--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are living in a computer-programmed…" description: "\"We are living in a computer-programmed reality, and the only clue we have to it is when some variable is changed, and some alteration in reality occurs..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/philip-k-dick-502_clue_we-are-living-in-a-computer-programmed-r_1325187.jpg" --- # We are living in a computer-programmed reality, and the… ![“We are living in a computer-programmed reality, and the only clue we have to it is when some variable is changed, and some alteration in reality occurs. We have the overwhelming impression that we were reliving the present - deja vu.” quote by Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/philip-k-dick-502_clue_we-are-living-in-a-computer-programmed-r_1325187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/philip-k-dick-502_clue_we-are-living-in-a-computer-programmed-r_1325187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a4/philip-k-dick-502_clue_we-are-living-in-a-computer-programmed-r_1325187.jpg) > “We are living in a computer-programmed reality, and the only clue we have to it is when some variable is changed, and some alteration in reality occurs. We have the overwhelming impression that we were reliving the present - deja vu.” [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests reality may be a computer program, and glitches like déjà vu hint at changes in its code. **In simple terms:** Reality could be a simulation; déjà vu are code changes. Key Takeaway Question the nature of reality. Themes philosophy science simulation perception technology Mood curious speculative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Philosophical discussion - science fiction writing - AI research - psychology studies Key Concepts Simulation theory consciousness reality perception Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would confirm a simulated reality? - How do we differentiate illusion from truth? A Different Perspective Speculative; not proven; may mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deja vu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deja-vu/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [The concept of the marvelous begins to take form when it arises from an unexpected alteration of reality, the miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejo-carpentier/the-concept-of-the-marvelous-begins-to-take-form-when-it-arises-from/) [Alejo Carpentier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejo-carpentier/) > [Any given moment contains unlimited futures that can become real. The reality that occurs is the one you pay attention to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penney-peirce/any-given-moment-contains-unlimited-futures-that-can-become-real-the/) [Penney Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penney-peirce/) > [And you know what - and I don't mean this in tongue in cheek way - but it's like deja vu. When I walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hulk-hogan/and-you-know-what-and-i-don-t-mean-this-in-tongue-in-cheek-way-but-it/) [Hulk Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hulk-hogan/) > [I didn't really say everything I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/i-didn-t-really-say-everything-i-said/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [“Do you ever have Deja Vu?’ ‘I could ask in the kitchen, see if they've got any in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/do-you-ever-have-deja-vu-i-could-ask-in-the-kitchen-see-if-they-ve/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“I read once that you get deja vu when the two halves of your brain process things at different speeds: the right half a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-read-once-that-you-get-deja-vu-when-the-two-halves-of-your-brain/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I have gained and lost the same 10 pounds so many times over and over again my cellulite must have deja vu!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/i-have-gained-and-lost-the-same-10-pounds-so-many-times-over-and-over/) [Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/) > [“Midnight Omen Deja vu" - Because everyone should experience love in the Caribbean...at least once in a lifetime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marti-melville/midnight-omen-deja-vu-because-everyone-should-experience-love-in-the/) Marti Melville > [Thanks, you don't look so hot yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/thanks-you-don-t-look-so-hot-yourself/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [I always play every game in my mind before it begins. A lot of times in a game, a play will happen, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-aikman/i-always-play-every-game-in-my-mind-before-it-begins-a-lot-of-times/) [Troy Aikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-aikman/) > [“Deja Vu confirms a faithful path worth taking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/deja-vu-confirms-a-faithful-path-worth-taking/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [He'd stopped trying to bring her back. She only came back when she felt like it anyway, in dreams and lies and broken-down deja-vu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-d-stopped-trying-to-bring-her-back-she-only-came-back-when-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Loneliness struck again, its force doubled by how much she wished it was her family there instead. 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Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Why does a man cry? he wondered. Not like a woman; not for that. Not for sentiment. A man cries over the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/why-does-a-man-cry-he-wondered-not-like-a-woman-not-for-that-not-for/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? 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Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [What scared me the most was when my father would put on the gasmask. His face would disappear... This was not a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-scared-me-the-most-was-when-my-father-would-put-on-the-gasmask/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“A man is an angel that has become deranged, Joe Fernwright thought. Once they – all of them – had been genuine angels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-man-is-an-angel-that-has-become-deranged-joe-fernwright-thought/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/when-do-i-see-a-photograph-when-a-reflection/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) [Explore all 489 Philip K. Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## More Clue quotes > [If people in Indonesia look 'different', they are afraid. Racist insults fly if someone does not look like part of the majority. 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