Comparing Wheeler’s Participatory Universe to a Relational Model of Reality
John Archibald Wheeler’s participatory universe suggests that observers play an active role in bringing reality into being. His famous phrase, “it from bit,” encapsulates the idea that physical existence (the “it”) emerges from informational acts of observation (the “bit”). This implies that reality, at its most fundamental level, is instantiated by acts of measurement and observation.
Our relational model of reality shares some of Wheeler’s insights but offers a distinct perspective on the role of observation, the nature of reality, and the structure of space and time. In this post, we explore the key similarities and differences.
Observation and Instantiation
Wheeler’s View:
The universe requires observation to bring it into definite existence.
The wave function does not collapse unless it is observed, meaning reality is not fully determined until an observation occurs.
Relational Model:
We agree that a wave function collapses only when observed, but we refine what counts as observation: only a meaning-maker can instantiate reality, not a mere measuring device.
Reality is not created by observation but is the meaning construed from experience.
In this sense, while Wheeler’s model suggests that the observer creates reality, our model suggests that reality is instantiated through the act of meaning-making.
Imagined Observations vs. Retrospective Determination
Wheeler’s View:
His delayed-choice experiment implies that present observations can retroactively determine past events.
This suggests a form of backwards-in-time causation where a future measurement seemingly “chooses” what happened in the past.
Relational Model:
We account for the same experimental results but frame them differently: when physicists imagine events without observers, they are actually projecting the meaning that would have been construed if an observer had been present.
This does not require reality to be retroactively determined but instead recognises that all meaning is relational.
This preserves the insights of Wheeler’s model while avoiding the need for causality to flow backward in time.
The Role of Potential and Instance
Wheeler’s View:
His it from bit suggests that information (bit) is primary and that physical reality (it) emerges from it.
Relational Model:
We distinguish between potential meaning, meaning potential, and meaning instance:
Potential meaning consists of raw affordances that could become meaningful.
Meaning potential is the structured system that allows meaning to be generated.
Meaning instance is the actualised meaning, the construal of reality from experience.
This means that reality does not simply emerge from bits of information; rather, it is instantiated relationally through a structured meaning-making process.
The Nature of Space and Time
Wheeler’s View:
Space and time are observer-dependent, and their structure is tied to quantum observation.
Relational Model:
We refine this idea by treating space and time as relational dimensions rather than pre-existing backdrops.
Time is the unfolding of processes, and space is the set of relations between instances.
This means that what Wheeler calls the participatory nature of space and time is better understood as an instance-based structuring of reality through meaning-making.
Conclusion
Both Wheeler’s participatory universe and our relational model reject an objective, pre-existing reality independent of observation. However, Wheeler suggests that observers actively create reality, while we argue that reality is instantiated through the relational construal of meaning.
By reframing key ideas—such as the collapse of the wave function, the nature of space and time, and the role of observation—we arrive at a model that retains the insights of Wheeler’s work while providing a more precise and structured explanation. Our approach not only accounts for quantum effects but also aligns with a broader theory of meaning and instantiation.
Wheeler was right to claim that reality is participatory, but we refine the question: participatory in what way? Reality is not simply brought into existence by observation; it is actualised as a structured relational meaning-making process.
This comparison invites deeper reflection on the role of observers, meaning, and the structure of reality itself. If Wheeler’s work points the way toward a participatory cosmos, then our relational model offers a framework for understanding what that participation truly entails.
No comments:
Post a Comment