Everything you wanted to know about 'The Simulation Argument' but were afraid to ask. . .

"This website features scholarly investigations into the idea that you might currently be literally living in a computer simulation, running on a computer built by some advanced civilization. Films like The Matrix and novels like Greg Egan's Permutation City have explored the idea that we might be living in virtual reality. But what evidence is there for or against this hypothesis? And what are its implications? The original paper featured here, "Are You Living in Computer Simulation?", presents a striking argument showing that we should take the simulation-hypothesis seriously indeed, and that if we deny it then we are committed to surprising predictions about the future possibilities for our species.

Note: The paper has attracted a huge amount of attention, both from academic philosophers and scientists and from the more general audience; it's also been widely covered in the media. Rather than attempting to provide a comprehensive set of links to all this, I have selected here a few of the most substantial contributions and commentaries. (For the rest, there is always Google.) I try to do my best to reply to email enquiries, but occasionally the volume just gets too big; so my apologies in advance if you write and I fail to get back. - N.B. . . ."

(click title for links)