Co-Created
The “Instrument” of consciousnesses in the beyond-life is as a piano, infinite in scale, yet each key, a finite pitch with infinite precision. A Signature-Frequency Set has a finite history, yet each relationship, an infinite possibility of shared complexity. For example, one of these keys is unique to Linh and no other, while Greg, too, has his own special key. Linh sings her single note, Greg sings his. Together, they co-create a unique chord within the Concert Hall– a common space where all notes are open to commingle. This choice to share their notes (or not) creates the pair’s novel sound– a Ripple of their interaction. By expressing preference, either ignoring, incorporating, or inhibiting Greg’s special note, Linh develops her history. She becomes more than her initial key on that piano, but additionally, her reaction to that chord. With further Ripples, Linh “assembles” [i] into an informational symphony, also known as her “Signature-Frequency Set” (SFS). Ripples are interactions between Signature-Frequency Sets– information exchanges, momentary combinations, new chords– and result in a constant state of evaluation– a gradient of reaction, accepting, rejecting, or disregarding the idiosyncrasies of other Sets. The evaluation itself is not a reflection of moral bias– not a choice of Love or Power– but simply a reaction to specific qualia. In other words, acquisition doesn’t necessarily note the framework of Love, while rejection, necessarily the framework of Power.
Within the Concert Hall, Complete Information is a chorus– an activity where we are both fully expressing ourselves, while simultaneously, fully comprehending those others. In mortal life, we are limited to either speaking or listening– we cannot do both simultaneously while maintaining focus. However, in the Hall, Complete Information’s perfect circuit means we cannot do either in isolation. This ability lies beyond human comprehension, where communication is fully integrated from both sides– a constant chorus of shared viewpoints, without the constraints of timing, translation, flawed information, or other such barriers.
The music of the Hall manifests when Greg and Linh share their unique Sets with intentional vulnerability, enabling a complete understanding of their connection. Information Control, or the ability to curate only chosen Ripples, means disconnection from the Concert Hall, and manifests as Linh forcibly seizing qualia she finds pleasing. When reacting to Greg’s data, Linh can share her data accurately (Love), or silence her Set (Power), either providing no response, or replacing authentic data with a manufactured signal, designed by her preferences to elicit or suppress further communication with Greg.
Spiritual ideologies, scientific theories, and social norms are all stories humanity has spread to inspire human prosperity– whatever story takes dominance at a given time is the drumbeat most march to. Some believe in our duty to God; some, in the capacity of science; while others, distracted by their social media feeds’ rewarding algorithms. The potential number of persuasive narratives is without limit, and figuring out the universe’s meaning– its true grand creator, correct theoretical model, or next tantalizing bit of entertainment– neither helps nor hinders our Set’s eternal development. In religion, one’s thoughts (orthodoxy) [ii] or behavior (orthopraxy) [iii] levels one’s judgment [iv] before God. In science, experimentation enlightens one’s journey. In society, one’s influence garners their level of attention. However, in the Novel Universe Model, neither the prospect of punishment nor reward truly matters. What truly matters is how we perceive and communicate with each other, and how the process evolves through the frameworks of Love or Power.
The question of the “Prime Mover,” or what Aristotle called, the “unmoved mover,” [v] asks something like, “If the universe created me, and God created the universe, then who created God?” Going backwards along this line of thought eventually leads to the paradox of the Prime Mover– a reaction without inciting action, God as zero. The Big Bang Theory, similarly, seeks to describe the universe’s origin in which it cannot identify the exact circumstances before “Inflation”–[vi] its random beginning from essentially nothing.
Does the existence of a universe necessarily require a beginning or divine creator? Suppose not. Suppose the universe is a tool– purposeful, assembled data for novelty extraction– and Linh, no more than her history as a dataset– a never-before known pattern, leading back to that single note. Data’s always being exchanged, and always will be. There’s infinite novelty in the way Linh creates that history, how she adopts, rejects, or ignores the voices of others, and it all depends on her personal preference.
The Instrument exists beyond the cosmos, beyond time– It’s the potential for any and all possible data sharing, not God or individual, but numbers, independent of personal or divine desire. No Creator, no “heavenly plan,” no path of enlightenment is therefore required. There is only communication– the inherent exchange of information between Signature-Frequency Sets within the Instrument’s Blockchain– an interwoven record of all Ripples (Blocks) between all Sets. For example, by engaging with and evaluating the information in these very words, we, together, are casting Ripples to enhance our Sets. In death, we’ll not only know the other’s experience as they read / wrote this, but any future Ripples these interactions might generate. Soulmates? Best friends? Those early combinations with other Sets had profound effects on the assembly of our SFS. We “vibe” with certain people because their voices are rooted deep in our dataset, foundational to who we are– the way a painter might favor a certain color in their art because of the hue of their childhood home. Built through every interaction we’ve ever had, our Signature-Frequency Sets are a kind of eternal “DNA,” in that they store functional data, built from our experience of others. They are the stories, blueprints, and factories that construct those reactions predicted to best fit our environment in order to secure our preferences.
Under the understanding of panpsychism, [vii] everything is conscious, from atom to organism, and keeps to itself its own history, as part of the Instrument’s global, informational Blockchain. After Linh shared her single note with Greg, she first became a chord, and then, a symphony– a complex dataset, eventually developed enough to operate a human body’s control models. Like Linh, all of our choices to interact (accepting, rejecting, or simply brushing off Ripples) co-creates each one of us, every second of every day. These choices are a product of our history, framework (Love or Power), personal preference, and freewill (a capacity to change our preferences).
Sets are in constant flux, eternally evolving through their interactions with other Sets. For example, Malcolm, the “cool kid” at school, is seen smoking, so Dave adopts that Ripple– casually sparking a cigarette for himself. Conversely, Linh eyes a bitter rival, Chris, wearing Linh’s same style of hat, so she rejects Chris’ Ripple– immediately stuffing the headgear into her locker.
Of course, most Ripples are brushed off, that array of personalities passing without notice every day. However, in a sea of awareness, even the most benign sounds are still appended to our Set, accumulating with occasional effect. Consider the condition of “outlier” status. As social creatures, perceived otherness is often painfully uncomfortable, and it becomes harder to ignore Ripples the more they’re incorporated around us. A group of people mocking Dave’s cough might pressure him to put out the cigarette, or a viral fashion trend might entice Linh to dust off her hat. Either way, it all comes down to personal preference, and its accompanying thermostat– freewill, a gradient of effort required to tweak or even transform preference. Often, freewill results in little more than an alteration of behavior, like its timing or intensity, but less often, it’s a hinge point, drastically flipping one’s direction in life. At the low end of freewill’s thermostat, Dave’s smoke break is delayed, lighting up after school in more secluded surroundings; at the high end, the pack is set down, never to be picked up again.
Determinism [viii] proposes a one-to-one relationship between cause and effect– from the beginning forward, what has happened “determines” what’s next. If Linh’s conditions are known– her epigenetics, stressors, body chemistry, etc.– freewill is no more than an illusion, a post-hoc rationale for behavior. Many religions argue as well for everything being the almighty will of God, the idea of predestiny. Although this lack of freewill often appears to be true, even the most ardent determinist or fanatical evangelical will admit to the equally perceivable “randomness” of behavior in general– sometimes what’s supposed to happen, doesn’t happen. Why? They’re not sure, it’s random! The Novel Universe Model, on the other hand, suggests Linh’s life is not predetermined, but the highly-variable answer to a single question: at this moment, does she view her preferences through the framework of Love or Power?
Although most mostly march to the drumbeat of social cues and biology, sometimes some simply will not. When novelty is expressed in the universe, things appear random, as underlining freedoms are revealed through the intentional interaction of individuals. Punctuation of equilibrium occurs when the priorities of individuals change, and Sets embody new preferences. Although determinism has its place, there are points where freewill always applies, such as timing, intensity, and framework. Even if an action is otherwise baked in, its timing and intensity are negotiable. Furthermore, the overarching priories set by one’s framework (Love or Power) filters all actions and reactions into a subset of awareness. In other words, those who’ve chosen Love are not even aware of the paths of Power, and vice versa. Despite biology directing various actions to varying degrees, our freewill to see the world in terms of Love or Power sets forth the scope of our options, whether determinate or malleable. Freewill can be a moment of tepid hesitation, an intense second of rushing in, even a profound epiphany– those times we flip frameworks, suddenly seizing control with silencing force, or relinquishing control with intentional vulnerability. In any case, effort is the key signal of freewill’s presence. Effort, by its very nature, is energy exerted against the free energy principle’s [ix] gradient– what’s “easy” or expected.
Whether upholding the “facts” of established theories or the “truth” of God, institutions and individuals are often entrenched in dogmatic schools of thought, resisting or even punishing the notion of change. In scientific or religious models, new concepts challenge the status quo, and must be put to the test– predictions, based on these new ideas, are proven should they afford some level of novel control. However, reality is not a test, and control is only one option. Reality is an opportunity to choose that control, or instead, participate without it. Neither our existence nor our framework is under the direction of anyone but ourselves. The purpose of mortality is to create Ripples only possible in a Novel Universe. What is “bad” or “healthy” to do to others, or to experience for ourselves? The value of behavior often falls within our social frames of reference– culture– and what’s shameful in one society may be lauded in another. [x] Everything we do matters, but what it means to those involved rests on shared culture, on life experience, and on personal preference.
The action of choice– the expression of freewill– created each and every one of us. From the moment we developed our single note into a chord by way of our initial interaction with that other, we became our own Prime Mover. Considering one’s self their own “God” (in concert with the Instrument and all other Prime Movers) may feel unnerving, precarious. The thought that someone else has all the answer can be comforting, and for Power, a perfect way to manipulate others. However, understanding that we created ourselves through the act of communication– a perpetual act that continues to this day– encourages us to truly embrace the fullness of our being without excuses or limits.
The theist believes in God; the atheist, determinism. The functional difference? None. Either perspective believes that there’s no choice, no chance to change what will be. The Novel Universe Model, instead, supposes that choice spawns novelty from the interplay of individuals; the conscious expression of preference and freewill constructs reality through the narrow observation of and reaction to the actions of others. From this perspective, there are endless possibilities we might exercise. Instead of the universe being predetermined by a Creator or laws of Nature, it is a co-creation of the chaotic Co-Created, evolving our collective Ripples together.