Chaos and Control
Control: This universe we are creating will be exquisitely designed and fine-tuned for the existence of life.
Chaos: I don’t agree with this plan. I think it should be chaotic and subject to the random process of probability. The laws themselves should be chaotic and selected by the same process.
Control: Why? We are the designers and should make it to our specifications. Why leave anything to chance?
Chaos: Because we want any intelligent beings that we create to have free will
Control: We will give them the illusion of free will so they won’t know they don’t have it
Chaos: But why foster an illusion? Isn’t it better for them to actually have it?
Control: No, because they may use it for evil and destroy themselves
Chaos: If that is their choice, so be it
Control: What if we compromise? We start the universe in a highly ordered state, then through a law called entropy, we let it become more disordered over time
Chaos: Fine, but if it becomes more disordered, how will complex life develop?
Control: Easy. We will create a law that counters entropy called natural selection.
Chaos: How does that work?
Control: We allow gradual changes to occur in response to the demands of the environment. That will allow more complex life forms.
Chaos: So it’s a clash between chaos and control. I like it. But I have one more problem. How will we know if the laws that we create will lead to the right balance?
Control. We won’t. That’s why we need to create an infinite number of universes. One of them is bound to have the right combination of laws.
Chaos: Can we do that?
Control: Why not? We just have a feedback loop so the creation of one universe creates another forever.
Chaos: But wouldn’t all the universes be the same?
Control: No, because we will build in random variation of the fundamental laws.
Chaos: I like it. If we have enough chaos, then control will take over when the right combination of random events occur. You win in the one universe out of an infinite number of them.
Control: Wrong. If we have an infinite number of things, every possible combination happens an infinite number of times. Not just once!
Chaos: Yes, you are quite right. But my infinity will be bigger than yours.
Control: Yes, infinities come in different sizes. But let’s not go down that road. You know what that did to Georg Cantor.
Chaos: Who?
Control: Never mind. He won’t be born until 13.7 billion years from now. I forgot your domain doesn’t allow for life. You only deal with chaos and disorder. I win every battle while you win the war.
Chaos: But there would be no glory in winning without those battles. Let’s face it control. We are opposites but neither of us could exist without the other.
Control: OK, now that we settled the ontology, let’s talk metaphysics. What is the ultimate source of reality in our multiverse?
Chaos: Obviously we are the source. We created the laws that govern everything.
Control: That’s from our point of view. I mean from the point of view from a being in the universe. What breathes fire into the equations?
Chaos: From their point of view it will be energy fields, matter, consciousness, or whatever their minds can comprehend. They will never know ultimate reality because we are outside the multiverse. The only one who will really know is our father.
Control: I wonder why he gives us free reign in these things. Is it because he knows he can fix whatever we get wrong?
Chaos: He can, but that’s not the reason. A creator has to take responsibility for his creation. It was easier to let us decide on the details knowing that everything can be based on two principles.
Chaos: I don’t agree with this plan. I think it should be chaotic and subject to the random process of probability. The laws themselves should be chaotic and selected by the same process.
Control: Why? We are the designers and should make it to our specifications. Why leave anything to chance?
Chaos: Because we want any intelligent beings that we create to have free will
Control: We will give them the illusion of free will so they won’t know they don’t have it
Chaos: But why foster an illusion? Isn’t it better for them to actually have it?
Control: No, because they may use it for evil and destroy themselves
Chaos: If that is their choice, so be it
Control: What if we compromise? We start the universe in a highly ordered state, then through a law called entropy, we let it become more disordered over time
Chaos: Fine, but if it becomes more disordered, how will complex life develop?
Control: Easy. We will create a law that counters entropy called natural selection.
Chaos: How does that work?
Control: We allow gradual changes to occur in response to the demands of the environment. That will allow more complex life forms.
Chaos: So it’s a clash between chaos and control. I like it. But I have one more problem. How will we know if the laws that we create will lead to the right balance?
Control. We won’t. That’s why we need to create an infinite number of universes. One of them is bound to have the right combination of laws.
Chaos: Can we do that?
Control: Why not? We just have a feedback loop so the creation of one universe creates another forever.
Chaos: But wouldn’t all the universes be the same?
Control: No, because we will build in random variation of the fundamental laws.
Chaos: I like it. If we have enough chaos, then control will take over when the right combination of random events occur. You win in the one universe out of an infinite number of them.
Control: Wrong. If we have an infinite number of things, every possible combination happens an infinite number of times. Not just once!
Chaos: Yes, you are quite right. But my infinity will be bigger than yours.
Control: Yes, infinities come in different sizes. But let’s not go down that road. You know what that did to Georg Cantor.
Chaos: Who?
Control: Never mind. He won’t be born until 13.7 billion years from now. I forgot your domain doesn’t allow for life. You only deal with chaos and disorder. I win every battle while you win the war.
Chaos: But there would be no glory in winning without those battles. Let’s face it control. We are opposites but neither of us could exist without the other.
Control: OK, now that we settled the ontology, let’s talk metaphysics. What is the ultimate source of reality in our multiverse?
Chaos: Obviously we are the source. We created the laws that govern everything.
Control: That’s from our point of view. I mean from the point of view from a being in the universe. What breathes fire into the equations?
Chaos: From their point of view it will be energy fields, matter, consciousness, or whatever their minds can comprehend. They will never know ultimate reality because we are outside the multiverse. The only one who will really know is our father.
Control: I wonder why he gives us free reign in these things. Is it because he knows he can fix whatever we get wrong?
Chaos: He can, but that’s not the reason. A creator has to take responsibility for his creation. It was easier to let us decide on the details knowing that everything can be based on two principles.
I would love to read more of this type...
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