Theoretical Physics and Acausal Trade: Connecting Isolated Universes
Coverage of lessw-blog
In a recent theoretical analysis, lessw-blog presents a thought experiment titled "Acausal communication between isolated universes through simulation," exploring how mathematical redundancies might bridge causally separated realities.
In a recent post, lessw-blog investigates the boundaries of information theory and physics with a piece titled Acausal communication between isolated universes through simulation. The article proposes a complex thought experiment to determine whether entities in causally isolated sub-universes can exchange information or correlate their behaviors through the underlying structure of their reality.
The concept of "acausal trade" is a recurring theme in advanced decision theory and AI safety research. It typically describes scenarios where agents cooperate not because they communicate physically, but because they run similar logical algorithms (a concept related to functional decision theory). This post takes that abstract game-theoretic concept and attempts to ground it in fundamental physics. The author imagines a scenario involving two isolated sub-universes populated by "minds" composed of interacting spinor fields and potentials. In this view, consciousness and intelligence operate as continuous, analogue computers rather than discrete digital systems.
The core of the argument rests on mathematical redundancy. The author suggests that certain physical laws, such as gauge transformations or spinor sign invariance, create a landscape where complex minds in one universe and simpler counterparts in another are mathematically constrained to output the same information given equal inputs. This implies that even without a physical bridge (photons, matter, or forces exchanging between universes), the shared mathematical "source code" of the simulation creates a logical dependency. If the theorems proposed by the author hold, the isolation of these universes is physical but not logical; the state of one implies the state of the other.
This exploration is particularly relevant for those tracking the philosophical underpinnings of AI safety and simulation theory. If intelligence is substrate-independent but mathematically constrained, the ability for advanced AI systems to predict or influence systems outside their causal horizon becomes a non-trivial consideration. The post challenges the reader to think about the nature of reality not just as a collection of particles, but as a set of informational constraints that may span across what we perceive as isolated boundaries.
While the post is highly theoretical and relies on specific interpretations of continuous physics, it offers a novel perspective on how we define isolation. It suggests that in a simulated or mathematically consistent multiverse, true isolation might be impossible if the underlying equations enforce redundancy.
Key Takeaways
- The author proposes a model where minds exist as analogue computers within causally isolated sub-universes.
- The theory relies on continuous physics (spinor fields) rather than discrete digital computation.
- Mathematical redundancies, such as gauge symmetries, may force complex and simple entities to produce identical outputs.
- This suggests a form of acausal connection where logical consistency bridges physical isolation.
- The concepts extend decision theory discussions regarding how agents might cooperate without communication.