Universe Expansion: The Role of Selection and Life

The Universe expands due to selection, intertwining life and time in a complex interplay.

### The Speculative Connection Between Life, Selection, and the Expansion of the Universe
* 🌌  The Universe has been **expanding since the Big Bang**, a theory suggesting an **infinitely dense origin**.
* 🚀  Recent observations indicate that not only is this expansion ongoing, but it is also **accelerating**.
* 🤔  The concept of what the Universe is expanding into is complex, as it may be more accurate to view **time as inflating like a balloon** rather than expanding into a void.
* 🌀  One speculative idea is that the end of the Universe might lead to a **return to the conditions of the Big Bang**, although this remains a **contentious and untestable theory** among physicists.
* 💡  The intriguing notion is proposed that the **generation of novelty**, potentially linked to life and selection, could influence the **expansion of the Universe**.
* 🔍  A fundamental question arises: if all life ceased, would the Universe shrink, prompting a **deeper exploration of the relationship between time, life, and the Universe's expansion**?
* 🌱  The idea is that life represents a measure of selection in the Universe, suggesting that "**where there's stuff interacting, you always have selection**," which could be a key to understanding **cosmic inflation**.
* 🧐  While the author admits discomfort with these ideas, they emphasize the **importance of exploring such speculative connections**, even if met with skepticism.

- Is the Universe kept inflated because of selection? I mean, that's a wild speculation. I'm gonna say it's wild - but it's worth thinking about. So, the Universe has been expanding ever since the Big Bang. That's at least one theory, that we had this kind of infinitely dense start to the Universe. And there's also a theory that, you know, maybe the Universe only gets so far, and then gravity will overcome it, and it drags back. But in the last few years, physicists have seen that not only is expansion still happening, but it's getting faster. What is the Universe expanding into? Nothing. I think that's probably the wrong way to look at it, to say there is time, and time is literally inflating like a balloon. And that's just the Universe we are confronted with. It doesn't make any sense to talk about other times.

There is just our time. There might have been time forever, right? The space that we see might be local. I mean, one way of looking at it could be you have Big Bang, the Universe expands, and then Universe generates life, and there's all this stuff going on. And then at the end of the Universe, when all the causation in the Universe is finished, space ceases to have any meaning, and you're back at the Big Bang again. Physicists would argue that that is not correct. It's kind of imprecise, not, you know, experimentally testable. But I do like the idea that novelty generation is somehow causing the Universe to expand in some way. And I'd love to think about if I wasn't wildly wrong, how might we go about testing it. We don't really know what is driving the Universe expansion, and we don't really know what time is. There is an actual fundamental principle

in physics, that's not time reversible. And so, if time is not reversible, and time is fundamental, then how does selection through matter, through life, expand the Universe? And I think we have to revisit it. And so, if all life in the Universe stopped, would the Universe get smaller? That's a really interesting question, but I think an even more interesting question is to say, Look, time and life are connected, and of course, the Universe is alive everywhere, but life is just merely the amount of selection going on per unit volume. And so, we shouldn't obsess about life on its own. It's about any selection, right? And that selection, at its most primal meaning, is what is keeping the Universe inflated. And because where there's stuff interacting, you always have selection, that's why the Universe is expanding, and that could be another way of looking at it. Again, I'm not 100% comfortable saying that,

but it's fun, and I'm sure that people will have many interpretations, if not outright thinking that what I'm saying is nonsensical - which is fine.

Our universe keeps expanding. But why? | Lee Cronin

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The Speculative Nature of the Universe's Expansion

The Universe has been expanding since the Big Bang, with recent observations showing that this expansion is not only continuing but also accelerating.

The concept of the Universe expanding into "nothing" challenges traditional notions of time and space.

The idea that novelty generation could be driving the Universe's expansion is intriguing, but the true cause and nature of time remain uncertain and difficult to test experimentally.

The Connection Between Time, Life, and the Universe's Expansion

Time is not reversible, and its fundamental nature raises questions about how selection through matter and life contributes to the Universe's expansion.

The idea is that life, and more broadly any form of selection, plays a crucial role in maintaining the Universe's inflation.

The interaction of matter and selection is proposed as a key factor driving the Universe's expansion.

The speaker acknowledges that their statements may be seen as nonsensical by some.

They find the diversity of interpretations fun and interesting.

The speaker is open to the idea that people will have varying reactions to their words.