The Cosmic Hologram

1. Information is the fundamental ingredient of reality, more primary than energy, matter, space, or time.

Information is physical.

Beyond matter and energy. Emerging 21st-century science reveals that information is more fundamental than the energy and matter that make up our physical world. The laws governing how energy and matter interact are essentially laws of information. This perspective is revolutionizing our understanding of reality.

Information is physical. Experiments, like those verifying Landauer's principle, demonstrate that information is intrinsically linked to physical processes, specifically thermodynamics. Erasing a bit of information requires a minimum amount of energy and increases entropy, proving its physical reality. This challenges the traditional view of information as merely abstract data.

Underpinning everything. From the smallest Planck scale to the largest cosmic structures, information content and flow describe physical phenomena at deeper levels than previously possible. This suggests that everything we perceive as physical is, at its core, made of information, transforming our definition of "physical" itself.

2. Our Universe is a cosmic hologram, with physical reality emerging from a deeper informational boundary.

The Cosmic Hologram is as elegant in its vision of a hologramatic universe as it is profound in its assertion that humanity is an integral part of it.

Holographic principle. Inspired by insights into black hole entropy, the holographic principle suggests that all the information contained within a volume of space can be encoded on its two-dimensional boundary. This implies our seemingly three-dimensional universe might be a projection from a lower-dimensional surface.

Information on the boundary. Jacob Bekenstein's work showed that the maximum information a region of space can hold is proportional to its surface area, not its volume. This counterintuitive finding strongly supports the idea that information is encoded holographically, pixelated at the minuscule Planck scale on a boundary.

Self-similar patterns. Holograms inherently contain the information of the whole in every part. This self-similarity is mirrored in the fractal patterns found throughout the universe, from coastlines to galactic clusters, suggesting a universal holographic structure where the microcosm reflects the macrocosm.

3. The laws of physics, including quantum theory and relativity, are unified by the principles of information.

The progressive recognition that scientific laws can be redefined and expanded in terms of information goes back to the nineteenth-century study of thermodynamics.

Bridging the divide. Quantum theory (describing the small) and relativity theory (describing the large) have remained stubbornly incompatible for decades. Restating these theories in terms of information offers a potential path to their reconciliation, viewing them as complementary aspects of an informationally based reality.

Two laws of information. The first law of information states that information expressed as energy-matter is universally conserved, mirroring quantum theory. The second law states that information expressed through entropic processes (like the flow of time) always increases, mirroring relativity and thermodynamics.

Complementary perspectives. Quantum theory describes conserved energy-matter, while relativity describes entropic space-time. Understanding them through the lens of information reveals they are not contradictory but complementary descriptions of the same underlying informational reality, finally offering a "theory of everything."

4. The Universe is exquisitely fine-tuned and ordered, not random, enabling the evolution of complexity.

Our Universe is literally, in its totality, formed from nothing.

Perfect balance. The Universe began not with a chaotic explosion, but with exquisite precision and order – a "big breath." Its initial conditions, like the tiny irregularities in the cosmic microwave background, were perfectly tuned to allow for the formation of stars, galaxies, and complex structures.

Fine-tuned constants. The fundamental physical constants and the ratios between forces are incredibly specific. Even minute variations in these values would have prevented the Universe from existing as it does, highlighting a profound underlying order rather than mere chance. Examples include:

• The strength of the strong nuclear force (epsilon)
• The ratio of electric to gravitational forces (N)
• The number of spatial dimensions (D)
• The smoothness of space (Q)
• The density of energy-matter (Omega)
• The cosmological constant (Lambda)

Order from simplicity. Despite its vast complexity, the Universe operates based on fundamental principles that are "as simple as it can be but no simpler." This inherent simplicity, revealed through mathematical laws and symmetries, guides the emergence of order from potentiality.

5. Space-time and gravity are emergent, informationally entropic phenomena arising from a non-physical realm.

Indeed, we may now consider the nature of time as experienced within the physical realm, literally as the informational flow of entropy.

Pixelated reality. Space-time is not a continuous backdrop but may be pixelated at the Planck scale, the smallest possible unit. This pixelation is where information is encoded on the holographic boundary, and its increase requires space to expand, driving the "big breath."

Gravity as entropy. Instead of a fundamental force, gravity may be an emergent consequence of the informationally entropic nature of space-time. This perspective, supported by connections between black hole entropy and gravitational equations, could explain why gravity is so much weaker than other forces and why a hypothetical graviton particle remains elusive.

Beyond the physical. The mathematical framework describing physical reality, such as quantum theory and Fourier transforms, requires the existence of non-physical realms like the complex plane. These "imaginary" spaces are where the informational templates and fractal attractors reside, from which the "real" world is imaged and manifests.

6. Evolution is an in-formed design process, guided by underlying informational patterns and relationships.

DNA is like a computer program but far, far more advanced than any software ever created.

Beyond random chance. The emergence of increasing complexity, from simple elements to biological organisms, is not merely random self-organization but appears guided by underlying informational patterns. This suggests an "in-formed design" for evolution, reconciling concepts of intelligent design and self-organization.

Information guides emergence. Studies show that specific, transient information is present at critical transition points, guiding systems to higher levels of organization. This "excess entropy" facilitates communication within and between systems and their environments, steering the evolutionary process.

Co-creative adaptation. Evolution is a co-creative process between organisms and their environment. Informational exchanges, including epigenetic influences and social interactions, drive adaptation and the emergence of new species, often in response to environmental changes, demonstrating a dynamic partnership.

7. Biological life, including human consciousness, embodies holographic and fractal organization.

Life will find a way.

Holographic bodies. Biological organisms, from single cells to complex humans, exhibit holographic and fractal organization. Cell membranes act as informational processors, and the body's overall structure may be guided by informational templates and bioelectrical processes, reflecting the whole in its parts.

Distributed intelligence. The body's intelligence is not solely centralized in the brain. Neural networks in the heart and gut, along with bio-electromagnetic fields, suggest a distributed system of communication and organization throughout the organism, embodying a complex, interconnected network.

Universal patterns in biology. The same fractal geometries, power laws, and harmonic relationships found in the physical universe are present in biological systems. From the branching of blood vessels to the structure of DNA and the dynamics of ecosystems, life reflects the universal patterns of the cosmic hologram.

8. Human consciousness is nonlocal, extending beyond the brain and body.

I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness.

Consciousness is primary. Contrary to the view that consciousness emerges from the brain, the cosmic hologram perspective suggests consciousness is fundamental and the physical world is derivative. Our individual consciousness is not confined to the brain but is a localized expression of universal consciousness.

Brain as receiver. The brain functions not as a generator of consciousness, but as a receiver and transmitter, processing and interpreting nonlocal information for our embodied experience. This reframes the mind-brain relationship within a broader context of universal awareness.

Beyond physical limits. Nonlocal connectivity, inherent to the universe, allows consciousness to transcend the limitations of space and time. This provides a framework for understanding experiences like near-death states and out-of-body awareness, where consciousness appears to operate independently of the physical body.

9. Supernormal abilities are natural expressions of nonlocal, unified consciousness.

All the powers in the universe are already ours.

Innate capabilities. Phenomena often labeled "supernatural" or "paranormal," such as remote viewing, telepathy, and precognition, are not outside the laws of nature but are natural expressions of our nonlocal consciousness. The cosmic hologram provides a theoretical basis for these abilities.

Nonlocal entanglement. Supernormal experiences involve informationally entangled states of consciousness that transcend space-time separation. This entanglement allows for spontaneous correlation and awareness across distance and time, facilitated by factors like focused attention and emotional intensity.

Accessing potential futures. Precognition may involve accessing the "bow wave" of space-time, where potentialized futures are forming as informational attractors in the non-physical realm. This does not violate causality but reflects the interconnectedness of consciousness across the informational flow of time.

10. We are microcosmic co-creators, actively participating in the unfolding of reality.

An individual can’t create anything itself. All of our dreams come true with the cooperation and co-creation of other souls.

Microcosms of the whole. Each human being is a unique, individuated microcosm of the holographic intelligence of the Universe. We are not separate observers but integral parts of the reality we perceive and experience.

Beliefs shape reality. Our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, both conscious and unconscious, significantly influence our perception and experience of reality. What we "believe" we literally "see," demonstrating our active role in co-creating our personal and collective worlds.

Co-creative principles. Our participation in co-creation follows universal principles embedded in the cosmic hologram, such as relativity, resonance, reflection, and choice. Understanding these principles empowers us to consciously shape our realities and contribute to the evolution of the Universe.

11. The Cosmos is an infinite, eternal plenum containing finite, evolving universes.

God isn’t “out there,” a creator of the Universe and its creations. Instead, the greatest breakthrough we may make as human beings in the twenty-first century is to recognize that we and everything that we call reality in all dimensions and realms of existence are God, or whatever term we choose for the infinity of cosmic mind, and that we are microcosmic co-creators of its ineffable reality.

Finite within infinite. Our Universe is finite, having a beginning and an end, existing as one of potentially infinite universes within an infinite and eternal cosmic plenum. This vast context highlights the scale of cosmic mind and its boundless capacity for expression.

Cycles of existence. Theories like Conformal Cyclic Cosmology and ECKS suggest mechanisms for the birth and death of universes, potentially involving cycles or budding from existing space-time. These models hint at a continuous process of cosmic evolution and reincarnation on a grand scale.

Ultimate unity. The infinite Cosmos is the ultimate reality, the "God" or cosmic mind, of which all finite universes and all forms of consciousness are integral expressions. Recognizing this unity dissolves the illusion of separation and reveals the profound meaning and purpose of our existence as co-creators within this boundless whole.

Last updated: May 12, 2025