A Theory of ... Truly Everything: The Universe Consists of Information and Four Types of Information Processing Events (Science-Meets-Philosophy Forum Book 3)

The universe consists, not of matter per se, but of information-processing events. Furthermore, because our world is so constituted as to develop high degrees of complexity, it is not limited to simple physical events but also permits the emergence of three additional types of information processing: biological, conscious and cultural.
In contrast to physical events, which exhibit no learning ability, the principal feature of the three additional types of information processing is that they involve various ways of acquiring, and using, knowledge. The present book thus aims to understand the universe, and our place in it, in terms of information, knowledge and rationality.
The world is made up, not only of atoms and forces, but just as much of value-oriented dimensions and the subjects that live and act in these dimensions. Both the material, and the immaterial, aspects of reality turn out to form a common, and surprisingly well-structured, system; called The Tree of Everything. This Tree allows us not only to make testable scientific predictions; but also permits a non-trivial discussion of the ultimate meaning of both the universe as a whole, and the life of individuals
The overall conclusion is that the world constitutes itself by creating subjects that live, and act, in the essential dimensions of freedom, goodness, truth and beauty. “We are all part of this process, created by it, creating it” (S. Kauffman). Metaphorically speaking, we are the protagonists of a play acted out on the stage of the four essential dimensions. Every one of us realizes his, or her, own chain of events in these dimensions and is responsible for the growth of his, or her, world-line within the everlasting universal opus.