A Metaphysical Model for a Cønscious Universe of Timeless Physical Change

The following article assumes two unusual premisses:

A Schematic of the Proposed Model

The following article assumes two unusual premisses:

1. The physical universe exists solely in the present, not “within time” as ordinarily conceived.

2. All phenomena are constructed from and organized by cønsciousness.

Two prior articles provide arguments in support of these concepts:

1. Metaphysical Questions for Physicists about Time: observes that there exists no actual physical reality to past or future. Only the present is physically real. Past and future are real only as abstractions within a cønscious mind.

2. Metaphysical Questions for Physicists about Consciousness: observes that all detectable matter “senses and responds” and is therefore “cønscious” (the “ø” spelling modification solely denotes an entity’s capacity to sense and respond with an assumed experiencer as agent). What we normally refer to as inert matter is here seen as a network of cønscious entities.

If you don’t presently see why these claims are worth consideration please read the above articles. These two ideas and their implications are the foundation for what follows.

How does change happen in a physical universe existing solely in the present?

Physical change is ordinarily described using a timeline or time variable representing some range of time or rate of change. But if there exists no physical past or future these methods cannot accurately describe how reality works. Timelines and time variables can be successfully applied to predict many of the changes within physical reality but this in no way suggests that reality itself operates on the basis of timelines, velocities or accelerations.

In contrast, the model under consideration proposes that reality consists of nothing more than an ever-changing present with cønsciousness as its sole agent of change. Time exists in this model — but not as a physical attribute. It is instead an abstract capacity within cønsciousness that informs cønscious operations.

Consider the role cønsciousness plays in its many forms here on earth. We witness quite an amazing variety of consciousness just within our own human species. All the more incredible when we consider that all living things contain some form of cønsciousness experiencing existence and producing behavior. The variety of cønsciousness within Earth's biosphere is absolutely mind-blowing.

This prolific variety signifies the countless ways cønsciousness is able to process sense information and produce differing responses. But beneath this variety is a common schematic: all forms of cønsciousness receive signals from their environment, perform some kind of internal signal processing and exhibit some behavior.

Cønsciousness can therefore be seen as functioning much like an analog information processor. It receives information from its present surroundings via some sense apparatus. Myriad forms of cønsciousness are different types of processors producing various output signals depending upon the circumstance within which the cønsciousness is placed, the sensitivity of its sense apparatus, the nature and number of constituent cønscious entities under its influence and its method of internal processing.

If all phenomena is built from cønscious entities (as postulated in the second paper cited above) change can occur on the basis of cønscious processing without any need for physical time.

Cønsciousness interacts with its surroundings via the medium of energy.

Energy is the currency that flows between all local nodes of cønsciousness in the universal network. Each node has its own sense and expression capabilities that act as an interface, allowing cønsciousness to send and receive signals. (See above diagram for schematic)

• Signals within the local frame stimulate cønsciousness’ senses (input from phenomena into cønsciousness).

• Cønsciousness expresses itself energetically into its local frame thereby activating the senses of local nodes (this is the output from cønsciousness into phenomena).

If all entities are cønscious (including particles, atoms, molecules, cells etc.) then the physical world is comprised entirely of cønscious entities. It follows that all signals originate from cønscious entities.¹ Signals are received via various sense apparatus which are themselves comprised of cønscious entities (e.g. nerve cells within a body).

Whether its the cells within your body or the billions of atoms and particles vibrating in your environment — your entire experience is (from the point of view outlined here) the result of the energetic interaction of all the billions of cønscious entities which comprise your consciousness’ body and its environment.

The behavior of all cønscious entities within a given frame result in that frame’s phenomena. This aggregation of cønscious activity is what makes up the sensible world (all energetic phenomena that can be sensed).

Cønsciousness receives energetic signals from the present frame and transmits energetic signals into the present frame. When signals are received by cønsciousness it causes an impression of the present frame to form within cønsciousness. When actions are undertaken by cønsciousness (expression) it causes the present frame to be influenced by force.

Force is the transmission of energy from one cønscious entity to another (or group of others).

In this model forces operate in two primary modes within the physical present: inertial and kinetic.

• Forces are inertial if they produce stable (or consistently periodic) phenomena. When forces combine to maintain conditions within a frame; phenomena abides by the law of inertia.

• Forces are kinetic when they cause change within a frame (e.g. acceleration).

All forces are here seen as byproducts of cønsciousness. The inertial mode maintains consistent phenomena by the stable interaction of all cønscious forces. For instance, “inert” matter is comprised of bound cønscious entities whose aggregate expressions of force create a rigid inertial mode (e.g. atoms in a solid). The movement of free bodies in space is also accounted for by this inertial mode of force interaction. Movement does not require time it merely requires force. In the absence of any altering forces movement will continue undisturbed in the present frame.

Forces are kinetic when they modulate, modify, assemble or dismantle the networks of cønscious agents which comprise the present frame. A kinetic mode causes change to occur within the organizational structures of the cønscious network (e.g. changes to an object’s direction or speed of movement (acceleration)). The kinetic mode has the potential to propagate change outwards from its point of origin.² Cønscious agents with freedom to choose and power to influence may dramatically, irrevocably and unpredictably alter the physical present.

Integrating the domain of physics with that of experiential cønsciousness paints a more complete picture of reality. Clearly we exist in a reality that contains both cønsciousness and physics. A physics absent cønsciousness is incomplete; as would be any theory of cønsciousness that ignored physical reality.

Time is not necessary to account for change except (perhaps) as a representation held within cønsciousness. By cønsciousness’ capacity for abstraction, concepts of time may be constructed which makes it possible to store and recall patterns of behavior, and to imagine (create images of) potentially novel behaviors.³

Coupling physical reality to cønsciousness allows us to place time where it belongs: as a three dimensional matrix within cønsciousness.

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Footnotes:

1. We don’t normally consider cønsciousness to be the “origin of all signals” because we have a preconceived concept of what cønscious signals should look like. We assume that cønscious signals should resemble the signals we associate with life. All cønsciousness is biased towards its own experience. We tend to downplay other forms of cønsciousness. For example, some people might not think that plants are cønscious life forms until they carefully observe the behavior of plants. Only then does it become obvious that plants are cønscious. The fact that all matter senses and responds allows us to consider the possibility that all entities are essentially and elementarily cønscious.

2. All changes have the potential to influence (however slightly) the entire cosmos. Recall the concept in chaos theory: one butterfly flapping its wings has the potential to cause effects throughout the entire global system.

3. Cønsciousness is the missing processor in information theory.