Abstract
Through the argument that the concept of phase transition also applies to the unfolding of the information processing system that is creation, the author arrives at the phase stage described in the Standard Model of particle physics, where this system and the information flowing through it also form a part that gets coupled to matter and spacetime. The author then concludes that this stage, together with those that came before it, form one complex cybernetic processing system which allows for information to flow back and forth through various feedback and feedforward loops. Further arguments are that the sources for the information flowing through this system are coming from Desire in the broadest sense of the word, as the main, driving feedforward loop; with emotion—as a further explication of motion—as the regulating feedback loop; and that combined they account for the fluctuation called life.
TopIntroduction
The concept of phase transition, which is also referred to as near-the-edge-of-chaos criticality, should be regarded as the main principle underpinning all of life, including evolution, and that without this insight and acknowledgement nothing can be understood in its entirety. Up until recent times most scientists limited their investigations to only one specific phase stage of any given system. By including information about previous and possible future phase stages, a more complete picture can be painted, not just from any one subsystem, but by applying the universalities that come with the concept of phase transition—now also between seemingly disparate systems—which inevitably leads to the conclusion that in the end there is only one system and one process underlying all of creation, and that they are one and the same. This is precisely where the concept of “As above, so below” finds its proper place and expression.
Although seemingly very different, aspects to be found in the early stages of evolution and the creation of the cosmos, do reappear in similar and more intricate ways at any given later stages, where the earlier stages can be seen as essences of what will follow later on, and where what follows later on seems to be mimicking what came before. Embryogenesis is literally a reenactment of the genesis of creation, where cell division gives a hint of the process of the unfolding stages in the early universe. Even conception and fertilization are mimicking the essence of what happened when the universe was conceived.
The essence of what we have come to understand as Desire can be seen as the reason that started creation and—in its current sentient form—is still driving it. On top of that, the notion of emotion as a later stage version of motion—with pain and pleasure from which we either run away from or get drawn to—can be seen as the sources of information by which sentient beings not only operate but also learn, and by which Desire finds new directions.
In some way, and to at least a certain extent, some of this was already known in antiquity, maybe not as widespread knowledge but within some select circles. Evidence to this is to be found in poetry, mythology, religious texts and early philosophy.
A case for these ideas is presented in this chapter.
A Game to Be Played
With nothing to do and nowhere to do it, the Restart Button is pushed again. Now the system is rebooting and after it is able to do so, and another few more seconds, a screen flashes on and off, not yet of the game itself but what looks like some sort of source code. With a bit more patience the game finally comes to life.
What the aim of the game actually is nobody knows for sure. There are those that have some pretty wild theories, while others are digging rather deep into some of the game’s aspects and come up with reasonably coherent but still not complete explanations that, unfortunately, also don’t quite match those of others who come up with other plausible theories. Yet still others claim that there is no aim to it at all or even that the aim of the game is to find out the game’s aim! Overall, there is no universally-accepted consensus on it, and although at times quite frustrating, in the end it is a fun and totally absorbing game to play nonetheless.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Poetic Mythology: Any language or symbol-based communication that allows for multiple interpretations which are thereby interacting with the interpreter’s state of consciousness. The collective unconscious—a term coined by Carl Jung (1964, 1969)—forms its basis, and employs archetypes that go back to previous phase stages in the evolution of humankind, eventually also leading to the emergence of all the different religious belief systems, past and present.
Desire: Pertaining to anything that a system does not currently have but aspires to attain. Usually with the aim to feel better or to reach a sense of fulfilment.
Consciousness: A never ending, always evolving, amalgamation of knowledge of a system. The knowledge referred to here is not limited to cerebral knowledge, but should be regarded as the total sum of a system’s processed and evaluated and reprocessed and re-evaluated experiences by which the system itself evolves. Learning by doing—or autopoietic enactivism—would be the shorter descriptions of this process. The desires of a system and thereby its consciousness are its compass and the journey that it makes is one of the heart.
Feedforward: Measures neither the output of a function or process or employs a feedback loop. It is therefore neither divergent nor convergent in nature. It can, however, be said to be predictive or opportunistic as if following either a calculated, an impulsive or an intuitive leap towards something that is deemed more desirable at that moment.
Self-Regulating System: A system that has the capacity to maintain its own balance, also called equilibrium or homeostasis. It employs at least one negative feedback loop between its components to accomplish this. In a Self-Regulating Adaptive System, the system is also able to influence, change or even determine the state of balance it is aiming for. This latter feature means the presence of a feedforward mechanism and thereby also some level of intelligence. In a Living Self-Regulating Adaptive System, the system is, on top of the aforementioned features, able to alter its own structure, including generating new components and connections, in order to accomplish both the keeping of its equilibrium as well as the setting of new states of balance.
Chaos: Anything with a behaviour that eludes comprehension and predictability, as being too difficult to understand, and thereby the discerning of any underlying systemic cohesion. As nothing is exempt from the laws of physics and everything is in one way or another part of a system, no matter how complex, chaos is not the opposite of order, but merely a comprehension-eluding system.
Feedback: Where the output of a certain biological or logical function is fed back either in its original state or as an adjustment to one of the signals at the input side, thus forming a connecting loop between output and input. There are two types: 1) Positive feedback is where the output signal or its abstracted adjustment signal is such that it will enhance the tendency of the input signal, leading to divergence at the output. The output signal will go towards either the upper or lower limits of the system in which the function takes place. 2) Negative feedback is where the output signal or its derived adjustment signal gets inverted (hence the name negative feedback) this will lead to convergence at the output. The output signal will go towards a median value and will thus have a balancing, equilibrium seeking effect.
Entrainment: Where one system, subsystem, or a part of either, aligns its functional behaviour with that of another system, subsystem or part of either.
Phase Transition: Where a system that isn’t able to maintain its equilibrium—or find a new one—under its current operational structure has to adopt a new more complex structure to avoid ceasing to be a functional system.
Complex: Pertains to systems but does not necessarily mean difficult in its construction of components. It does however imply a certain kind of interdependence of the elements of a system’s structure through their relationships and the possible existence of various feedback loops. As such, the behaviour of complex systems might be difficult to predict.
Fulfilment: A state of being of a system when it has reached some feeling of wholeness, a sense of completion.