Chapter 2 : Eric's Deal
On a beautiful, cloudless day in the city, Eric and his wife were enjoying a leisurely walk, exploring various trinket shops along their route back to their parked car.
As they approached a street crossing, Eric's wife stepped forward first, then paused to look back at Eric with a warm smile, extending her hand toward him. Eric returned her smile with raised eyebrows and took her hand, both of them sharing a playful moment. Suddenly, a loud "BEEEEEEP!!!!" pierced the air as a car horn grew rapidly closer and louder.
The events unfolded with devastating speed. A vehicle came barreling toward them, catching both Eric and his wife off guard. With insufficient time to escape, Eric took what action he could in those split seconds, resulting in a catastrophic incident.
In the immediate aftermath, Eric's wife rushed to his side.
Her heart pounding and tears streaming down her face, she screamed for someone to call an ambulance. Several bystanders nearby immediately made the emergency call without prompting and attempted to comfort her in her distress.
She had found Eric still breathing but not looking good. Law enforcement and emergency medical services arrived promptly at the scene.
EMS transported Eric and his wife to the nearest hospital, but Eric appears to be unresponsive despite his still breathing. His wife, crying and shaking, desperately pleaded with the medical team to save him.
The medical staff responded with professional efficiency. While Eric survived, he remained unresponsive, with indicators suggesting this condition might persist long-term. The medical team requested his wife's consent to monitor Eric's brain responses to stimuli, explaining that Eric seemed comatose and couldn't consent himself. Their tests revealed conscious responses - Eric could intentionally move his middle finger the exact number of times requested when numbers were counted up from zero. They also observed rapid eye movement beneath his closed eyelids.
Several days later, Eric's condition remained unchanged. However, the medical team made significant discoveries about his sensory awareness: Eric maintained both tactile sensation and pain perception throughout his entire body, responding to both touch and pain stimuli across all body parts.
Medical professionals discovered that Eric maintained sensory function throughout his body - he could feel both touch and pain sensations normally, despite his otherwise unchanged state.
During one of Amy's frequent, extended visits to Eric's hospital room, she was approached by a man carrying a briefcase. Their initial exchange was tentative:
"Hi," Amy said hesitantly.
"Hello. I am aware of the situation you and your husband are in and I am here to propose a solution," the man replied professionally.
"Forgive me, who, may I ask, are you?" Amy inquired.
"Oh my. Forgive my rudeness. I am with the VRC," he answered.
"VRC?" Amy questioned.
The man explained that the Virtual Reality Corporation (VRC) is not government, and has been operating hospitals nationwide and had developed new technology for minimally conscious patients. He offered to implement this technology for Eric at no cost, as part of their testing phase. This would enable enhanced communication and interaction between Amy and Eric, but would require multiple surgeries, including brain surgery. He noted they were currently in a VRC facility.
Amy contemplated this while looking at her husband's immobile form. She reflected on the three weeks without any response from Eric, though his eyes continued their rapid movement beneath closed lids and his vital functions remained stable.
"If my husband can respond, does he get a say in the matter?" Amy asked.
"Of course he does," the man assured her.
They discussed the offer extensively over several days in Eric's presence, though he remained unresponsive. Eventually, Amy reached a decision to proceed, seeing it as potentially their only chance for recovery or renewed connection.
The man presented the paperwork, explaining that Amy's signature was required both for herself and on Eric's behalf, given his documented inability to consent. Amy chose to review the documentation with the man present, ensuring she could ask questions while Eric might be listening. The paperwork aligned with and expanded upon their previous discussions. After thorough review and discussion, Amy signed.
They arranged for immediate surgery, allowing Amy time to notify loved ones. The support group remained at the hospital overnight. The man assured Amy that Eric would be prepared by noon the following day.
When noon arrived, Amy, the man in the suit, and Eric were gathered in Eric's hospital room.
In the hospital room, the suited man speaks to Amy about connecting a tablet to Eric's computer network. Amy, filled with apprehension, offers silent prayers for success.
Eric lies motionless, his body integrated with an array of sophisticated medical equipment and computers through various connections to his nervous system and brain. A tablet rests on his bedside table, displaying a specialized interface program.
The suited man gently reminds Amy of their limited role in this phase - they can only observe Eric's upcoming interaction through the tablet's audio-visual feed. Amy acknowledges with a nod, her expression a complex mixture of worry and desperate hope.
The procedure commences.
In the depths of Eric's mind, where thought and imagery still flow freely, he perceives something unusual - an external presence manifesting as a voice.
"Testing. Can you hear me?" the voice inquires.
Eric's internal response is immediate and startled: "My mental voice said that, I wasn't thinking those words. Hold up, I'm not trying to picture this...my mind is hallucinating!"
The voice explains: "I can transmit physical artificial "custom signals" directly to your brain through our brain computer interface setup, forcing your brain to "imagine and manifest" my communications since your body is now connected to our systems for "brain, nervous system and etc." computer interfaces."
Eric's thoughts race with revelation: "You're actually forcing my brain to "imagine things" as a communication channel... that's how you're reaching me!"
The voice confirms: "The VRC has never found a way to achieve this type of communication wirelessly - the VRC, thus far, has only achieved such through surgically implemented interfaces."
Through this unprecedented mental link, Eric engages in conversation, confirming his ability to perceive the voice and questioning the purpose behind this extraordinary communication.
"I want to determine if you and your wife are worthy," the entity states.
"Worthy of what?" Eric asks, uncertainty evident in his voice.
"Worthy of what you're being offered," the entity responds, before launching into an extensive interrogation. Eric endures this questioning session with discomfort and growing unease.
Throughout their interaction, Eric notices several unsettling peculiarities. The entity's response time is unnaturally quick, far exceeding normal human capabilities. More disturbingly, it seems to know Eric's thoughts and statements, responding before he finished figuring out how to word what he was thinking. The "being ""asked and told" things so repetitively" as if the replies from the individual were a set of programmed replies", leading Eric to question whether he's interacting with an artificial intelligence or a human being. In his confusion, he mentally begins referring to his mysterious interviewer as "the entity."
The entity reveals that Eric is not unique in this experience - many others have undergone similar testing. It then proceeds to share the same information previously conveyed to Eric's wife, providing clarity to most of Eric's lingering questions.
The entity then proceeded to inform Eric that, during his minimally conscious state, since Eric's brain remains responsive despite his inability to function in the real world, he will participate in an advanced computer simulation until recovery.
This simulation environment allows Eric to interact with numerous simulation-others within the virtual universe, running on the VRC's computer systems. The VRC has its tech mastered to the extent that all related to the VRC' computers are not able to have a glitch/anomaly. Staff members can monitor the simulation's environment through connected device displays, TVs, computer monitors, and/or etc. . While functioning similarly to a virtual reality game, the experience is designed to "look and feel" like real life.
The system achieves this realism through specialized computers connected to Eric's body and brain, that are also capable of transmitting electric impulses to his somatosensory cortex. This technology enables the experience of touch sensations across his entire body, it is also capable of much more than that. The VRC also leverages their understanding of Phantom Limb Syndrome, by which the brain can be tricked into experiencing sensory experiences from non-existent body parts. The VRC ""refers to such "trick sensory"" via the term "phantom undergoings"".
Building upon this sensory phenomenon, the VRC created advanced technology that makes the simulation experience remarkably lifelike. Their innovations extend beyond basic sensory simulation - users can experience having additional body parts, such as extra arms, centaur legs, wings, tails, and/or etc. . The technology has been refined to such sophistication that users can control these virtual appendages as naturally as their actual body parts.
The computer simulation cannot perfectly replicate the exact physics and quantum mechanics of Eric's physical universe. However, the VRC believes the simulation remains compelling, especially if with the addition of magical elements to any of its virtual worlds. Also, the future of the real physical universe is unpredictable due to things such as "Alzheimer's disease", Dementia, mutations, etc... . In quantum physics of the real physical universe, true unpredictable randomness exists at the quantum level, even when it comes to each human's body at the quantum level. So, when it comes to anything related to "the computer Simulation and all that is simulated that is in/"part of" the computer Simulation", true unpredictable randomness exists from each "effect and/or change" ever "caused, made, and/or "having resulted from"" any "non-digital human and/or other non-digital physical thing" in the real physical universe. Such "effects and/or changes" happen due to things like "software maintenance handled by ""one or numerous" non-digital humans in the real physical universe"" and/or "any interaction between "any digital thing of the computer Simulation" and "any "digital avatar of the computer Simulation" controlled by "any "non-digital human" in the real physical universe""".
Eric has been notified that, using the real physical universe as the foundational template, he must specify which laws, "new changes", "new modifications", and rules - including physics and magic - will govern his simulation-universe he'll be experiencing. "Such, which are the parameters", must be detailed in his program application.
The entity explains to Eric that the Virtual Reality Corporation maintains an extensive database of an extremely massive number of people's information gathered through their scanning procedures and/or computer data, primarily used for gaming and simulation purposes. "All voluntary of course," the entity emphasizes reassuringly.
The entity informs that their data collection also encompasses both social media information and responses from comprehensive questionnaires administered to those people. These data points partially enable the creation of virtual "Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) counterparts who solely control avatars that will also populate the simulation environment, functioning alongside various other AGI programs who solely control simulated existences" and they are all capable of "comprehensive "interaction and experiences"" through "custom Application Programming Interfaces (API) that include ""API-based screen observation" via ""Screen-Capture APIs", "Frame Extraction whereby transmitting real-time screen data", "streaming raw pixel data", "Computer Vision Integration whereby AGI systems process visual inputs at high speeds", "Frameworks parsing imagery for object detection (e.g., enemies, UI elements)", "Pixel Streaming whereby API sends real-time screen frames", Latency, "Input Binding that Lets the "AI or AGI" send inputs", "Cloud Gaming APIs", "Frame Access for retrieving streamed video feed", "Input Injection for sending controller inputs via code"""" integration. Those AGI solely "interface and interact" with only that "VRC's simulation".
The entity clarifies the technical architecture: while the simulation-universe operates as a computer program that also contains pre-built avatars representing simulation "inhabitants and etc.", it is not an ai/AGI and it has no machine learning nor deep learning capabilities integrated in its model, despite "AI and AGI" being able to interface with that simulation-universe program. Instead, these avatars serve as vessels, each controlled by a distinct AGI program with dedicated "machine learning, deep learning, and etc." implementations. These AGI programs are external AGI programs outside the sim and they interface with the simulation-universe exclusively through API interactions, which constitute both their sole functionality, ""selectable inputs whereby additional "sensory-symbolic data"-exchange via API occurs whenever any input is selected" for their "avatar control/manipulation and sensory experience data from the simulation"", and their complete range of experiences.
So, the simulation-universe program features avatars that visually appear as simulation-existences on screen. These avatars are integrated components of the simulation-universe program itself. The system includes AGI programs that function as artificial thinking existences, each controlling a single avatar by interacting with the simulation-universe program through an Application Programming Interface (API).
These AGI programs are specifically configured so that these API interactions constitute their entire experiential range and functional capabilities. Each AGI program is equipped with its own machine learning and deep learning implementations, allowing for individualized development.
Every interaction between these AGI programs and the simulation-universe program serves as a data source for both entities. The data combinations vary with each distinct interaction, and there are unique experiential inputs for the AGI thinking existences.
The simulation also accommodates simulation avatars that non-digital individuals control whereby each of those non-digital individuals control their own personal "simulation avatars" within the system.
An avatar exists as both a simulation element itself and as part of the broader virtual world/universe simulation. Together, the avatar and virtual world/universe create one comprehensive simulation environment.
The simulation-universe program provides the stage/environment. The avatars provide the bodies. The "humans and AGI programs" provide the minds. The APIs provide the "senses and motor control — the bridge between mind and world" for the AGI programs.
Eric is informed about his simulation world options. The entity explained how Eric could "copy rules and laws from others' existing "simulation-worlds or simulation-universes"" or even choose to experience someone else's "simulation-world or simulation-universe" rather than creating his own. The entity emphasizes that there isn't an existing means to enable one, including VRC members, to "do something via willpower alone" that one isn't able to "do via willpower alone" outside the Simulation. "Simulated forms" are "the only forms possible" in the Simulation.
The entity "concludes his questionnaire" with certainty that Eric is worthy to undergo the simulation. "Take as much time as you need for the application."
An automated AI reads off the sections of the application for Eric to ""respond to". Eric is describing the visual effects he wants to see in the simulation-universe that will be his creation. The entity interrupts him with a statement.
"All you need to do for this portion is imagine," the entity interrupted. "I can see on a "monitor/TV screen" everything you mentally picture."
Understanding dawning, "You can see what I imagine?" he demanded, voice rising with indignation. "Isn't this a bit invasive?!"
"Yes, well..." The entity paused, seemingly unfazed by Eric's anger. "The application must be. In order to create your own universe, we—" the entity clarified quickly, "—and by 'we' I mean the VRC and VRC-members—must get every last detail. "Verbal detail" doesn't always cut it."
With that explanation delivered, the entity went silent, leaving Eric alone with the uncomfortable awareness that his most private thoughts were now on display, projected onto screens for unknown eyes to evaluate.
The entity now explains that there is a time distortion aspect of the simulation. Within the time span of just thirty minutes, per each thirty minutes, in the real world, many entire years—potentially centuries even—can progress within the simulation. And not just as fleeting moments, but as fully experienced experiences where each second feels as real and complete as the normal-pace real world's time progression that is outside of the simulation.
"So I'll be able to potentially gain, in my simulation-form, hundreds of years-worth of experience in this simulation?" Eric asked, his voice betraying both excitement and disbelief at the possibility.
The entity's response was simple yet profound in its implications. "Yes. You are potentially able to."
For a long while, they continued their conversation, with Eric imagining various scenarios and environments he wished to experience, asking about limitations and possibilities. The entity, able to observe Eric's imaginings, patiently addressed each query, helping Eric visualize the impressive potential of the simulation.
As understanding dawned, a new question formed in Eric's mind—one that could expand the scope of his ambitions exponentially. He asked, "Wait, if I do this, can I connect other people's simulation-worlds/simulation-universes to my own simulation-universe?"
"Normally this would not be done, but according to how you imagined it, Yes. In the simulation, "everyone and everything experiences the simulation-universe/simulation-world that they are in, in accordance with that simulation-universe's/simulation-world's established laws", similar to how we experience gravity as an inviolable law in the real universe/world. "Per creator, only a creator of their own simulation-universe is able to "modify, alter, redesign, refine, "add to", and/or "remove from"" any of its fundamental laws and/or implemented systems".
The simulation automatically incorporates one exact copy of each already existing simulation-universe. No additional exact copies of existing simulation-universes are permitted beyond these initial copies. Aside from those exact copies of existing simulation-universes, any new simulation-universe that bears too close a resemblance to an existing one is prohibited from implementation.
""Regarding, in the simulation-multiverse, experiences via the simulation", when ""an individual (their avatar) dies" (which, since such is "regarding, in the simulation-multiverse, experiences via the simulation", "simulation-existences' "states of being" are "simulation-states of being"" such as ""death, dying, and dead" are "simulated "death, dying, and dead""") in a simulation-universe other than the one they created or originated in, they are subject to whatever death-related system that governs that particular simulation-universe/simulation-world".
""Regarding, in the simulation-multiverse, experiences via the simulation", every time an individual (their avatar) experiences what seems like a full year within a "simulation-universe/simulation-world that is not their home simulation-universe/simulation-world ("home simulation-universe/simulation-world is the simulation-universe/simulation-world that one began their simulation experience in")" and are unable to exit that "simulation-universe/simulation-world that is not their home simulation-universe/simulation-world", they (their avatar) are instantly teleported to a random location they previously visited in their home simulation-universe/simulation-world. Similarly, if an individual (their avatar) dies in a "simulation-universe/simulation-world that is not their home simulation-universe/simulation-world" that lacks a death-related system, they are instantly teleported to a random location they previously visited in their home simulation-universe/simulation-world". All of such applies to all "not simulation-imaginary" simulation-existences. Every "simulation-"individual, thing, existence, and/or universe/world"" is subject to these established conditions without exception, including that all of such equally applies to any existence that has engaged in the creation of a simulation-universe/simulation-world within the simulation, regardless of when such creation occurred. The implementation of all of such is immediate, perpetual, and ""continuously in effect" without interruption from this point forward".
None of the VRC's tech is able to detect intent, intentions, desire, "non-emotion non-physical feelings", and/or "a biological brain's memory". None of the VRC's tech is able to distinguish between what is a memory of factual past events and what isn't of factual past events when it comes to a biological brain's memories. The VRC's simulation-multiverse's configuration shall not be able to have any "one's not being in a universe except whenever at a worldbuilding domain", "manipulating "time itself"", "combining into singularity", "changing of abstract into non-abstract", an "in between universes, time, "magical "portals and/or teleporting"", and/or """ceasing and/or breaking" of any of one's "consciousness and/or "thinking activity, ability, and/or capability"" continuity" but "avatars are able to be removed from the simulation and" such is unknown when it comes to non-digital death".
When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, "time is never not ""Continuity Presentism", which is the continuation of "what already just existed and has existed since its origination" ("Continuation of what was", by which "Temporal continuity" is "Causal flow from moment to moment") and all moments prior to the present moment have passed/"ceased to exist", and "the future always ""does not yet exist" and "is unrealized potential""""" whereby "time "progressing forward"/flow speed" is dependent on how "all of the laws of "The non-digital Universe"/"non-digital Nature" (such as gravity and etc) as a whole" affect time/temporalness".
"A ""ripple, fold, fracture, peeling, fragmenting, fissure, break, tear, rip, hole, opening, split, and/or rift" of "reality and/or a universe" itself" has never been known to ever have occurred non-digitally, so the VRC's simulation-multiverse is configured in a way that such is never able to happen in the VRC's simulation-multiverse either". "So in the VRC's simulation-multiverse, "simulation-reality and/or a simulation-universe" is never able to ripple, break, fragment, fold, split, peel, and/or "be broken, split, fragmented, fractured, torn, ripped, opened, folded, and/or peeled"". When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, "One's consciousness, at all times, is anchored only to the form that said one's thinking is part of a physical process associated with that form until ""that physical process is no longer "functional regarding said one's said "physical form""" which results in that consciousness ""not being anchored to a form whereby that consciousness's thinking is part of a physical process"" any time soon"". "When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, each simulation-universe is a unit but each simulation-universe is simultaneously not any unit that is within the universe, much like each human is a unit but each human is simultaneously not any blood cell that is within the human. The simulation-universe is not part of any unit that is within that universe, much like a box is not part of any cat that is within that box". When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, any conscious thinking existence's "form changes" are simply changes to their simulation-avatar. When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, no simulation-universe is able to be a simulation-avatar. When it comes to the VRC's simulation, "simulated exhaustion, simulated disorientation, "extents of simulated physical damage regarding oneself's avatar", and/or simulated etc." affect "simulation-avatar"-"movement-control" regarding that avatar.
When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, per simulation-universe, the outermost boundaries of that simulation-universe are connected to their corresponding opposite-side boundaries—those positioned in the opposite direction when traveling through that simulation-universe's center—via a toroidal mechanism. When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, the VRC's simulation-multiverse is whereby there is only one simulation-reality, but with multiple simulation-universes in/"as part of" that one simulation-reality, never multiple simulation-realities. When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, all creators of a simulation-universe (there is only one creator per simulation-universe), per creator, are not "able to have any of their "simulation-universe implementations/parameters" undone" only unless that simulation-universe's "simulation-universe implementations/parameters" enable such undoing(s).
When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, "except by a non-digital VRC-employed professional member, "any and all" "changing, modifying, altering, redesigning, revamping, remodeling, tweaking, editing, and/or refining" any "parameters of a "simulation-universe"/"simulation-world""/system/setup/connection/"travel/"completed worldbuilding" system/setup" implemented by a simulation-universe's creator" can only be done by ""that "universe's"" creator"". When it comes to the VRC's simulation-multiverse, per "simulation-universe creator", upon completion of their worldbuilding process which results in their completion of the creation of their simulation-universe, that "simulation-universe creator"'s simulation activity is never not confined to the parameters of the simulation-universe that they are in/at while there, even when it comes to the simulation-universe that they created.
Whenever an AGI-controlled avatar is removed from the simulation, "which is able to occur depending on universe death-related systems or via etc.", that AGI remains on a VRC's computer as part of the VRC's massive collection of available AGIs not being used until later use.
The VRC does not integrate a simulation-universe into the VRC's simulation-multiverse unless that simulation-universe's parameters are set up in a way whereby that simulation-universe is never unstable."
"Fine by me. But what does 'interact with others in the simulation' actually mean? Will I see anything? Can I do more than just speak?"
"Via your BCI—brain-computer interface—the VRC's computers send artificial "custom signals" directly to your brain, forcing your brain to produce imagined imagery. Your recently connected body allows this forced imagination to become your visual experience of the simulation."
"How do I control anything in my condition? Do I constantly speak commands?"
"Normally, to avoid leaking information that can enable the VRC's competitors to acquire such information, we don't disclose this, but we share it with people who are making substantial yearly contributions. Your wife Amy signed a contract agreeing to contribute toward: public simulation access, Sim-control gear hardware, and video game features like quests, dungeons, temples, mazes, and/or completion rewards. This also funds customized simulation-avatar creation where simulation-universe parameters apply to those avatars.
Her contributions also contribute to paying employees to control special attacker avatars that relentlessly assault all living non-imaginary simulation-existences within proximity of employee-controlled boss avatars. These bosses wreak havoc and attack until targets' simulated death. Attackers choose their targets and continuously attempt to prevent others from completing quests. These employee-controlled bosses will likely never be available for non-employee creation and/or control.
Non-digital Sim-control gear hardware owners using such gear have their real-life movements and facial expressions copied. They can either watch a screen or use headgear to see their avatar in action. The gear includes a mic, controller buttons, and gloves.
The gloves let owners physically feel digitally-depicted physical sensations via vibrations and pressure in specific hand areas, matching what their avatar touches in the simulation. When the avatar touches something physical and parts of the avatar's hands can't move through that object, the gloves create corresponding sensations—even if the owner's real hands move where the avatar would phase through objects if it moved in complete accordance with real hand movements. When the avatar's hand contacts something physical, the gloves apply substantial pressure to the real hand. The gloves also deliver jolts corresponding to simulation events, like if the avatar's hand gets slapped by another character.
The simulation contains areas/universes/rooms with different time flows. Upon entering, avatars auto-sync to that zone's time speed. Some zones sync with real-Earth time outside the simulation. All copied simulation-universes run on real-Earth time sync. Original simulation-universes exist as separate, independent units. "Sim-gear"-controlled avatars (non-digital owners) can only access "real-Earth"-synced universes. Other avatars can enter any simulation-universe via established connections. When employee-avatars kill (simulated killing) simulation-existences, victims are automatically teleported to a dedicated simulation-"afterlife-universe" at random locations, and that dedicated simulation-"afterlife-universe" has various means to exit to instantly be in an other simulation-universe's location. Sim-gear users are not able to access this universe.
To answer your question now, your simulation "movements and/or motions" are almost identical to the way that you "moved and was able to move" in any of your dreams that you've had while you was asleep. Your ""observing imagery" and being able to "observe imagery" in the simulation" is almost identical to the "way that you "observed imagery" and was able to "observe imagery"" in any of your dreams that you've had while you was asleep" but are always in accordance with your simulation-avatar's """movements and/or motions" in the simulation" which are only able to be in accordance with the parameters of the simulation-universe that your simulation-avatar is in". ""You will be able to control your simulation-avatar as if it is your own body and you'll be able to "move and do things"" via "that avatar" in the simulation".
Your simulated speech-audio will only be conveyed while you are moving your lips in any way that looks like speech.
VRC computers send electrical impulses to your somatosensory cortex, identical to natural touch-contact sensory signals. This is also able to create phantom sensations matching simulation-events—touch, contact, collision, and/or etc. . Your avatar is not able to phase through simulation-"physical objects" in a simulation-universe unless that simulation-universe's parameters permit such. Part of the VRC's goal is to make simulation feel indistinguishable from reality but with customization options."
"Whoa. That explains why I kept thinking that I might have been "saying things while I wasn't thinking about what I was saying" until "I became aware of the fact that someone was communicating something to me" via those things that was being said. You make my mental voice speak to me but even though I didn't spend any time ""thinking up" and "trying to figure out"" how to "word and articulate" "said speech". This all ends up being the reason why I never see "said speech" coming ""unless I'm ""awaiting a response" via that kind of communication"" and "also unless "due to "my anticipating that "it can happen again without my knowing when"""""."
"Yes. The mind is not able to "make and/or produce" sound/audio, but I can use your mental voice to do a non-audio imitation of the sound/audio of "anyone and anything" and, via your imagination, you observe "said imitation". For that reason, I use a non-audio imitation of a "very noticeably different sounding voice" as the voice that "I "use your mental voice to imitate"". When it comes to "my using your imagination to achieve communication", I use "said "non-audio imitation of the noticeably different voice"" as the voice that I use to "communicate via your mental voice" in order to speak to you in a way that, in my opinion, is ""much faster" and "much more comfortable"" than a number of the other ways that I can "use your imagination to achieve communication via"."
"An avatar will notify you when it's 9:00pm "real-Earth"-time daily," the Entity explained. "In the simulation, you can hold your avatar's pinky to its bellybutton for 60 seconds—on the 60th second, all artificial "custom signals" to your brain will stop for 8 hours. You should experience many years before exhaustion, since one Earth day equals many simulation years, though I'm uncertain how quickly mental fatigue will set in. During those 8 hours, the simulation continues running as usual and normal, but your avatar is frozen until the 8th hour completes—many simulation years will have passed. You can use this 'bellybutton method' whenever needed. After each 8-hour period, the artificial "custom signals" to your brain automatically resume and your avatar unfreezes."
The Entity continued: "The Simulation exists solely through human-made computer technology. All humans and human-produced things can only be external stimuli to this technology. Musical or articulated sound/audio has never been proven to originate from the human brain—and if it has, our technology has never detected it. Physical custom signals sent to your physical brain produce particular thoughts and imaginings, and/or enable you to experience smell, taste, pain, etc., as your brain interprets those signals. Those thoughts and imaginings contain moving imagery and etc.—the Simulation you will experience. Your thoughts and imaginings are never digital, but you will control a digital avatar nonetheless. The VRC's Simulation is via physical computer-devices that non-digital people maintain by typing on and using actual computer-related devices."
The AI asked if Eric wanted to continue to the worldbuilding process by which Eric is able to create his own universe.
He decided. "Yes."
Thoughts arise from neurotransmitter-triggered electrical signals cascading through thousands of neurons. The spatial-temporal pattern of neural firing is thought's physical form—no firing means no thought. Different individuals may use different firing patterns to produce the same thought, but forcing identical firing patterns (same neurons, locations, and timing) across different brains should theoretically produce identical thoughts. This enables a hypothetical technology: a wireless brain implant could transmit known neural patterns associated with specific thoughts, causing those neurons to fire and thus communicate via 'imagination alone.' Incoming sensory signals can trigger patterned neural firing through 'entrainment'—where field oscillations synchronize neuronal groups—or through neurons' intrinsic firing properties based on their membrane potential. The hypothesis: identical copies of "neuronal firing/discharging" and identical copies of their neural firing/discharging patterns (spatial location and all) = identical results in per different human brain.