Reality is an illusion; the universe is a 'program'

Definitions: 1) Reality - The entirety of the visible universe including all matter, energy, life, and thought.2) Program - A non man made medium or device of sufficient sophistication to contain a symbolic representation of actual or imagined entities.Since a part of reality cannot completely define or argue about all of reality, this debate is more of a hypothetical discussion but I invite any earnest soul to take the other side of this dialogue. As it is the only choice we have, I shall use human accomplishment in most of the following analogies. Currently, our computer programming skills allow us to produce crude depictions of our world and indeed ourselves. Some aspects and properties of these depictions are not so crude. Filmed CGI is in some examples almost indistinguishable from filmed reality.http://area.autodesk.com...See Meet Emily videohttp://www.youtube.com...Again, this is our current state. Computers are increasing in complexity at a staggering rate. Where might our simulations be in a decade or a century?See Moores Law videohttp://www.youtube.com....Projecting into this future, how might we design an artificial universe in our own laboratories (or later with the hobby-kit)?First, we would probably only want a single sentient species. Any more would unnecessarily complicate matters; and besides we could try different species in different universes.http://btc.montana.edu...http://www.amazon.ca...Our universe certainly appears to have been designed specifically to produce us. The constants of physics are so delicately balanced that a slight deviation would produce a universe at least unsuitable for life, perhaps unsuitable for matter or energy. When building our own simulation we would certainly tip (or preset) the scales in favour of our silicon progeny.See Brian Greene videohttp://www.youtube.com...We would likely build into our toy universe certain immutable safeguards to prevent its 'occupants' from gaining 'knowledge' of, or exerting influence on the real world. Things like an unbreakable speed limit and an unfathomable size and age. All of which a merely numbers assigned to the program.And to our favoured pet we would surely allow it a means to change over time (evolve), probably by means of a carefully gauged agent (mutation). To make all this work properly we would enforce a strict lifespan on individual organisms. So strict in fact, that in all the creatures in all the time subject to all the mutations this rule will (has) never been broken.Genesis 7:21http://www.biocab.org...But as our faux fruit grows in numbers and inquisitiveness they will at some point begin to get glimpses of the emperor's true state of undress. If their numbers begin to seem flawed, we might inject some unexpected addendum to the program so that things make sense again. This would come as quite a surprise ("Why didn't we see this before") to our programmed populace. Think - Dark Matter or God Particle.The most common objection to my thesis follows. "It can't be true because I feel real" We feel this way because this is how we should feel. When a large number of electro chemical interactions occur (or are simulated to occur) This 'feeling' is how they react to a self referential feedback loop. A much more scientific answer than 'spirit'.So it appears that we shal be able, in the not too distant future, to create artifical universes not duplicates of our own, but posessing, in their own ways, many of the features of our own. Who can say that some other sentience hasn't done this already. And if they have done it once they have probaly done it many times. A multitude of universes containing billions or trillions of intelligences each. In fact the odds are very high that if you are a thinking being you are a program, not a programmer.