It from Bit
Information is fundamental
If we postulate, as previously, that the Akashic Field is a fundamental field of information that spiritizes both our universe and the greater cosmos, which we theorize is home to the multiverse, it therefore follows that information itself is a fundamental aspect of the physical world. The Akashic Field is therefore defined as the nonlocal information architecture accessible by human consciousness.
Theoretical physicist Paul Davies terms information the “ontological basement” of reality. Indeed, many scientists allow that while it may be possible to imagine a universe without matter or energy, it is impossible to imagine one without information. He adds, “the vacuum holds the key to a full understanding of nature." The vacuum is what science once called “empty space.” But it’s not empty at all; the vacuum teems with energy and “virtual particles” that constantly wink into and out of existence and may even produce light.1
Slowly, a computational and information-theoretic approach to reality is emerging as one building block of a new paradigm. Specifically, information is a prime candidate for the foundations of the world, according to Davies.
Information does not change whether it is encoded in bits, in nucleotides, or is scratched on a rock: Information is substrate-independent.2
Many physicists refer to information as a physical quantity linked to matter, while information processing pertains to the manipulation and transformation of that information. This distinction, although sometimes perplexing, is frequently mentioned in discussions about understanding the nature of information and its connection to physical systems.
For our purposes, the term information always refers to a fundamental aspect of the physical world, akin to energy or matter. Indeed, some scientists consider information to be the fifth state of matter. Information can be quantified, transmitted, and processed, just like other physical quantities. Information is considered to be inherent in the states and configurations of physical systems, and it can be measured and extracted through appropriate measurements or interactions.
Moreover, consciousness is also intrinsically woven into the informational fabric of existence … subjective consciousness is intimately intertwined with objective reality. (Wheeler 1990)3 Incidentally, physicist John Wheeler coined the ditty, “It from bit” - the title of this piece. The expression posits that every particle in the universe emanates from the information locked inside it.
As we continue to develop our Black Hole Multiverse cosmological model, Rational Spirituality is driven by an unwavering curiosity about the intricate complexities of the Nature of Reality and the enigmatic origins of our universe and life itself. We seek to forge a meaningful connection between the realms of science and religion, recognizing that the realization of such a bridge relies upon a new scientific worldview - a coherent new paradigm - that explains how our universe began, the existence of a boundless cosmos, and our place within their awe-inspiring depths.
With such a worldview and paradigm shift in mind, Rational Spirituality plumbs the metaphysical interaction between scientific inquiry and spiritual contemplation, aiming to shed light on the mysteries that surround us and illuminate the profoundly complex interconnections that shape our existence. Recall that we each enjoy direct access to the vast store of information in the Akashic Field or cosmic plenum via imaginal contemplation.
Paradigm shifts - or scientific revolutions - happen in the dark. The established scientific worldview continues to dominate the discourse, while a pocket of resistance emerges. Within this heretical breeding ground, the current challenges threatening the orthodox view are, relentlessly and uncompromisingly, being addressed. Unbeknownst to most, a handful of brave pioneers is questioning the status quo. They believe that the, by now, glaring cracks in the current edifice of knowledge warrant not only the contemplation of radical new ideas but, crucially, the abandonment of many befriended assumptions. 4
Notably, among those befriended assumptions in the Standard Model of Cosmology are Dark Matter (Cosmological Constant) and Dark Energy. All require further elucidation.
In his study of the standard model, cosmologist Fulvio Melia concluded, “seemingly insurmountable inconsistencies and paradoxes ought to convince even its most diehard supporters that a major overhaul of the standard model is called for.” 5
Rational Spirituality looks to the theory of mass-energy-information equivalence as the watershed that could resolve these inconsistencies. Thankfully, there is a great deal of wiggle room for alternative interpretations in cosmology. Science is never settled.
That noted, the current standard model, called ΛCDM (Lambda Cold Dark Matter), “became a guiding light for cosmology” and resolved many inconsistencies in the now defunct Hot Big Bang model, according to theoretical cosmologist Michael Turner.6 In the ΛCDM model, which includes cosmic inflation, structures like galaxies, clusters and superclusters form from the bottom up and not top down, a solution far more pleasing to intuition. In the ΛCDM model, Λ represents a proxy for dark energy known as the Cosmological Constant.
It’s time to reconnect the two different understandings of the word cosmology—the scientific and the mythic—into one: a science-based appreciation of our place in a meaningful universe. ~ The New Universe and the Human Future (2011)7
“Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. Some of us pray to Jesus, some of us go to Mecca, some of us study subatomic particles. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves.” ~ Dan Brown from Angels and Demons
Living Bits: Information and the Origin of Life (article)
See also, Is Information Fundamental? (article)
Wheeler, J.A. (1990) Information, physics, quantum: the search for links. In: Zurek, W.H. (ed.) Complexity, Entropy, and the Physics of Information, Westview Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Glattfelder, J.B. (2019). A Universe Built of Information. In: Information - Consciousness - Reality. The Frontiers Collection. Springer, Cham, Switzerland.
The Road to Precision Cosmology (paper)
Abrams, Nancy Ellen; Primack, J. R. (2011) The New Universe and the Human Future: How a Shared Cosmology Could Transform the World, Yale University Press.
Excellent article yes its all there in the "empty space or VOID , all potentials . SK