The Participatory Cosmos: Information, Quantum Reality, and Ethical Creation
- Randall
- May 26
- 5 min read
In an age defined by quantum technologies and unprecedented informational interconnectivity, humanity stands at a profound philosophical crossroads.
The classical worldview, picturing the universe as a predetermined mechanical entity, is rapidly giving way to a more nuanced, relational, and fundamentally informational understanding of reality. The following essay explores my quantum-informed cosmology that integrates emerging physics, information theory, and ethical philosophy into a semi-coherent worldview.
As a non-physicist, but deeply curious person, this is the synthesis of understanding that is not a full conclusion, but my current understanding of the deeper inner workings of reality as it relates to modern quantum mechanics and related philosophies.
In other words, this is an aggregation of the rabbit/worm holes I have explored by way of my interest in the quantum world...
Reality as Informational and Relational
At the heart of this new worldview lies the recognition that the universe is composed not fundamentally of isolated particles or energy, but of information existing within relational structures.
Quantum physics strongly supports this assertion.
The widely verified Bell tests (Aspect, Clauser, Zeilinger Nobel Prize 2022) indicate that reality lacks pre-existing values independent of measurement or observation. Quantum phenomena, such as entanglement and superposition, confirm that the properties of particles depend fundamentally on the relationships and information shared between observers and observed systems.
This aligns deeply with John Wheeler's famous notion "It from Bit," which posits that information (the answers yielded by yes/no questions posed through observations) is what causes emergent reality. This idea (that everything is made of information) forms the foundation for everything we see and experience as matter, energy, or even space and time.
Emergent Time and Retrocausality
One of the most groundbreaking discoveries in modern quantum gravity research is the idea that time itself is not fundamental but something that emerges from deeper processes.
Experiments inspired by the Page-Wootters mechanism* illustrate that the perception of flowing time can arise purely from quantum entanglement within an essentially timeless global state [Moreva et al., 2019].
Complementing this is the Two-State Vector Formalism (TSVF)** proposed by Yakir Aharonov and Lev Vaidman, which describes quantum states as influenced by boundary conditions set by both past and future events. This model explicitly allows for retrocausality, the influence of future conditions on past events, without violating causality as classically understood [Aharonov & Vaidman, 2008].
*The Page-Wootters mechanism explains how time can emerge from a timeless quantum universe by showing that the flow of time arises from correlations between a “clock” subsystem and the rest of the system. In other words, time is not absolute but is experienced as change relative to an internal quantum clock.
**The Two-State Vector Formalism (TSVF) describes a quantum system using two wavefunctions: one evolving forward in time from the past and another evolving backward in time from the future. This time-symmetric approach suggests that a quantum event is fully determined by both past preparation and future measurement conditions.
Relational Quantum Mechanics (RQM)
Central to my quantum worldview is Carlo Rovelli's Relational Quantum Mechanics, a framework emphasizing that the properties of quantum systems are meaningful only in relation to other systems [Rovelli, 2021].
RQM posits that facts are not absolute but relational, established by interactions between observer and observed.
Recent "Wigner’s Friend" experiments have strongly supported this idea, demonstrating that different observers can hold distinct, equally valid descriptions of reality, effectively "creating" reality through relational interactions.
Consciousness and Panpsychism
The role of consciousness in quantum mechanics is still debated.
While I don’t believe consciousness directly causes the collapse of the wavefunction, viewing reality as built from information and relationships suggests interesting possibilities (like panpsychism, which proposes that all matter has some form of consciousness or basic experience).
This idea fits well with the informational perspective, suggesting that consciousness is a fundamental part of information processing at all levels, even if in ways we don’t fully understand or recognize... yet.
Quantum Ethics and Moral Responsibility
In a universe where observation actively shapes reality, ethics must expand beyond traditional morality to encompass responsibility for information generation itself. Every measurement or observation can be viewed as an ethical act: one that defines which possible reality will emerge.
Quantum Darwinism shows that when information about a quantum system is repeatedly copied and spread into the environment, it creates a stable and shared classical reality out of the original quantum uncertainty. In other words, the more information is widely agreed upon and shared, the more it becomes “real.”
Because of this, how we handle and share information becomes a fundamental ethical responsibility.
Our choices about data privacy, scientific observation, and technological development aren't merely personal or social... they're cosmological.
Quantum mechanics urges us to be thoughtful and ethical about how we create, protect, and share information.
Ethical Information Generation
Recognizing the participatory nature of the universe fundamentally alters how we view technology and human interaction.
Ethical information generation means consciously aligning our observations, narratives, and technologies with values such as fairness, compassion, and ecological responsibility. By doing so, we actively shape the universe toward morally preferable realities.
The implications for education, policy, and communication are profound.
Societies are quantum-mechanically interconnected networks of observers; our collective narrative decisions become a form of large-scale wavefunction engineering.
Future Experiments and Technological Horizons
Future experiments (like testing entanglement between large objects or advanced versions of the Wigner’s Friend thought experiment involving human choices) could further confirm this view. Quantum technologies such as secure communication, powerful quantum computers, and enhanced sensors not only test these ideas but also demonstrate how technology can responsibly shape reality.
Conclusion: The Cosmos as Participatory Creatio
This quantum-informed worldview presents reality not as a static stage upon which life unfolds, but as a dynamic, participatory cosmos defined by relationships, information, and ethical creativity. Our observations do not merely witness the universe - they actively participate in its unfolding. As a result, our moral responsibilities grow to include the ways we observe, communicate, and engage with technology in the world.
In embracing this worldview, humanity steps beyond passive observation into the role of conscious, intentional creators of reality itself.
Citations & Essential Reading List
Aspect, A., Clauser, J. F., & Zeilinger, A. (2022). Nobel Prize Lectures on Bell Inequalities and Entanglement.
Rovelli, C. (2021). Helgoland: Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution.
Wheeler, J. A. (1990). "Information, physics, quantum: The search for links."
Zurek, W. H. (2009). "Quantum Darwinism."
Goff, P. (2019). Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness.
Moreva, E., et al. (2019). "Time from quantum entanglement: An experimental illustration."
Proietti, M., et al. (2019). "Experimental rejection of observer-independent facts."
By consciously aligning our informational actions with ethical principles, we not only better understand reality - we shape it positively, participating in the cosmic narrative as responsible, empowered co-creators.
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