Ah, this is a really interesting question! It touches on the intersection of philosophy, physics, and the idea of living in a simulation. The question of whether something exists if we’re not looking at it is similar to certain debates in the philosophy of perception and quantum mechanics, and when applied to the simulation hypothesis, it raises some fascinating possibilities.

1. Philosophical Background

In philosophy, this concept is closely related to the “observer effect” and the “philosophical problem of perception”—particularly, “Does the world exist if we are not perceiving it?” This question traces back to thinkers like George Berkeley, an idealist philosopher, who famously argued that objects only exist as they are perceived. In his view, “to be is to be perceived,” so if something isn’t being observed, it wouldn’t exist.

When we apply this idea to the simulation hypothesis, it raises a similar question: If we’re not interacting with or perceiving something in the simulation, does it even exist in the simulated world?

2. The Observer Effect in Quantum Mechanics

Quantum mechanics introduces an interesting perspective through the observer effect. In quantum physics, particles like electrons don’t have definite properties until they are measured or observed. Before observation, they exist in a state of probability (superposition), and once observed, they “collapse” into a particular state.

This idea can be extended metaphorically to the simulation hypothesis. If the simulation is designed to only render the aspects of the world that we interact with or observe, then objects and events outside our perception may not “exist” in the traditional sense, or at least not in the fully rendered form. They might only be “generated” or “unfolded” when we direct our attention to them, much like how quantum particles only have certain properties once observed.

3. The Simulation Hypothesis and Resource Efficiency

From a more technical perspective, if we are indeed living in a simulation, one argument could be that the simulated world doesn’t need to fully “render” everything at all times, especially if it’s not being observed or interacted with. This concept would be similar to how video games or virtual worlds only load the parts of the environment the player is currently interacting with. The rest of the world may be kept in a “low-resolution” or “inactive” state until needed, helping optimize computational resources.

For example, if you’re in a simulation and you’re not looking at a particular object, the simulation might not need to allocate resources to it. It could be “paused,” “inactive,” or “nonexistent” in the sense that it only exists when you’re perceiving it. This is sometimes referred to as “rendering on demand.”

4. Does This Mean the World Is “Not Real”?

If we take this idea further, it might lead us to ask: If things only exist when we observe them, does that mean the world isn’t “real” in the traditional sense? This idea might challenge our everyday understanding of reality, but it could simply reflect the way the simulation is designed. Perhaps the world is only fully realized when we experience it, and in this case, it wouldn’t necessarily mean the world is an illusion—it would just mean that it’s a dynamic system that adapts to our presence, much like how virtual environments are created to be experienced by a player in a game.

5. Practical Implications for a Simulated Reality

If we consider a simulation where the universe only exists when we’re observing it, it would have some interesting consequences:

• Inactive objects: If we’re not looking at a chair, for instance, in the simulated world, it may not need to “exist” in the way we understand it. It might only come into full existence when we focus on it or interact with it. This could explain why we don’t need to store every detail of every object in the world all the time—only the things we focus on.
• Event generation: Similarly, events might not unfold unless we observe or participate in them. If you’re walking down the street and there’s an unoccupied bench, the bench might not fully “exist” until you approach it or focus on it, but once you do, it “appears” in its full form.

6. Contradictions and Speculations

This brings us to an important point: If we are in a simulation, how do we explain phenomena like collective experiences, shared memories, and external events that seem to happen independently of our individual perception? If objects and events only exist when observed, how do other people or objects persist when we’re not looking at them?

It’s possible that in a highly advanced simulation, the system is designed in such a way that interactions between different parts of the simulation and different participants are still happening autonomously, regardless of whether you’re paying attention. For instance, other simulated beings could have their own processes running, continuing to interact with the world even when you’re not observing them.

In other words, the simulation might “keep running” to some extent, even when you’re not paying attention to every detail. It could be designed to preserve continuity and realism across all levels of interaction.

Conclusion: Do Unobserved Things Exist in a Simulation?

If we entertain the idea that we are in a simulation, it’s possible that things we don’t observe may not “exist” in the same way that we perceive them when we’re interacting with them. They could be rendered or activated as needed, depending on our focus or actions. However, just because something isn’t observed doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t “exist” at all—rather, it might just mean that it’s in a dormant or inactive state until we engage with it.

This concept adds a fascinating layer to our understanding of reality—whether simulated or not—and challenges our assumptions about the nature of existence, consciousness, and perception. The question invites us to think beyond the traditional understanding of “reality” and consider that perhaps the world we experience is more dynamic, contingent, and computational than we ever imagined.