A HIERARCHY OF CREATIVITY
John A. Gowan
Feb. 2016
1) Multiverse ---> creating universes
The multiverse is the primary source (First Cause) of creative
energy, and of all possible universes. Some of these universes, like
our own, will be created with life-friendly physical constants. All
universes must contain zero net energy and zero net charge (at least
initially), and must be able to conserve what energy and charge they
may otherwise contain (subsequent to their formation). Hence the
creative energy of the multiverse is never exhausted. The multiverse
is the source of the universal physical constants, such as the value
of velocity "c", the gravitational constant G, Planck's constant of
energy "h", and other primary ("given") constants which cannot be
derived.
2) Our Universe ---> creating spacetime, particles (leptons, neutrinos, baryons, and leptoquarks),
and the four forces (electric, strong, weak, gravity)
Our universe is an electromagnetic universe whose positive energy is
balanced by the negative energy of gravity. The electromagnetic
constant "c" is a symmetry gauge (banishing time and distance),
hence regulating the symmetric dimensional energy state of free
electromagnetic energy, or light. Our universe creates spacetime,
the four forces of physics, and elementary particles (during its
birth in the "big bang"). Our universe is asymmetric, in that it
contains a surplus of matter over antimatter. This asymmetry is
addressed by the conserved charges of matter, which function to
(eventually) annihilate matter and return the universe to its
primordial symmetric condition of pure light. All manifest universes
must be asymmetric, and have some means of addressing their
asymmetry in order to return to their original symmetric state.
Symmetry, no less than energy, is a conserved property of our
universe. The charges of matter are the
symmetry debts of light. Gravity creates
the galaxies of our universe. The
"location" charge of gravity is one of the conserved charges of
matter.
3) Galaxies ---> creating stars and planets
The galaxies collect (via gravity) huge concentrations of matter,
from which are formed stars, planets, and other astronomical bodies
(including black holes). The spherical shape of large bodies
formed/bounded by gravity is distinctive. Small bodies of angular
shape are bounded by molecular/crystalline (electromagnetic) forces.
Galaxies are the primary "social" units of the cosmos, its "cities",
where all the action occurs. Gravity carries forward simultaneously
two agendas of our universe: 1) the universal thermodynamic agenda
shared by all forces to convert matter to light, returning the
cosmos to its original symmetric state (conservation of symmetry and
energy); 2) the universal agenda of the information domain (also
shared by all forces) to create life and the conscious
self-awareness of the cosmos. Information enters the cosmos in the
form of the charges of matter during the "big bang", serving to
provide a roadmap back to the symmetric energy state of light for
the asymmetric matter of the cosmos (the agenda of the thermodynamic
domain - symmetry as well as energy conservation - see Noether's Theorem). However, during this
very lengthy journey, this same information is available to create
life and a conscious, self-aware universe (the agenda of the
information domain). Gravity is a form of
negative energy and entropy, converting space into time.
4) Stars ---> creating heavy elements
In stars (including supernovas), all four forces acting together
(gravity, electric, weak, and strong) create the heavy elements of
the Periodic Table. The elements are the building blocks ("bricks")
of information which the universe will use to pursue a unique and
non-thermodynamic agenda in the information domain - the creation of
life, consciousness, and a self-aware universe. The gravitational
pathway from asymmetric matter to symmetric light also begins with
stars, passes through supernovas, and ends with quasars and
Hawking's "quantum radiance" of black holes. The gravitational
pathway to information building also begins with stars but then
passes to planets and chemical rather than nuclear interactions.
5) Planets ---> creating life
Planets afford a safe haven for life if conditions are right
(similar to those on our own planet Earth). There must be billions
of such planets in our cosmos - not only now, but in the past and
future. The creation of life remains a mystery, but it apparently
follows a General Systems 4x3 algorithm or
information pathway. Planets like Earth allow the creativity
inherent in atoms and molecules (as the attractive forces generated
by their charges) to produce crystals and complex molecular
combinations, culminating in organic
molecules and finally RNA and DNA, molecules which can replicate
themselves.
6) Life ---> creating humans
Once replicating molecules are formed (RNA/DNA), Darwinian evolution
rapidly produces cellular life forms, and eventually complex
organisms culminating in humans. Humans are the top of the "information ladder", at least in our local
system. Considered in terms of information, humans are as big and as
significant as any star.
7) Humans ---> creating science, technology, art, religion
Humans become a co-creator with the universe,
inventing a new and powerful domain of abstract information
(language, writing, art, science, math, etc.) which allows them to
create a technology paralleling the natural world. Humans fly but
not with wings, swim but not with fins, see but not with eyes, etc.
The role of humans is to allow the universe to understand,
experience, and appreciate itself, colonize the galaxy, and to
protect our planet with its precious information content from
destruction by enemies both foreign and domestic. Humans have gained
their unique place in nature by exploiting a new domain of
information - the abstract realm of language, math, and science, the
realm of our abstracting intellect and imagination. If we regard
Gaia ("Mother Earth") as a super-organism, then it may be supposed
that humans have been purposely evolved by Gaia to disperse her seed
(earth life) through the galaxy, and to protect herself from planet
killing asteroids/comets - such as wiped out the dinosaurs - both
objectives becoming a real possibility through our space programs.
Postscript: Language, Law, Religion
The phenomenal success of humans is due (in part) to their
abstracting and imaginative intelligence, curiosity, social
behavior, clever hands, and language. DNA is the molecular, genetic
language of biology; between DNA and Natural Selection, nature has
populated the oceans and land with myriad forms of DNA-programmed
life. Humans have invented their own abstract, symbolic language
(both spoken and written), which allows them, in concert with their
tools and mathematics (another abstract, symbolic, quantitative form
of language), to create a world of their own - in many respects
parallel to the DNA world. In recent decades, we have invented
computers and another abstract programming language belonging to
them alone. We have passed from spoken language to machine language,
and from the DNA world created by nature to the machine world
created by humanity. We may soon be able to program the assembling
of amino acids into functional proteins and nucleic acids, imitating
the natural process, possibly even creating a man-made living cell.
In addition, and importantly, humans have discovered Natural Law,
and applied it for their own benefit. From the harnessing of
animals, wind, and fire we have evolved to the harnessing of the
forces of nature. We have almost completely domesticated the
electromagnetic force and the weaker (terrestrial) aspects of
gravity, and are now bringing the nuclear (weak and strong) forces
under our control. We are even laying hands directly upon the DNA
molecule and usurping the prerogative of Natural Selection. We have
passed from selective breeding to genetic engineering. Our
understanding of Natural Law, combined with our mathematics,
language, computers, and tools/technology, has already enabled us to
leave our own planet and may well send us to new homes deep in our
galaxy in centuries to come.
When humans are confronted with the knowledge of death - of the
absolute annihilation of the individual and personality - our
intelligence and imagination demands and finds a means of escape.
Religious notions of the spiritual realm, reincarnation, the
immortal soul, heaven, salvation, life everlasting, etc., all offer
a way around the specter of death and personal destruction. But is our fertile imagination fooling us?
Or are religious concepts actually symbolic of some non-biological
reality - the conservation laws and the
information domain of physics, for example? Death is a concept
that applies only to biology, so if we are immortal it must be
through a non-biological aspect of ourselves - hence the "spiritual"
domain of religion and the "soul. In physics we find conservation
laws regarding charge (including the
"identity" charge of the weak force) and information - and we
are nothing if not a giant compilation of both. We have also
discovered the immortality of
historical/karmic effects as they propagate forever throughout
an expanding universe, and we have intimations of an eternally
creative Multiverse - a surrogate for a (natural) law-giving "God".
Love the universe and it will love you back.
We are here because the universe wants us to be here; and as surely
as we have arrived in this life without any effort of our own, the
universe will continue to employ us for its own purposes. This is a
living, immortal, eternal universe. We
are all children of the universe, part of the cosmic information
domain, and in the forefront of its effort to awaken, experience,
and enrich itself. Toward a more perfect awakening the universe will
forever evolve.