Quantum Actors: Probability, Consciousness, and Reality | Federico Faggin - Irreducible Book Club, Chapter 12

Hold on to your consciousness. In Chapter 12 of Irreducible, Federico Faggin battles classical assumptions: probability, the block universe and maths don't exist.

The universe is conscious, your consciousness is made of seities, conscious units that report back to the quantum field (what Faggin calls 'The One') so that it can know itself.

That is the meaning of the universe.

Yes disruptors and curious minds, book club has taken a turn for the absurd, and we love it.

In this episode:

- Mark tries to understand Federico's claim that you’re not an observer but an actor in a conscious universe.

-Jeremy looks at the role of live information; and whether AI creativity is simulation or emulation.

-And of course, they both wrestle with the seities, the conscious units that the ONE uses to know itself.

Along the way: “becoming,” fine-tuned constants, flow state, and why omniscience would end consciousness all get brought out.

To be honest, it's probably - in as much as probabilities exist - beyond our pay grade. But do you know what? We've never had so much fun.

Please enjoy the show.

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Chapters

(00:00) Why consciousness vs physics matters

(02:15) “Becoming”: a universe that’s still unfolding

(03:03) What “live information” really means

(05:51) Probability isn't real

(07:43) Creativity & AI: making vs. remixing

(09:24) Meaning vs. syntax: why symbols alone aren’t enough

(17:13) Are you an Observer or actor? Your role in quantum reality

(21:55) Reverse engineering anxiety and happiness

(27:09) Flow state: the texture of the present

(31:05) Simulated minds vs. emulated minds

(32:12) Consider our minds blown.

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