| Imagine for a minute that everything you see | | | | Bertrand Russell propounded that humans might |
| around you is not actually there. It is just | | | | be just "brains in a jar" that were being |
| for lack of a better phrase, a figment of | | | | activated by chemicals or electrical |
| your imagination. Could it be? | | | | currents. |
| | | | |
| The world's top scientists now think that it | | | | Next month, Prof. Rees will present his ideas |
| could. In the Sunday Times from Britain, | | | | in a television documentary called "What We |
| Prof. Sir Martin Rees suggested that life in | | | | Still Don't Know." He is expected to |
| the universe and everything in it may be | | | | emphasize that today's top physicists and |
| nothing more than a giant computer | | | | cosmologists are seriously considering this |
| simulation. The Royal Society professor at | | | | theory. One of them, mathematical science |
| Cambridge University says humans may simply | | | | Prof. John Barrow also of Cambridge |
| be bits of software. In other words, we | | | | University, will discuss the fine-tuned |
| program our world the way we want it. We | | | | nature of our world and how event the |
| create our own world, just like computers | | | | slightest alteration in such things as |
| create a virtual world. | | | | gravity would have devastating affects. This, |
| | | | he believes, proves that intelligent design |
| Prof. Rees says that over the past few | | | | is at work. |
| decades, computers have created a virtual | | | | |
| world with extensive detail. | | | | There are, however, those who do not believe |
| | | | in intelligent design and say the universe is |
| "If that trend were to continue, then we can | | | | far too complex to be a simulation. Quantum |
| imagine computers, which will be able to | | | | mechanical engineering Prof. Seth Lloyd of |
| simulate worlds perhaps even as complicated | | | | the Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| as the one we think we're living in." | | | | says he could begin to imagine a computer |
| | | | large enough to simulate a whole universe. |
| He adds that this fact raised the question: | | | | |
| "could we ourselves be in such a simulation | | | | What are your thoughts on Prof. Rees' theory? |
| and could what we think is the universe be | | | | |
| some sort of vault of heaven rather than the | | | | ******************************************** |
| real thing. In a sense, we could be | | | | *** |
| ourselves, the creations within this | | | | |
| simulation." | | | | STORIES NEEDED: |
| | | | |
| Though this idea has already been snatched up | | | | If you have had a paranormal experience or |
| by Hollywood in such films as The Matrix, | | | | know someone who has please contact me, as I |
| Vanilla Sky and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the | | | | would love to hear about it and perhaps |
| Galaxy, back in ancient Greece the | | | | feature the story in an upcoming issue of my |
| philosophers of the day did not find the | | | | monthly newsletter entitled Glimpses of the |
| notion so far fetched. Even as far back as | | | | Paranormal. Please write to: Aside from |
| 2,000 years, the Chinese philosopher, Chuang | | | | ghosts and hauntings, I also accept stories |
| Tzu wondered if his whole life had been | | | | on related subjects such as witches, UFOs and |
| nothing more than a dream. And in the 1600s, | | | | crypto zoology, ESP, angels, past lives and |
| Rene Descartes wondered the same thing as | | | | reincarnation. Please put "Story for |
| noted by his famous words, "I think, | | | | Newsletter" in the subject line. |
| therefore I am." Then in the last century, | | | | |