Toward a Living-Universe Framework: Integrating Cosmology, Complexity, Consciousness, and the Limits of Algorithmic Description
Cosmos and history December 13, 2025 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17945958 (opens in new tab)
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AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Proposes a living-universe framework in which cosmic structure, life, and consciousness co-emerge as a multi-scale informational architecture populated by locally embedded modes. Argues, drawing on incompleteness and undecidability results, that no finitely specifiable, fully computable theory of everything can capture all physically and biologically relevant truths, and outlines methodological constraints and research directions for a scientifically responsible program. |
Abstract
Update (July 2026): Version of record published The peer-reviewed version of record has now been published open access, with revisions that include a revised title: Otsubo, N. (2026). Process, Constraint, and Consciousness in a Self-Organising Cosmos: Toward a Natural-Philosophical Research Programme. Cosmos and History: The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy, 22(2), 357–384. https://cosmosandhistory.org/index.php/journal/article/view/1631 This Zenodo deposit is the author's earlier preprint, retained for reference and provenance. Please cite the version of record above. Author: Nobuyuki Otsubo (Independent Researcher / Natural Philosopher, Tokyo, Japan) This preprint proposes a living-universe framework: a conceptual architecture for understanding the universe as a historical, non-equilibrium process in which cosmic structure, life, and consciousness co-emerge. Drawing on cosmology, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, complexity science, and philosophy of mind, it interprets the universe as a multi-scale informational architecture (𝒜) populated by locally embedded modes (μ) that both sample and reshape this architecture over time. The framework has four aims. First, it synthesizes work on energy flow, self-organization, and distributed cognition into a unified view of life and mind as teleodynamic information processing. Second, it extends Zimmermann’s systems metaphysics of emergence by placing living and cognitive systems explicitly within a cosmological context. Third, it argues—drawing on results in incompleteness and undecidability—that no finitely specifiable, fully computable “theory of everything” can capture all physically and biologically relevant truths. Fourth, it proposes a schematic 𝒜–μ architecture in which local minds are modeled as embedded modes of a global informational structure, while remaining neutral on strong panpsychist claims. The paper closes by outlining methodological constraints and empirically tractable research directions for a scientifically responsible living-universe program. Preprint disclaimer: This is a concept paper / preprint and has not yet been peer-reviewed. The content reflects the author’s current views and may be revised.Recommended citation: Please cite this work using the Zenodo DOI: doi:10.5281/zenodo.17945959. This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0.