The Meaning of Life and Other Vegetables

Hello everyone.

I’ll be honest with you – I’ve been dreading / putting off continuing to discuss RSU (Ronen’s Speculated Universe – I need some shorthand to relate to “all of that”), which might be perceived as a variant of Hoffman’s abstract reality. I think that the main reason is my concern that I won’t be able to fully convey my ideas in a clear, logical and concise narrative. Those ideas have been rambling in my head for a few years now – growing, interacting, morphing, going extinct and respawning…

I guess the only way forward is to try. I hope that the result, for those who will endure this collection of posts, will make some coherent sense. I also hope to identify and close gaps over time. Comments and challenges will certainly help, from that aspect.

So far, I introduced Hoffman’s theory very briefly, and I also went into some detail about the nature of Elementary Conscious Agents (my own speculations). On that (shaky?) basis, I’d like to discuss today how I see the bigger picture of reality.

Earlier, I posited ECA as the basic building blocks of reality. The base concept is that ECA connect with each other – each individual ECA output is able to connect / feed into an individual ECA input. I will revisit the topics of connection and disconnection in more detail in future posts [link added in after I wrote it]; right now it should suffice to say that they connect, and so they are able to create larger structures, or clusters, and thus create increasing levels of complexity.

A very elegant and important notion in Hoffman’s mathematical model of CA is that when CA connect and combine, the resulting structure is also a CA; meaning, that the resulting mathematical construct also meets the definitions and requirements laid down in the theory for any CA (which is a type of mathematical object). If we go back to the very general abstraction of a CA,

this representation is maintained when a number of CA join together. If the resulting structure (made of numerous CA) is observed, it would still take in stimulation through the inputs on the outer perimeter; “make up its mind” through the internal workings of the individual ECA making it up, and through their interconnections; and generate a response on the outer perimeter, via the individual outputs.

If we take this behaviour further (starting with an infinite supply of ECA), over repetition, infinite structures exhibiting infinite complexity might emerge. It might be easier to think of that process as occurring in stages. First, ECA combine in small numbers, to create relatively simple structures. Then those simple structures combine with each other, and with additional ECA, to create increasing complexity and variety. Theoretically, there is no limit to the variation that such structures could exhibit. Please remember that even the very basic building blocks – the ECA – have quite a wide range of variety, because each one of them has two probability functions, that can vary across a range of probabilities (0-100% of outputting 1), across each of the four possible states of the two inputs (00, 01, 10 & 11). Combined with the indeterministic nature of that internal “decision making” process, this can give rise to a very wide range of behaviors, and in turn to a huge variety in the “shape” and behaviour of even fairly simple structures generated from a number of ECA (as before, I refer to those structures as CCA – Complex Conscious Agents).

Taking this to the next level, fairly simple (yet potentially very diverse) CCA will continue to connect and combine among themselves, and among additional ECA, to create more, and more complex, structures. The more complex the structures get, the larger their repertoire of internal workings gets, and the more intricate their “thought processes” become. The culmination of that layered and gradual process is in the emergence of the One. It may be seen, alternatively, as The Universe (the RSU, to be more accurate, and humble), or, a-la Spinoza, as God. The main point here is that everything that is, is combined into an infinite, infinitely complex, single structure, where everything happens.

How do we (and everything else) fit in that?

Every sub-structure (small or large) in the One, that satisfies the CA definition may be seen as a self-contained entity. Simple ones may be perceived as barely-conscious or “unthinking” (though, strictly speaking, they still qualify as CA in this model). Somewhat more complex ones may be more capable of “having thoughts”, and their interactions with other entities may be more complex and varied. At some level of complexity we reach ourselves (AKA “humans”). I speculate that the process doesn’t stop there, and there are more complex – actually, way more complex – entities “above” us. If we are capable of perceiving such entities, they won’t necessarily present as living beings. A galaxy might be a good metaphor.

The important takeaway at this stage is that everything we perceive as “coming from the outside” (and maybe even things we perceive as coming from within) is “messages” from other portions or regions of the One (strictly speaking, those are outputs from other CCA feeding into the inputs of the CCA that each one of us is). Please note that since in this theory there is no space, there is no real meaning to “region”. Connections may occur between any free output and any free input, regardless of “location”.

Those “messages” don’t have to be intentional, and don’t have to come from thinking beings. Simple CCA might “broadcast” simple messages, and maybe they will be perceived by the receiver as more elemental impressions. However, simple “messages” don’t necessarily mean lesser complexity; They might be the result of a more “distant” origin (not in the spatial sense, because that doesn’t exist; but rather in the level of “interest” or “engagement”). As an example, if I perceive a rock in front of me, it may be the result of interacting with a highly complex being (even much more complex than myself), that happens to be less interested in interacting with me. It is simply presenting something more basic to me, rather than its full form. For all I know, I may not even have the capacity to comprehend its full form.

The last thing I want to say in today’s post is that along those lines, our perception of the entire world is simply the sum of all our interactions with all the CCA (or subsets of the One) that we’re connected with. Since the One (and the number of ECA) is infinite, it’s not hard to imagine how such an intricate picture could emerge in that way. In fact, my moment of inspiration came to me in that context.

I was driving leisurely along the ocean. It was a beautiful day and a friendly sun was peeking through the clouds. The water in the ocean was shimmering. My favourite music was playing on the car’s speakers at a good volume, and I was in no hurry to get to my destination. I looked out and took it all in, and then it happened. I realised that despite the immense complexity and intricacy of details I was absorbing, it was not beyond the capacity of the One… or God (I am not a religious person, mind you)… or the Universe. The One is infinite and also infinitely complex. There is no reason to think it would not be able to impart the necessary number and diversity of stimulations on me (a CCA of moderate complexity), even without depending on the service of atoms and the likes. Not because it “wants to”, or has a plan to do it to me; simply, because it exists, and because I’m a part of it.

See you tomorrow, unless you’ve concluded I lost my mind…

Peace to all.