Paradoxically, Electrons are conceived by quantum theorists as mathematical “points”, which are zero-dimensional objects of thought. Obviously, such an object cannot exist in real physical space-time. So its virtual existence must lie in the realm of ideal meta-physical timelessness. Hence matter reduces to mind.
Cosmology / Quantum Theory :
At the turn of the 20th century, Einstein’s radical new conceptions of cosmic physics, and Quantum theory’s paradoxical conclusions about sub-microscopic physics, were extremely hard to comprehend in terms of traditional scientific and philosophical worldviews. Yet the logical proofs and mathematical calculations could not be denied. Today, much of the mystery shrouding the quantum and cosmic extremes of the physical universe, can be cleared-up to some degree by interpreting them in the light of Information Theory. For example, the quantum nature of light and sub-atomic particles is merely an example of the binary basis of reality in general. And the uncertainty of electron orbits and particle decay is simply a case of ordinary probability rules that we are familiar with in gambling games. Einstein though, refused to accept that God would “play dice” with the universe. Nevertheless, the essential role of Chance in physics and evolution has come to be taken for granted in later years.
Just as uncertainty was found to be unavoidable in the communication of abstract information from one mind to another, it also seems to be inevitable in the concrete mechanics of physics at all scales of reality. We have now come to the point where pragmatic physicists have gotten over the cognitive dissonance of dealing with physical particles as-if they consist of nothing more substantial than abstract, immaterial, mathematical information. [19] Yet Einstein himself opened the door to such blasphemies when he equated solid matter with ethereal energy (E=MC²). Now it’s beginning to look as if energy itself is actually an active form of an even more fundamental “substance” : the mind-stuff we call information. [20]
In PROGRAMMING THE UNIVERSE, Seth Lloyd–-a researcher into the practical uses of quantum uncertainty for otherwise un-computable calculations–-proposes that the universe itself is a great quantum computer processing the very information it is made of. He also notes that, “The theory of quantum mechanics gives rise to large-scale structure because of its intrinsically probabilistic nature. Counterintuitive as it may seem, quantum mechanics produces detail and structure because it is inherently uncertain.”[21] Which leads to the need for a new method of extracting useful information from those natural things, events, and processes that are still too small, too large, or too complicated for traditional scientific procedures to grasp, to penetrate, to dissect, and to assimilate.
The hypothesis of Enformationismmerely applies some of the novel concepts of 21st century technology and social science to the mysteries of those annoying Quantum gaps. Information as an object of scholarly study became a "scientific" subject only after Claude Shannon gave Information a technical definition back in the 1950s. From that point, information science exploded into the disparate fields of Computers, Artificial Intelligence, Complexity & Chaos theories, and Memetic studies. What I'm trying to do here is to see how that technical understanding of Information fits into the knowledge gaps of Quantum and Cosmic-level science. ●
Chaos/Complexity Theory :
In ancient Greek philosophy Chaos was a raw, amorphous, primordial state of the universe. That formless flux was characterized by unpredictability, as the antithesis of the more orderly and understandable Cosmos we call home. But modern Chaos theory, derived in part from Information Theory, has been applied to more mundane, but still mysterious phenomena such as the forecast-foiling weather, and wealth-busting stock markets. Before the advent of digital computers scientists despaired of ever penetrating their secrets. Such roiling and randomized processes were formerly considered to be in the mischievous hands of trickster deities. Still, extremely complex physical and social systems have been found to be logically deterministic, but not practically determinable–-even by the latest super-computers. Which makes some of the more complicated natural and artificial inter-relationships of matter and energy resistant to traditional reductive scientific analysis.
However, although they appear to be chaotic on the surface, they are still physical phenomena which must obey the universal cause & effect laws of physics. So researchers were forced to develop more holistic methods of quantifying the trajectories of the objects and forces swirling in the air & water, and in the madding crowds of human swarms. One of those methods is called Fuzzy Logic, which is a computer-age alternative to Classical Logic. Despite the name, it is not any less precise than any other form of logic. Instead, it is an organized and rigorous mathematical method of handling inherently imprecise concepts. Where Classical Logic applied only to specific things and simple dichotomies such as Hot versus Cold, Fuzzy Logic is a statistical method for dealing with whole systems and with a variable range of parameters, such as Warm or Cool. Those abstract statistics and parameters substitute numerical information and subjective qualities in place of the concrete things and objective characteristics.
Thus, another enigma of the physical world becomes comprehensible when we conceptualize it in terms of immaterial information rather than discrete particles of matter buffeted by invisible forces of energy. ●
BORDER ORDER
“Information . . . is equivalent not to order, but to disorder.”
—- Schneider & Sagan
Into The Cool
Information is not too orderly, not too disorderly, but order within disorder, or vice-versa. Perfect order is static and meaningless. Total disorder is chaotic and meaningless. Meaningful Form emerges in the mean between extremes –-the Goldilocks zone.
QUANTUM
INFORMATION
And by understanding quantum information, they are understanding the substance of the universe---the very language of Nature.
—- Charles Seife
Decoding the Universe
CONSCIOUSNESS
OR MULTIVERSE?
“To put it bluntly, some scientists are willing to ‘create’ a veritable infinite number of alternate universes to avoid admitting that consciousness plays a role in the operation of our universe.”
