If We’re Living in a Simulation, Can Randonauting Break us Out?

Back in 2003, philosopher Nick Bostrom wrote a now-famous essay making the case that we might all be living in a computer simulation.

He proposed three scenarios: 1) Civilizations capable of creating simulations go extinct before achieving this technology; 2) Civilizations at this technological level choose not to run simulations; 3) Advanced civilizations are running numerous simulations, making simulated worlds more common than real ones.

We don’t know which is true, but Bostrom concludes that the most likely is door #3 — that reality and everything that we experience is nothing more than a Matrix-style artificial construct.

Now if you’re willing to accept the idea that our existence is really no different than being NPCs in a giant cosmic video game, wouldn’t there be a moral imperative to try to break out of our virtual prison? Or at the very least alert our programmer overlords that we’re on to them?