Living in a Simulation
Imaginary Worlds24 Jun 2021

Living in a Simulation

Is it possible that we are living in an imaginary world? That is the premise of many science fiction stories, but some scientists have begun to wonder whether it’s not a fantasy. Perhaps what we think of as reality is a computer simulation and we’re basically just advanced versions of The Sims and don’t know it. I talk with video games entrepreneur Rizwan Virk about what advanced civilization might be lurking outside our reality, and how he draws upon real physics, The Matrix and Philip K. Dick to prove The Simulation Hypothesis in his book. And we’ll hear one of my favorite stories from the podcast Snap Judgment, where the journalist Stephanie Foo creates a version of herself in The Sims and discovers eerie parallels to her own life. “Sim Stephanie” was originally produced for Snap Judgment in 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(301)

10th Anniversary Special Part 1

10th Anniversary Special Part 1

When I began my podcast in September 2014, I was mostly sticking with topics that I was familiar with like blockbuster movies and animation. I liked science fiction, but I was not as familiar with tra...

28 Aug 202444min

Unlocking the Door Between Escape Rooms and Immersive Theater

Unlocking the Door Between Escape Rooms and Immersive Theater

I used to think escape rooms were gimmicky activities where everyone scrambled to solve puzzles while I stood around feeling useless. On the other hand, I love immersive theater, where an interactive ...

14 Aug 202438min

Narrating Audiobooks From Other Worlds

Narrating Audiobooks From Other Worlds

The field of audiobooks has exploded since the introduction of mp3 players, and it continues to expand. But it takes a unique set of skills to voice audiobooks in sci-fi and fantasy genres. I talk wit...

31 Jul 202439min

Fantasy and Fascism Part II: When Democracy Fails

Fantasy and Fascism Part II: When Democracy Fails

In the years since my 2020 episode Fantasy and Fascism, I knew that I had to make a follow-up episode. The political landscape was changing in ways I didn’t expect while major sci-fi fantasy franchise...

17 Jul 202440min

The Team Behind Hans Zimmer

The Team Behind Hans Zimmer

Who really composed the scores of Dune, Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lion King? Were they all written by Hans Zimmer? Or were those ...

3 Jul 202455min

Swept Away by Romantasy

Swept Away by Romantasy

The hottest trend in fantasy novels – in fact the hottest trend in publishing overall – is fantasy romance or romantasy. These stories take place in worlds with dragons, faeries, vampires and werewolv...

19 Jun 202443min

Books Under Fire

Books Under Fire

Book banning is hitting libraries across America, and many of the titles being banned or challenged are fantasy books or graphic novels – especially LGBTQ content. Malinda Lo has been tracking how her...

5 Jun 202443min

The George Lucas Talk Show

The George Lucas Talk Show

Did you know that in retirement, George Lucas decided to host a live talk show with his sidekick Watto? That’s the conceit of The George Lucas Talk Show starring Connor Ratliff (from the podcast Dead ...

22 Mai 202444min

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