It’s Christmas eve, so hope everyone is having a fun time. But, there’s always the existential questions that come out at the perfectly not-right timing. I recently finished watching West World and my friend promptly suggested that this question might be an after effect of that, but this has been a question in the back of my head that I’ve not been able to throw away.
Imagine a distant future where a scientist has developed the technology to accurately create humans with precise qualities we define. But the creator also wants to make sure his creation’s survival before making the technology mainstream. He creates a computer simulation that would act exactly like the human would if created.
In the simulation, we have a large room, where anything the human would want (let’s say food and water only, because he would be oblivious to any other needs of the modern world – he is like Adam before Eve came along) is present, but there is one door which when opened will end the simulation by destroying the human.
Sounds straight forward so right? But here’s the thing: Now what outcome of this test will determine the human fit for creation? Should he be curious and venture out or should he stay where he is? If by containment he can live happily, he will never know the what is outside the door. This question might not have a straight answer, but discuss your answers in the comments!
Alternatively, if you were in the simulation and you knew the outcomes, what would you choose? End the boring life, or stay in well fed and comfortable?
Existential is an experimental category we started to try and discuss answers to the weird existential questions we all get in the middle of the night.
Hi… This seems an interesting question
1. Given that the Creator should decide whether or not the human inside should live based on the outcomes is a subjective one, I would go for second option. By venturing out would it be able to know the world around and would be able to evolve. But this may lead to creation of new species… Maybe Homo Dolores :p
2. If I am the human inside, who knew the outcome, then I would stay as long as I wanted to and then die.
Interesting. Choice even when there doesn’t seem to be one.