## Study Challenges Simulation Hypothesis, Citing Limits of Computation
A new study from the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) argues against the idea that the universe is a computer simulation, asserting that reality’s complexity surpasses the capabilities of any computational model. Researchers detailed their findings in a statement released october 30, 2025.
The research hinges on mathematical theorems concerning incompleteness and indefinability. “Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone,” explained Mir faizal, a physicist at the university of British Columbia in Canada.
Central to the argument is Gödel‘s incompleteness theorem, first presented in 1931. This theorem demonstrates that within any axiomatic system, there will always be true statements that cannot be proven within that system. As an example, the researchers cite the paradoxical statement: “This true statement is not provable.” An algorithm attempting to evaluate this statement encounters a logical impasse – proving it makes it false, while failing to prove it affirms its truth.The researchers emphasize that computation is inherently limited by its foundational assumptions. this mirrors the evolution of physics itself, moving from Newtonian physics to Einstein’s general relativity and subsequently to quantum mechanics, indicating a continuous unveiling of deeper layers of reality.
According to the paper, this suggests an “facts-based foundation” exists that lies beyond the reach of complete computational description. Humans, unlike computers, can intuitively grasp “Gödelian” truths, highlighting the difference between algorithmic processing and human understanding.
“Any simulation is inherently algorithmic-it must follow programmed rules,” Faizal stated. “But sence the fundamental level of reality is based on non-algorithmic understanding, the universe cannot be, and could never be, a simulation.”
The study also suggests that a complete “theory of everything” – a long-sought goal in physics – might potentially be fundamentally unattainable through algorithmic means.If a complete understanding of reality exists outside the realm of formal rules, the researchers argue, it would be illogical to assume such a theory *could* be algorithmically derived.
The research offers a outlook that appreciates the inherent complexity of the universe, while acknowledging the human tendency to project our own understanding onto broader concepts.
