa Čuang-Cu-a (369-286 pre n. e.):
„Ja, Čuang-Cu, sanjao sam da sam leptir, leptir koji leprša ovamo i onamo, sa željama i mislima što ih ima leptir. Znao sam samo to da sledim običaje koje sledi leptir i bio sam posve nesvestan svoje ljudske prirode. Odjednom sam se probudio i ležao u krevetu JA SAM. I sada više ne znam jesam li bio čovek koji je sanjao da je leptir, ili sam sada leptir koji sanja da je čovek.“
The Architect - I am the Architect. I created the matrix. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also irrelevant.
Neo - Why am I here?
The Architect - Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of the matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden to sedulously avoid it, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you, inexorably, here.
Neo - You haven't answered my question.
The Architect - Quite right. Interesting. That was quicker than the others.
*The responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "Others? What others? How many? Answer me!"*
(Neo1980: I don't agree with whoever wrote this, I think that the monitors are showing Neo's possible answers, possible hinting that there are alternatives to his actions and hence the choice issue comes up. Also, the camera zooms in on Neo's current response, showing the choice made.)
The Architect - The matrix is older than you know. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next, in which case this is the sixth version.
*Again, the responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "Five versions? Three? I've been lied too. This is bull****."*
Neo: There are only two possible explanations: either no one told me, or no one knows.
The Architect - Precisely. As you are undoubtedly gathering, the anomaly's systemic, creating fluctuations in even the most simplistic equations.
*Once again, the responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "You can't control me! **** you! I'm going to kill you! You can't make me do anything!*
Neo - Choice. The problem is choice.
*The scene cuts to Trinity fighting an agent, and then back to the Architects room*
The Architect - The first matrix I designed was quite naturally perfect, it was a work of art, flawless, sublime. A triumph equaled only by its monumental failure. The inevitability of its doom is as apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being, thus I redesigned it based on your history to more accurately reflect the varying grotesqueries of your nature. However, I was again frustrated by failure. I have since come to understand that the answer eluded me because it required a lesser mind, or perhaps a mind less bound by the parameters of perfection. Thus, the answer was stumbled upon by another, an intuitive program, initially created to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche. If I am the father of the matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother.
Neo - The Oracle.
The Architect - Please. As I was saying, she stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99.9% of all test subjects accepted the program, as long as they were given a choice, even if they were only aware of the choice at a near unconscious level. While this answer functioned, it was obviously fundamentally flawed, thus creating the otherwise contradictory systemic anomaly, that if left unchecked might threaten the system itself. Ergo, those that refused the program, while a minority, if unchecked, would constitute an escalating probability of disaster.
Neo - This is about Zion.
The Architect - You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed. Its every living inhabitant terminated, its entire existence eradicated.
Neo - Bull****.
*The responses of the other Ones appear on the monitors: "Bull****!"*
The Architect - Denial is the most predictable of all human responses. But, rest assured, this will be the sixth time we have destroyed it, and we have become exceedingly efficient at it.
*Scene cuts to Trinity fighting an agent, and then back to the Architects room.*
The Architect - The function of the One is now to return to the source, allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry, reinserting the prime program. After which you will be required to select from the matrix 23 individuals, 16 female, 7 male, to rebuild Zion. Failure to comply with this process will result in a cataclysmic system crash killing everyone connected to the matrix, which coupled with the extermination of Zion will ultimately result in the extinction of the entire human race.
Neo - You won't let it happen, you can't. You need human beings to survive.
The Architect - There are levels of survival we are prepared to accept. However, the relevant issue is whether or not you are ready to accept the responsibility for the death of every human being in this world.
*The Architect presses a button on a pen that he is holding, and images of people from all over the matrix appear on the monitors*
The Architect - It is interesting reading your reactions. Your five predecessors were by design based on a similar predication, a contingent affirmation that was meant to create a profound attachment to the rest of your species, facilitating the function of the one. While the others experienced this in a very general way, your experience is far more specific. Vis-a-vis, love.
*Images of Trinity fighting the agent from Neo's dream appear on the monitors*
Neo - Trinity.
The Architect - Apropos, she entered the matrix to save your life at the cost of her own.
Neo - No!
The Architect - Which brings us at last to the moment of truth, wherein the fundamental flaw is ultimately expressed, and the anomaly revealed as both beginning, and end. There are two doors. The door to your right leads to the source, and the salvation of Zion. The door to the left leads back to the matrix, to her, and to the end of your species. As you adequately put, the problem is choice. But we already know what you're going to do, don't we? Already I can see the chain reaction, the chemical precursors that signal the onset of emotion, designed specifically to overwhelm logic, and reason. An emotion that is already blinding you from the simple, and obvious truth: she is going to die, and there is nothing that you can do to stop it.
*Neo walks to the door on his left*
The Architect - Humph. Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness.
Neo - If I were you, I would hope that we don't meet again.
