The thousands of dystopian films about simulated realities like the Truman or Matrix Show, could be based on a true principle that shows us that reality often surpasses fiction. In this order of ideas, the conspiracy theory that suggests that the universe is a simulation, including our own lives, makes sense after research carried out by a scientist at the University of Portsmouth named Melvin Vopson.
By larazon.es
Vopson, studies the possibility that the universe is a digital facsimile. In fact, in an article published on The Conversation website, the scientist recalled the science fiction work of the Wachowskis and their subtle nod to The Matrix with the publication of their book, “Reality Reloaded”. Thus, Vopson joins the list of thinkers who have explored the simulation hypothesis. However, unlike his predecessors, Vopson claims to have proof, something crucial during any scientific investigation.
“The simulated universe theory implies that our universe, with all its galaxies, planets, and life forms, is a meticulously programmed computer simulation“, expresses Vopson for The Conversation. “In this stage, physical laws that govern our reality are simply algorithms. The experiences we have are generated by the computational processes of an immensely advanced system.”
The second law of infodynamics
One of the most powerful and well-known laws in the world is the second law of thermodynamics. This law stipulates that in a closed system, the total entropy —measure of the disorder of a system—, always increases or remains constant. That is, natural processes tend to go in a direction in which disorder increases. This is because systems tend to reach a maximum probability state, which is a state of greater disorder.
Based on this law, Vopson proposed a new twist or contrast, which he called second law of infodynamics. Although there are still years of studies, this law seems to support the theory of the simulated universe.
Infodynamics also talks about the concept of entropy. “When you leave a hot cup of coffee on the table, after a while it will reach equilibrium, having the same temperature with the environment. The entropy of the system is maximum at this point and its energy is minimum,” explains Vopson for the same medium.
The second law of infodynamics establishes that “information entropy”, tends to increase over time in a closed system. However, contrary to the second law of thermodynamics, there is a minimum value of information entropy that is reached in the balancewhere the information transmitted by the system becomes predictable and ordered.
“We know that the universe expands without heat loss or gain, which requires that the total entropy of the universe be constant,” Vopson wrote in The Conversation. “However, we also know from thermodynamics that entropy always increases. I maintain that this shows that there must be another entropy, information entropy, to balance the increase.”
Vopson’s law is not only capable of confirming the behavior of genetic informationbut also suggests that genetic mutations, at a fundamental level, are not random events as proposed Darwin’s theory.
Instead, genetic mutations would occur according to the second law of infodynamics, always minimizing the entropy of the genome information. Furthermore, this law could be applicable to phenomena of atomic physics and to temporal evolution of digital data.
What is the evidence that we live in a simulation?
The second law of infodynamics establishes a fundamental principle: the inevitable tendency towards the minimization of information content in any event or process in the universe. This ultimately implies a optimization of informative content and more efficient data compression.
For Vopson, the fundamental nature of the second law of infodynamics, which appears to govern the behavior of information throughout the universe uniformly, suggests the possibility that this cosmos is nothing more than an elaborate simulation or “gigantic computer.” .
In his article published in The Conversation, Vopson argues that the complexity of the universe could only be simulated through intrinsic data compression and optimization. Hence the idea of symmetry in the universe.
This understanding dramatically reduces the computing power and data storage requirements needed to run the simulation. “We see this optimization everywhere,” says Vopson. “From digital data and biological systems to mathematical symmetries and the universe as a whole, there appears to be a universal tendency toward the minimization of information content.”
