ATARIOLOGY
MANIFESTO
WE BELIEVE THAT ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE CAN BE COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD IF ONE THINKS OF LIFE AS A VIDEO-GAME, OR A SIMULATION. THIS BELIEF HAS THE FOLLOWING IMPLICATIONS:
EXISTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS
- IF LIFE IS A GAME, THEN DEATH IS THE END OF THE CURRENT GAME.
- THE PURPOSE OF THE GAME IS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE PURPOSE OF THE GAME.
- A PERFECT SIMULATION, OR VIDEO-GAME, OF LIFE COULD EXIST IN THE FUTURE. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED 'PERFECT', THE GAME OR SIMULATION MUST BE ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE SAME SENSORY EXPERIENCE AS THIS LIFE.
MORAL IMPLICATIONS
- THE DEFINITION OF GOOD AND EVIL IS DEPENDENT UPON THE VERSION OF THE GAME.
- SOME PEOPLE IN THE GAME ARE REAL PLAYERS, OTHERS ARE JUST CHARACTERS CREATED BY THE SOFTWARE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A REAL PLAYER AND A CHARACTER IN THE GAME.
IMPLICATIONS FOR IMMORTALITY
- IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE A PERFECT SIMULATION, THEN IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO CREATE ANOTHER PERFECT SIMULATION INSIDE THAT ONE. THEREFORE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO CREATE AN INFINITE HIERARCHY OF PERFECT SIMULATIONS. IN THEORY, A PERSON COULD ACHIEVE IMMORTALITY BY STEPPING INTO PERFECT SIMULATIONS INDEFINITELY.
CONSTRAINTS
- IT IS POSSIBLE FOR TWO PERFECT SIMULATIONS TO BE DIFFERENT.
- THE GAME CAN BE UPGRADED OR MODIFIED DURING PLAY WITHOUT THE PLAYER REALIZING IT.