Information as the fabric of the universe
In the Standard Model, fundamental particles are considered indivisible. However, in theoretical physics, especially in string theory, there is a hypothesis that quarks, leptons, and bosons may themselves be composed of even smaller units called "strings" - vibrating 1D entities.
I've often wondered if the assumption that there must be something like a smallest, indivisible particle or object - literally anything without internal structure or components - is perhaps flawed.
What if, as we delve deeper into the micro scale, we won't find indivisible objects at the very end? What if, instead, we encounter information? It's a fascinating concept: that information itself forms the building blocks of the universe.
Perhaps one reason we still don't have an officially accepted "Theory of Everything" is that these matters are often addressed by physicists accustomed to thinking primarily in terms of particles. Perhaps what's needed here is a perspective that leans even more on a mathematical approach.
This is where someone like Garrett Lisi and his E8 Theory seems intriguing. Some physicists dismiss his theory as a "mathematical exercise" with no grounding in reality. But if we allow ourselves to assume that the universe's foundation is information rather than particles, then perhaps it's the traditional "physical" theories that might appear incomplete when viewed from that lens.
I find the idea that the fundamental building block of the universe is purely information highly compelling, and the E8 theory, rooted in a mathematical framework, seems highly plausible to me within this train of thought.
My colleague aptly pointed out that information always requires a medium. The assertion that information is the "foundation" does not explain how and where this information exists. If we assume that information is merely a way of organizing things like matter or energy, we return to the classical paradigm: it is matter or energy that forms the foundation, and information is merely one of their attributes.
However, I find myself drawn to the concept that information is fundamental in nature. This is very difficult to conceptualize, but in my view, perhaps in this case, there is no "medium" as we understand it. Perhaps the medium does not exist within our universe but rather exists beyond spacetime, which would make it unknowable within our conceptual framework. This is, of course, pure speculation, but it's incredibly fascinating to think about.
Published on