Thinking On Paper What Consciousness Reveals About Reality │ Federico Faggin, Irreducible 12
In Chapter 12 of Irreducible, Mark and Jeremy confront one of the book’s hardest ideas: that consciousness can’t be explained by equations or code.
They trace how probability, prediction, and mathematics fall short of describing a universe that is always becoming. Meaning comes before symbols, and knowing comes before measurement. If the physical world is only an average of quantum states, then comprehension itself is a creative act.
The discussion moves from the illusion of probability to the difference between simulation and emulation, asking what it really means to know. This is not a rejection of science, it’s a reminder that consciousness might be the missing variable.
The closer we get to defining reality, the less certain we are that it can ever be defined.
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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