Introduction to Constructor Theory, exploring its applications in biology, abstract things, and unpredictability. Advancements in physics challenging Newtonian mechanics and introducing general relativity. Possibility of life within the laws of physics and the role of genes. Constructor Theory of Information and its relation to quantum information and quantum gravity theories.
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Quick takeaways
Constructor theory can explain regularities in unpredictable domains like evolution and can also capture properties of information that are independent of the physical system.
Marletto's paper on the Constructor Theory of Life shows that the evolution of life can be compatible with the laws of physics by allowing for the embodiment of digital information, such as DNA, and predicts that wherever life exists in the universe, replicators and vehicles will be present.
Deep dives
The Theory of Constructor Theory
Constructor theory is a new way of describing the universe that goes beyond studying individual phenomena and examines the possibility of physical transformations. It has solved the problem of why biological evolution is possible despite the laws of physics not explicitly encoding it. Constructor theory can explain regularities in unpredictable domains like evolution and can also capture properties of information that are independent of the physical system. The theory redefines the laws of physics in terms of possible and impossible transformations.
Reframing the Problem of Life's Possibility
Constructing theory addresses the question of why life is possible when the laws of physics don't explicitly hint at it. Marletto's paper on the Constructor Theory of Life shows that the evolution of life can be compatible with the laws of physics by allowing for the embodiment of digital information, such as DNA. Additionally, she demonstrates that an accurate replicator must use temporary vehicles, making them a necessary aspect of life dictated by the laws of nature. The theory predicts that wherever life exists in the universe, replicators and vehicles will be present.
Testing Constructor Theory
Constructor theory is a meta-level theory about theories, and its principles can be tested through experiments. One collaboration between Marletto and Vedrol explores the possibility of entanglement between quantum systems via a gravitational field. If such entanglement is observed, it would indicate that gravity is non-classical, ruling out certain semi-classical theories. If the experiment shows no entanglement, it would challenge Constructor theory. The theory also aims to reformulate general relativity in Constructor theoretic terms, offering potential for unifying it with quantum mechanics.