Simulated reality

Simulated reality is the hypotheses that we leave in a computer simulation, that is, this universe is a program. It can be a stand-alone self-conscious program or a program with a creator (God). There is an hypotheses that scientists have not been able to test. Some think that the uncertainty principle and the quantum quality of the universe could be the "rules" or constraints the program imposes. It also has some constants, like the speed of light.

Simulated reality in fiction
There are very few written novels about this important topic. We usually find it at movies like The Matrix or Thirteenth Floor. The second movie is about a program simulating a city in the US, at the beginnings of XX century. There are AI units and people who connect to that system, basically the programmers and the director of the project. We find basic ideas in this movie, like the use of "avatars" (the identity of people inside the system), artificial intelligence units (people who appear to be self-conscious) and mind downloading. This concept is key to connecting to the system. It can be as "simple" as controlling our avatar directly with our brain, by means of special sensors (like in The Matrix) or downloading one's mind to the target simulated brain (13th floor).