A previous story in the Future Darwinism series outlined a radical new theory that postulates evolution at the quantum level ( Ref- Quantum Darwinism)
However future directions in Darwinism point to a Unified Theory, which extends beyond biology to encompass all processes. This hypothesis can only be credible if evolution applies at the very large as well as smallest physical scale.
Modern theories of the genesis and dynamics of the universe have been in play since Fred Hoyle’s Steady State hypothesis in the 40’s and Big Bang theory of the 60’s.
However from the 90’s radical cosmic evolutionary models have taken centre stage; and now in an exciting twist, evolution and information theory have been combined.
Although the Big Bang explains the expansionary nature of the universe, it is limited in its ability to explain why the initial conditions were so appropriate to our particular life processes. When trying to draw conclusions about the nature of the universe, it is essential to be aware of the self-selection process resulting from being Homo sapiens.
This is known as the Anthropic principle. Our evolution and that of the stars and planets before us, is predicated on the properties of matter and forces necessary to create the finely balanced existence of carbon-based observers, such as ourselves.
Theories of the cosmos based on the Anthropic theory suggest that the type of universe we perceive is only special because of these specific properties and relationships. There may well be zillions of other alternate universes, of which ours is representative of only a tiny fraction within a larger multi-universe.
From an evolutionary perspective, André Linde, a Russian physicist, was first off the mark with his model of the ‘self-reproducing or chaotic inflationary universe’, formulated in the early nineties. Earlier versions of the initial hyper-expansion of the universe were based on inflationary theories which postulated a highly specialised event, fine-tuned to very special conditions.
Linde's model suggested that inflation might be a much more generic process, based on the existence of underlying potential energy fields, which manifest in the form of a gigantic bubble or expansion of space. These would continue to spawn new bubble universes or creation events in a never-ending self-reproducing process.
This model dictates that the inflationary field is self-perpetuating, constantly triggering new universes with slightly different initial conditions, creating different laws of nature or relationships between matter and energy, depending on the strength of the field; in much the same way as a fractal pattern creates self-similar forms over and over again.
The solution, according to Linde's theory, is that sooner or later out of all the trillions of possibilities, a universe is generated with just the right mix of force and matter fields to allow the possibility of life as we know it to emerge.
No sooner had the ramifications of this revolutionary proposal settled into the psyche of the scientific community than the next major conceptual leap forward in cosmological models was proposed by leading physicist Lee Smolin.
Our own universe would seem to be far from typical, much larger than expected from a Big Bang event. Why did inflation, an ultra-rapid stretching of space-time, continue as long as it did; precisely long enough to allow stars, planets and humans to evolve? A shorter burst would have caused a proto-universe to collapse. A longer burst would have spread matter too thinly for stars to form. Smolin instead proposed a truly evolutionary explanation based on black hole creation.
Only in the 80s was it realised that gravitational forces could cause our universe to eventually collapse into a singularity or tiny incompressible seed in a mirror image of its creation. At the same time, John Wheeler conjectured that black holes might generate new regions of space-time or white holes, with new parameters and these would be the seeds of new universes. In other words, it was also realised that the laws of relativity would allow material falling into a black hole in our four-dimensional space-time universe to re-emerge in another space-time set of dimensions as another Big Bang event.
Each singularity according to this theory, has its own set of space-time dimensions forming a bubble universe within a larger dimensional space-time- a meta-universe.
At its most basic level, Smolin's theory describes a universe that has evolved to maximise production of black holes and hence the production of alternate universes. The parameters that maximise the production of black holes also maximise the potential for the production of life through the generation of carbon molecules.
According to Smolin's theory, our universe constantly gives birth to new universes. With the right initial conditions, these will produce black holes more effectively, leaving more off-spring than other universes. In other words, they will be selected in the biological Darwinian sense according to the rules of mutation, selection and replication.
The revolutionary idea that Smolin has introduced is that each baby universe is a slightly mutated form of its parent, with slightly altered physical parameters. If these changes allow a slightly larger degree of inflation, this may kick-start a larger universe that does not collapse as quickly and which will eventually have the capacity to create stars, planets, carbon, life and even larger and more fecund universes.
Smolin’s evolutionary natural selection theory is of course the cosmological equivalent of Darwin's biological theory.
In biology a system attempts to adapt to its environment in order to survive. This is the driving force behind the process of evolution. Therefore as an evolutionary system it should also apply to our universe.
By evolving the capability to generate life, the universe has created the capacity to move beyond the state of inanimate matter to that of a living sentient entity, such as Gaia on a larger scale.
This evolving, ‘becoming’ view also answers some age-old problems such as why are things the way they are. Why is the universe in a state that just happens to support life?
Before the self-organising cosmic evolutionary thesis was developed, circumstantial evidence suggested that the physical constants of the universe were randomly generated. As previously discussed, the standard Anthropic hypothesis says that we exist in just one of an infinite or very large number of universes, each with its own constants and laws of nature; a small proportion of which are conducive to the creation of life as we know it.
The second alternative, Intelligent Design, suggests a supernatural force or deity has specifically designed our universe according to its own blueprint. This hypothesis carries no supporting scientific evidence.
Now Smolin’s evolutionary theory, together with a new information foundation, offers a third way of explaining our existence.
This theory proposes that the multiverse provides the environment that selects structures that provide the best opportunity for complex information processing; allowing sentient systems such as life to evolve over the long term.
In other words it selects flexible adaptive structures, capable of developing the requisite complexity for opportunistic systems such as life to flourish.
Biology could therefore determine the laws of physics and boost its own survival in the process.
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