Into The Dark Podcast – Episode 165: Are We Living in a Simulation?

Host: Payton Moreland
Date: April 8, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Payton Moreland takes listeners on a deep dive into the "simulation hypothesis," exploring the provocative question: are we—and the world as we know it—really living in a computer-generated reality? Blending philosophical musings, scientific discoveries, and eerie personal anecdotes, Payton breaks down the origins, arguments, and evidence (both for and against) the theory that our universe might just be a cleverly designed simulation. The discussion touches on everything from video games and AI to glitches in the Matrix and why the question itself could hold world-altering stakes.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Sims, Games, and What If We’re the Characters?

[01:03 – 04:50]

• Payton opens with musings on the game "The Sims," noting the freedom players have to both nurture and torment their characters without moral consequence—a parallel to pondering whether we ourselves are controlled or observed by unseen forces.
• She introduces the concept of the simulation hypothesis: “What if we are all essentially video game characters?”
  • Notable quote:

    "At any moment, the player in the real world could change your life without asking your permission... That would be pretty terrible and unsettling if it actually happened, if we were being controlled. But some people think that’s not just a hypothetical..." — Payton, [04:24]

Philosophical Roots & The Matrix

[04:51 – 10:00]

• Payton traces simulation theory back through Western philosophy, discussing how thinkers have debated the nature of reality for centuries.
• The Matrix (1999) is cited as a cultural touchstone that reinvigorated interest in this question, especially for Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom.
  • Bostrom's Simulation Argument (2001) is summarized: humanity could create simulated worlds with conscious entities; if so, statistically we’re more likely to be in such a simulation than outside it.

The Three Possible Futures (per Bostrom)

[07:38 – 09:42]

• 1: Civilization ends before advanced simulations are possible.
• 2: We create them but lose interest; they do not proliferate.
• 3: Simulations are made and become so lifelike that inhabitants are self-aware.
  • Memorable phrasing:

    "It's not necessarily that someone's pressing A and I'm talking to you right now. It's more that they created this world to observe and see what people would do. They let us have choice..." — Payton, [09:37]

AI and the Emergence of ‘Souls’

[09:43 – 12:08]

• Payton speculates on AI and emotion:
  • “Emotion can be learned, which is why there’s a fear. If we have a bunch of AI robots, they will eventually learn how to...rebel and learn to have feelings...” — Payton, [10:55]
  • Modern AI can already detect and “respond” to human emotions, hinting at a future where simulations are indistinguishable from actual experience.

Infinite Simulations & Statistical Likelihood

[14:17 – 17:25]

• Bostrom’s recursive simulation argument: each simulation could spawn new simulations ad infinitum, leading to overwhelming odds that we are not in the original reality.
• “If only one of those realities is real, the odds that we just happen to be in that original universe...seems slim.” — Payton, [15:14]

Advancing Technology and VR

[17:26 – 18:44]

• CGI and VR advancements increase the plausibility of simulation worlds—tens of millions already engage in “fake reality” via consumer tech.
• “It really does feel like we’re getting closer and closer to creating our own realistic simulations.” — Payton, [18:18]

“Glitches” as Clues? Gates and Genetic Viruses

[18:45 – 25:55]

• Physicist James Gates reportedly found actual computer code embedded in the mathematics describing subatomic particles, which could mend digital errors—a strong, if not definitive, indicator of a programmed universe.
  • “His equations included text that was identical to a coding language he had used in the past…” — Payton, [20:37]
• 2017: Biologists insert literal computer viruses into DNA, and such viruses can transmit from our DNA to computers—a startling intersection of code and biology.
  • "Does that mean our bodies are literally made of code? Maybe we are already digital constructions..." — Payton, [23:59]

Glitch in the Matrix: Tales and Examples

[25:56 – 29:17]

• Ghosts, UFOs, deja vu, and even viral internet phenomena like “the dress” (blue/black or white/gold) are cited as possible simulation errors.
• Reddit's “Glitch in the Matrix” stories showcase everyday anomalies, e.g., lost-and-found earrings, phone calls with altered responses, and collective dreams.
  • “Other people...share stories about seeing photos of themselves at parties they know they didn’t attend...” — Payton, [27:52]
• Payton notes the lack of hard proof but acknowledges the allure of such stories.

The Skeptical Take & Non-Algorithmic Reality

[32:06 – 36:47]

• Some evidence is anecdotal or easily debunked; posts and personal stories may be fabricated.
• The strongest remaining anomaly: James Gates’ discovery, though unreplicated and obscure.
• Non-algorithmic understanding: Some realities, like paradoxes (“This statement is a lie.”), and aspects of quantum physics, cannot be simulated by computers as we understand them.
  • “Our universe as we know it 100% is full of ideas that don't fit with logic.” — Payton, [32:52]
• Yet, perhaps a civilization advanced enough could create computers that handle these anomalies.

How Could a Simulation Even Work?

[36:48 – 40:20]

• Debates over the feasibility: our brains’ complexity, consciousness, genuine randomness in nature, and the level of detail a simulation would need.
• “Maybe only three or four people are in [the simulation]. Maybe just your neighbor is the simulation and everyone else you see...is part of the program.” — Payton, [36:13]
• Is anyone even running it? Did the “creator” abandon this reality, like a stale video game?

Philosophical Stakes: Does It Matter?

[40:21 – 42:15]

• Why does it matter whether our world is simulated or not?
  • For science: Always about uncovering truth—these are foundational questions.
  • For risk: If the “experiment” fails (i.e., too many of us discover we’re in a simulation and act differently), the creators could “turn us off.”
    • “If that’s the case, our creators could just turn us off…our reality could cease to exist in one instant.” — Payton, [41:43]

Closing Thoughts

• The episode ends with a reminder of the existential mystery:
  • “It feels a bit uncomfy to just not understand why we even exist or how or when or who. But such are the mysteries of life.” — Payton, [42:48]

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On The Sims as parallel for simulation (“Some people create challenges…others cause digital chaos…”) [03:25]
• “If we’re living in a simulation…they let us have choice. But at the end of the day, they’re creating a simulation and seeing how we all go along and react…” — Payton, [09:37]
• James Gates and the code in physics:
  “His mathematical formula included digital instructions…if you copied and pasted portions of these equations into a computer program, they would already work.” — Payton, [20:44]
• On glitches like the viral dress:
  “They thought the dress and all sorts of things like this were signs that they were in a simulation. It doesn’t always operate perfectly.” — Payton, [25:44]
• On existential stakes:
  “Ultimately, it’s our life. And if we’re happy with it, then why worry too much about how everything came to be?” — Payton, [40:41]
• Final send-off:
  “Thank you so much for tuning in to today’s episode and I will see you next time as we go further into the dark together.” — Payton, [42:48]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 01:03 | Introduction & premise (The Sims analogy) | | 04:51 | Philosophical roots & Matrix reference | | 07:38 | Nick Bostrom’s Three Futures | | 09:43 | AI, learned emotion, and potential for ‘souls’ | | 14:17 | Recursive simulations – infinite worlds | | 17:26 | Current VR tech and the plausibility of simulation | | 18:45 | James Gates: Physics and code | | 22:55 | DNA as code, computer viruses in genetics | | 25:56 | Ghosts, UFOs, and ‘glitches in the Matrix’ | | 32:06 | Non-algorithmic understanding and its implications | | 36:48 | Feasibility critiques, how a simulation could work | | 40:21 | Why it matters and possible risks | | 42:48 | Final thoughts and outro |

Tone and Style

Payton Moreland’s tone is conversational, at times whimsical, and always curious—a balance of skepticism and open-mindedness. She mixes pop culture, philosophy, and science into a narrative that’s both accessible for casual listeners and thought-provoking for the philosophically inclined.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• You’ll get a thorough exploration of the simulation hypothesis, including its history, speculative evidence, and the reasons both believers and skeptics offer.
• The episode blends scientific findings (like James Gates’s coding discovery) with internet culture (viral “glitches”) and philosophical arguments.
• Skeptical or not, the discussion makes clear that even unanswerable questions can be fascinating—and might carry larger implications than we suspect.