Time to step back from politics, I think. Way back, even … to metaphysics.

A few years back, Oxford don Nick Bostrom forwarded “the simulation argument” — an argument that if it is possible to create convincing simulated realities, then we’re probably living in one right now.

The nature of reality has always been a hot topic, but the development of our own “virtual reality” technologies (or, more to the point, our anticipation of how much those technologies might improve) has given rise to literature and film genres that take seriously the notion that our reality may not be the, um, real one.

Wikipedia has a good overview of that subject at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_reality. Check it out, then weigh in with your thoughts … including those on whether or not it matters.