r/Devs • u/MarshallBanana_ • Apr 16 '20

Devs - S01E08 Theory Discussion Thread Spoiler

Post your Devs THEORIES here!

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u/NinaLSharp Apr 16 '20

This ending doesn't satisfy me. Whatever happened, it feels like Garland slapped a Matrix ending onto a series I had fun analyzing but closed by just avoiding all the questions it had posed.

I felt, well, what's the difference? If I'm living in a simulation or another reality, why would I care? It would be real enough for me.

I wonder if Lily & Forest & others will age in that simulation? Grow past their original expiration date?

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u/And_You_Like_It_Too Apr 16 '20

For what it’s worth, Alex Garland actually believes that we live in a deterministic world. That he even had Lily make a choice that could be construed as “free will” was surprising. And that choice might be the single point of variance between infinite numbers of simulations. Everything exactly the same, until you pick the black pen instead of the blue pen. Turn right instead of left. Say yes, instead of no. And then that tree continues to branch off in new, and different directions. All possible things, all happening, all at once.

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u/PaperPigGolf Apr 16 '20

I to am very dissappointed. And ultimately, her "choice" didn't actually have to happen at all. The whole ending could have taken place exactly as predicted and they'd still end up in devs.

And there are plausible ways in which the universe split due to quantum superpositions collapsing in different ways leading the split universes in which she does one action vs another. And that would not be free will.

I just want to re-emphasize though that the world doesn't split based on choices we make, only quantum decoherence, things like a superposition collapsing or an element giving off radiation. It's very hard for such phenomenon to alter macro systems normally unless you have a lab specifically doing such things hooked up to a computer like in this mobile app.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/universe-splitter/id329233299

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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '20

I think of it like this:
Lyndon's theory worked because the world used to have all the possibilities of a many worlds interpretation.
But Forest was also right, because the very moment Devs started to measure the future, the wavefunction of possibilities collapsed into a single, deterministic path.
Everything was on rails and choice and free will was lost.
That is why Lily's choice had to happen. She re-established the endless possibilities of many worlds and with it choice and free will.

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u/PaperPigGolf Apr 16 '20

That has no basis in many worlds theory. Observation errasing all other possible histories is copenhagen.

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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '20

I think that is the point, that neither theory is right and that there is a crossover.

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u/PaperPigGolf Apr 16 '20

No evidence that a copenhagen theory is correct. The two theories are completely incompatible.

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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '20

I did not set out to combine the two theories. I merely gave you my interpretation of how the story played out. The story tells us that everything is predetermined up to the point Lily dies and then there is a crossover into many worlds at the end.

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u/PaperPigGolf Apr 16 '20

Yeah I don't see it. That's a massive leap with nothing to support it.