Donald Hoffman: life exists in a VR headset

Donald Hoffman, a cognitive scientist at the University of California, is often in the limelight for his view of reality as being analogous to life inside of a video game (or a simulation). Hoffman’s approach to the subject comes from a scientific angle, despite the apparent (to some) frivolous claims he makes.

This theory ties in neatly Rizwan Virk’s (Simulation Hypothesis) argument who uses the idea of quantum indeterminacy (QI) to illustrate his point. Hoffman claims the science is clear: consciousness itself is rendering the outside world (which is not physically ‘real’) much like in the way players interact in the Grand Theft Auto game world. Hoffman describes life as a ‘space-time simulator’. He believes we are all agents, through a medium like a VR headset, with different attributes and interests, free to explore the world around us (perhaps to gain experience and understanding).

Hoffman often uses the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) analogy to make his points, suggesting that the surface reality we navigate is very different from what is actually going on (the mechanics of the simulation). He believes evolutionary theory refers to a headset theory and that consciousness is something independent of the computer-generated reality we call life. Consciousness is a journey of exploration, Hoffman says, even though we are confined by the limitations of the headset. Exploration of consciousness, he says, may become scary as our previously held beliefs and concepts will start to break down on the space-time continuum.

We will talk about Hoffman more in future posts and take a deeper dive into the science and unique perspective he has to share.