**Weaving Reality from Information** # A New Perspective on the Observer Effect In the beginning, there was neither darkness nor light, nor even the familiar expanse of space and time. There was only the **substrate** – a dynamic, interconnected network of fundamental informational units. This is not a poetic metaphor but a hypothesis about the most basic layer of reality. It is the ground of being from which all else emerges, and it operates according to principles we are only beginning to understand. ## The Nature of the Substrate The substrate is not a formless void but possesses specific characteristics. It is: - **Finite and Discrete:** Composed of a finite number of discrete information units, not a continuum. This aligns with quantum principles and avoids the paradoxes of infinity. The sheer number of these units is vast but not endless, and their connections, while extensive, are limited by a finite capacity for information transfer. - **Non-Local:** Connections between units transcend conventional spatial and temporal limitations. This fundamental non-locality provides a basis for understanding quantum entanglement, suggesting the substrate’s topology is far more intricate than our perceived 3+1 dimensional spacetime. - **Probabilistic Dynamics:** Interactions between units follow probabilistic rules – a set of laws, yet to be fully deciphered, that govern information flow within the network. These laws are not arbitrary but are constrained by fundamental symmetries and conservation principles, hinting at a deep order underlying apparent randomness. - **Computational Capacity:** The substrate possesses a finite but immense computational capacity, limiting the amount of information that can be processed in a given evolutionary “step.” This has profound implications for the complexity that can emerge within the universe. - **No External Medium:** These information units and their connections are not embedded in any external medium or space. They *are* the fundamental reality, with spacetime itself emerging from their interactions. ## Information Nodes as Fundamental Units These **information nodes** are not simply abstract bits but are the fundamental entities of existence, each with specific properties: - **States:** Every node can exist in a finite number of states, each representing a distinct informational value. These states may be more complex than the binary 0s and 1s of classical computation. - **Connections:** Each node is linked to a limited number of other nodes, forming the network. The strength or weight of these connections can vary, influencing information flow dynamics. - **Interaction Rules:** The state of a node at a specific “time step” is determined by the states of its connected nodes and the governing interaction rules. These rules are probabilistic, meaning outcomes are not deterministic but follow a probability distribution. ## Emergent Reality from Informational Complexity From the dynamic interplay of these nodes, more complex structures emerge. **Quantum systems** – what we perceive as electrons, photons, and other particles – are not fundamental but are stable, recurring patterns within the substrate, localized excitations of the information network. - **Particles as Patterns:** An electron, for instance, is not a point-like object but a specific, self-sustaining pattern of information flow within the network, characterized by its unique set of relationships between nodes. It is analogous to a stable eddy in a stream – not a separate “thing” but a pattern within the flow. - **Properties as Relationships:** The properties we associate with particles – mass, charge, spin – are not intrinsic but are encoded in the *relationships* between the nodes that comprise them. For instance, a particle’s mass might relate to the complexity of its informational pattern, while its charge could relate to the directionality of information flow within that pattern. - **Spacetime as an Emergent Property:** Spacetime itself is not a fundamental aspect of reality but an emergent property of the substrate, arising from the relationships between information nodes and the way information propagates. The dimensionality and geometry of spacetime are determined by the substrate’s connectivity and dynamics, forming a complex graph that approximates a continuous manifold under specific conditions. ## Observers as Evolved Information Processing Systems **Observers**, including ourselves, are complex, self-organizing subsystems that have evolved within the substrate. We are distinguished by our capacity to build and maintain **internal models** of our environment. - **Evolutionary Advantage:** The ability to process information and construct predictive models offers a significant evolutionary advantage, enabling organisms to anticipate environmental changes and respond effectively. - **Internal Models as Compressed Representations:** Our internal models are not perfect replicas of reality but compressed, lossy representations based on the limited information we receive. They are efficient approximations that facilitate navigation and interaction within the world. - **Predictive Coding and Bayesian Updating:** The process of constructing and updating these models can be understood through predictive coding and Bayesian inference. Our brains constantly generate predictions about incoming sensory data and refine their internal models based on the discrepancies between prediction and actual input. This process gives rise to our experience of “the flow of time.” ## The Observer Effect as Information Dynamics The **observer effect** is not a mystical phenomenon but a natural consequence of information flow within the substrate. - **Measurement as Information Transfer:** When an observer interacts with a quantum system, information is exchanged. This is not passive observation but an active intervention altering the state of both the system and the observer. In attempting to gain information, the observer injects information in the form of its prediction. - **Model Update, Not Collapse:** The “collapse” of the wave function is not a physical event in the external world but an update of the observer’s internal model. The superposition of possibilities is reduced to a single outcome because the observer’s model now incorporates new information, aligning with its predictions about the system. - **Information Gain and Predictive Error:** The amount of information gained during measurement directly correlates with the observer’s initial uncertainty and the predictive error of its model. A measurement confirming a prediction yields minimal new information, while a surprising outcome triggers a substantial model update. ## The Self-Simulating Universe and Its Implications This narrative paints a picture of a universe that is fundamentally computational, but not in the sense of a classical computer. It is a self-referential, self-simulating system where “hardware” and “software” are intertwined, and observation is integral to the computation. - **The Universe as a Self-Aware Computation:** Through the emergence of observers and their internal models, the universe, in a sense, becomes aware of itself. The information processing performed by observers feeds back into the substrate, influencing its evolution. - **The Nature of Physical Law:** The laws of physics, as we know them, are not fundamental but emergent properties of the substrate’s dynamics. They are the regularities, the patterns that have emerged from the underlying information processing rules, and they are discoverable. - **The Ultimate Fate:** The long-term evolution of such a universe remains an open question. It might lead to increasing complexity and self-awareness or reach a computational limit. Understanding the fundamental rules of the substrate is key to answering this question. # Conclusion This is a story of a self-simulating universe based on information. It proposes specific properties for the substrate and information nodes, clarifying the role of observers and internal models. It offers a framework that is potentially testable and capable of generating new insights, moving beyond vague analogies. This is not a final answer but a working hypothesis, a story that will evolve with our understanding. It takes seriously the implications of quantum mechanics and the central role of information in shaping reality, challenging us to rethink our assumptions. We are not just passive observers but active participants in a grand, self-referential computation – the universe computing itself, one observation at a time. The information gained through these observations is defined by the very models we have built. We are both the weavers and the threads of a living, evolving tapestry of information, forever entangled in its mystery. Our existence, observations, and models are the substrate working to understand itself. We are not just in a universe that is self-aware, but we are a part of the process that made it so.