Searching for the Hawking’s Fire — The Circular Nature of Physics
Casper Wilstrup is the CEO of Abzu. Follow him on LinkedIn or Twitter to keep up with AI, consciousness, and thinking machines.
Physics, the discipline that seeks to describe and explain the workings of the cosmos, really is a marvel of human intellect. Yet, on closer inspection, it has an interesting characteristic: the physical laws of the universe are circular.
In other words, physics does not define any concepts except by reference to other concepts. The entire construction of physics is a set of abstract concepts: mass, space, time, energy, and force, etc., all of which reference each other in an elaborate directed graph. (I love graphs). This observation does not discredit physics. On the contrary, its predictions are astoundingly accurate, and its descriptions have revolutionized our world.
The Missing Fire
But there seems to be something missing — a vital element that “breathes fire into the equations,” as Stephen Hawking once remarked. This elusive “something” is not described by physics at all. So, what is it?
Going back to my previous blog post’s discussion of Kierkegaard’s leap of faith. Perhaps the “fire” I am searching for is a fundamental aspect of our existence that cannot be described by the language and tools of physics. I can think of several philosophers and scientists who argue that consciousness might be an essential ingredient in the fabric of reality. Philip Goff’s book, Galileo’s Error, is the best explanation of this idea I have read.
If consciousness is, indeed, the essence that breathes life into the equations of physics, it means that our subjective experience plays a more significant role in the workings of the universe than we have previously acknowledged. This notion changes our understanding of reality, placing consciousness at the center of the cosmic stage. Does this remind anyone of Quantum Physics? It really should.
I am not suggesting that we should abandon the pursuit of understanding the physical world through the lens of physics. The progress humanity has made through physics — and the sciences that are built on it — is unparalleled, and the importance of physics cannot be overstated.
Instead, I propose that we should remain open to the possibility that there might be dimensions of existence that defy explanation within our current scientific model. We should be willing to entertain the idea that the universe is a tapestry woven from both the objective and the subjective. The circular nature of physics is really an invitation to explore the still uncharted territories of consciousness.
Roger Penrose and Consciousness
Enter Roger Penrose, a British mathematician and physicist, whose work has shed some light on the possible connections between consciousness, mathematics, and the physical world. Penrose has proposed the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR) theory, in collaboration with anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff. This theory suggests that consciousness is a product of quantum processes occurring within the microtubules of our brain cells. By exploring the quantum nature of these processes, Penrose and Hameroff propose that consciousness might be woven into the very fabric of the universe.
If Penrose is right, then our subjective experience is not merely an epiphenomenon, an inconsequential byproduct of the physical world. Instead, it might be a central aspect of reality, intrinsically linked to the underlying structure of the universe.
To Whom Does Physics Predict?
I personally think that there is even more to it than that. The circular nature of physics, combined with its undeniable power of prediction, tells me that it is predicting something to somebody. That somebody is the observer. If we accept that everything is an observer, which is the core tenant of the philosophical point of view known as panpsychism, then physics suddenly has absolute meaning. It puts into mathematical form the appearance of all other observers as experienced by a single observer.
This point, although not rigorously developed in my mind yet, resonates quite well with both quantum physics and the theory of relativity.
I will continue thinking — and writing — about this specific idea, and in doing so, I hope to move a bit closer to the fire.
