Assuming:
- It is possible that a civilization could create a computer simulation which contains individuals with artificial intelligence.
- Such a civilization would likely run many?say billions?of these simulations (just for fun; for research, etc.)
- A simulated individual inside the simulation wouldn?t necessarily know that it?s inside a simulation?it?s just going about its daily business in what it considers to be the "real world."
Then the ultimate question is?if one accepts that theses 1, 2, and 3 are at least possible? which of the following is more likely?
- We are the one civilization which develops AI simulations and happens not to be in one itself? Or,
- We are one of the many (billions) of simulations that has run? (Remember point 3.)