Contemplating the Universe - Speculative theories on information and time
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) June 28, 2026 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20995201 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness Quantum entanglement Meaning existential Universe String theory Action physics Philosophy of science Speculation Point geometry Epistemology Theoretical physics Cognitive science Convergence economics |
| Key points | Argues that the convergence of five speculative ideas—block universe, quantum entanglement, mass-energy equivalence, semantic curvature, and panpsychism—suggests a unified, interconnected reality. |
Abstract
This paper surveys four speculative yet scientifically grounded ideas at the frontier of modern physics and philosophy of mind, examining how they collectively point toward a unified picture of reality. We explore (1) the block universe and the illusory flow of time; (2) quantum entanglement and the apparent non-separability of space; ( 3) the mass-energy equivalence, string theory, and Wheeler's "It from Bit" — which together suggest that matter is a manifestation of vibration and information; (4) a novel notion of semantic curvature, in which meaning plays an analogous role in cognition to the role mass plays in spacetime; and (5) panpsychism as a possible scientific framework for consciousness as a fundamental feature of reality. We argue that while none of these theories is definitively proven, their convergence — with each other and with perennial insights from spiritual traditions East and West — suggests that the universe may be a single, deeply interconnected, and meaning-laden whole. The paper is explicitly speculative and intended to stimulate cross-disciplinary reflection rather than to advance formal theoretical claims.