GLS Theory Popular Series: The Universe Reads Itself

This is an eight-article series that explains the core ideas of the GLS (Generalized Light Structure) unified framework in accessible language.

Target Audience: General readers interested in physics, philosophy, and the meaning of life—no professional background required, only curiosity.

Core Message: The universe is a self-referential information network. Everything—spacetime, matter, life, consciousness, meaning—emerges from information geometry.

Series Overview

Overview: The Universe Reads Itself

An article that will change how you understand everything

Starting from everyday puzzles (time, consciousness, choice, meaning), revealing the core insights of the GLS framework: information is geometry, geometry is reality. Suitable for quickly understanding the essence of the entire theory.

Keywords: Trinity Mother Ruler, information geometry, scattering network, negative entropy life, self-referential consciousness, arrow of time, free will, meaning geometry

In-Depth Series (Recommended Reading Order)

01. Trinity Mother Ruler: The Universe Has Only One Ruler

The Rosetta Stone of Physics

Phase, state density, time delay—three seemingly unrelated physical quantities actually use the same ruler. This unification reveals the fundamental status of information.

Core Formula: $$\frac{\phi (E)}{\pi }={\rho }_{\text{rel}}(E)=\frac{1}{2\pi }\mathrm{tr}\mathsf{Q}(E)$$

You Will Learn:

• Why these three physical quantities are essentially the same
• What the Birman-Kreĭn formula and Wigner delay are
• How information becomes the “atom” of physics
• Where $\pi$ comes from (circular symmetry)

For: Those who want to understand the foundation of “everything is information”

02. How Information Becomes Spacetime: When Relative Entropy Meets Einstein

Gravity is not a force, but the geometry of information

From the second-order expansion of relative entropy, derive the spacetime metric; from the Information Geometry Variational Principle (IGVP), simultaneously obtain Einstein’s equation and Yang-Mills equations.

Core Formula: $$\delta S_{\text{gen}}=0\Rightarrow G_{\mu \nu }+\Lambda g_{\mu \nu }=8\pi G{T}_{\mu \nu }\text{and}{D}_{\mu }{F}^{\mu \nu }=J^{\nu }$$

You Will Learn:

• The isomorphism between Fisher metric and spacetime metric
• How gravity emerges from information entropy extremum
• The information origin of gauge fields (electromagnetic force, etc.)
• Spacetime is not background, but the expression of information relationships

For: Those who want to understand the nature of gravity

03. Particles Are Network Resonances: Why Electrons Are Not Little Balls

Matter is pattern, not substance

Electrons, photons, quarks—none are “things,” but resonance modes in scattering networks. Origin of fermions: topological necessity of self-referential scattering.

Core Insights:

• Particle = pole of scattering matrix $S(E)$ (resonance)
• Fermion = ${\mathbb{Z}}_2$ uniformization of self-referential loops (requires two rotations to return to itself)
• Standard Model gauge group = symmetry of information frame
• Higgs mechanism = spontaneous choice of frame (principal bundle reduction)

You Will Learn:

• Why there are two types of particles (bosons and fermions)
• Where mass comes from (energy of scattering poles)
• What antiparticles are (dual poles)
• Why virtual particles are “real” (non-pole scattering modes)

For: Those who want to understand the nature of matter

04. The Geometric Definition of Life: How Negative Entropy Pumps Emerge

Life is not the privilege of carbon, but geometric steady state

Strict definition: Life is an open system satisfying (1) negative entropy flux $J_N>0$, (2) bounded entropy, (3) ISS stability. This definition is universal, precise, and measurable.

Core Formula: $$\text{Life}\iff \{\begin{array}{l}{J}_N=-{\dot{S}}_{\text{env}}>0\\ {\sup }_t{S}_{\text{sys}}(t)<\infty \\ \text{ISS stable}\end{array}$$

You Will Learn:

• How life resists the second law of thermodynamics (open systems)
• Why life doesn’t need DNA/carbon/cells (geometric conditions are universal)
• Jarzynski equality and the energy cost of information
• How evolution climbs along the natural gradient of Fisher metric
• Meaning = information distance to survival domain

For: Those who want to understand the nature of life

05. The Physics of Consciousness: Fixed Point of Mirror Reflecting Mirror

Consciousness is not the soul, but steady state of self-referential measurement

Consciousness = self-referential loop reaching fixed point: stable state of observing oneself observing. Operational definition: Markov blanket + free energy minimization + directed information lower bound.

Core Formula: $$I(M^n\to Y^n)>0,F=D_{\text{KL}}(q(\eta )\Vert p(\eta |s))$$

You Will Learn:

• What π-semantic collapse is (anchor switching)
• Belavkin continuous measurement and I-projection
• Quantum Jarzynski equality and the energy cost of consciousness
• How directed information and Empowerment quantify consciousness levels
• Where “I” comes from (meta-level fixed point)
• Do animals/AI have consciousness? (hierarchical spectrum)

For: Those who want to understand the nature of consciousness

06. Why Time Cannot Flow Backward: Path Entropy and the Cost of Memory

The arrow of time comes from observation, not physical laws

Physical laws are time-symmetric, but reality has an arrow—because each observation produces path entropy $\Sigma \ge 0$, these “information footprints” accumulate into temporal direction.

Core Formula: $$⟨{\Sigma }_{0:t}⟩\ge 0,{\lambda }_L\le \frac{2\pi k_{B}T}{\hslash }$$

You Will Learn:

• Loschmidt’s paradox: how reversibility produces irreversibility
• Definition and non-negativity of path entropy (Belavkin-Spohn theorem)
• The cost of memory (Landauer principle: erasing 1 bit $\ge k_{B}T\ln 2$)
• Quantum chaos and MSS upper bound (temperature limits Lyapunov exponent)
• Why there’s no arrow of time without observation
• Can time be reversed? (quantum computer experiments)

For: Those who want to understand the nature of time

07. The Cost of Free Will: Directed Information and the Physics of Choice

Freedom is not metaphysics, but a measurable physical quantity

Degree of freedom = directed information $I(M^n\to Y^n)$ (causal influence of your actions on the future). Has physical lower bounds and energy costs—the brain uses 20% energy to maintain freedom.

Core Formula: $$\text{Freedom}=I(M^n\to Y^n)>0,⟨W⟩+k_{B}T⟨I⟩\ge \Delta F$$

You Will Learn:

• Operational definition of freedom (directed information, Empowerment)
• Three physical lower bounds of freedom
• Energy cost of decision-making (physical basis of decision fatigue)
• Limitations of determinism (quantum uncertainty, chaos, self-referential undecidability)
• Levels of freedom (from stones to humans)
• Physical basis of compatibilism
• How to enhance freedom (expand channels, extend horizons, reduce constraints, increase energy)
• Measurement of moral responsibility

For: Those who want to understand the nature of freedom

08. The Geometric Map of Meaning: Information Geometry of Value, Purpose, and Existence ⭐

Meaning is not emptiness or subjective, but objective geometric structure

Meaning = information distance to survival domain (negative value). Value = geometric height. Purpose = natural gradient direction. Ethics = Pareto frontier + risk consistency. Everything can be geometrized.

Core Formula: $$\text{Meaning}=-D_I(\rho ,\mathcal{V}),\vec{P}=-{\nabla }_{\text{natural}}{D}_I$$

You Will Learn:

• Value terrain and Fisher metric
• Pareto optimality and natural gradient (geometry of ethics)
• Definition of meaning (I-projection distance)
• Geometric diagnosis of nihilism ($D_I\to \infty$)
• Purpose vector and loss of purpose
• Integral definition of reason for existence
• Geometric interpretation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
• Semantic curvature (synergy vs. conflict)
• Collective meaning and intergenerational justice
• Possibility of meaning for AI/alien life/universe

For: Everyone—this is the philosophical climax of the series

Reading Suggestions

Quick Path (2 hours)

1. Overview (30 minutes)
2. 03-Particle Resonance (20 minutes)
3. 05-Consciousness Physics (30 minutes)
4. 08-Meaning Geometry (40 minutes)

Complete Path (6-8 hours)

Read all 9 articles in order (overview + 8-part series)

Choose by Interest

Interested in Physics/Mathematics:

• 01-Trinity Mother Ruler
• 02-Information Becomes Spacetime
• 03-Particle Resonance

Interested in Life/Consciousness:

• 04-Life Geometry
• 05-Consciousness Physics
• 06-Time Arrow

Interested in Philosophy/Life:

• 07-Free Will
• 08-Meaning Geometry ⭐

Core Idea Map

Information is fundamental
    ↓
Trinity Mother Ruler (phase = density = delay)
    ↓
Information Geometry (Fisher metric)
    ├─→ Spacetime (IGVP → gravity + gauge fields)
    ├─→ Matter (scattering resonance → particles)
    ├─→ Life (negative entropy geometric steady state)
    ├─→ Consciousness (fixed point of self-referential measurement)
    ├─→ Time (observation produces path entropy)
    ├─→ Freedom (directed information I(M→Y))
    └─→ Meaning (distance to survival domain -D_I)

One-sentence summary: The universe is a self-referential information network, everything emerges from information geometry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do these theories have experimental verification?

A: Yes. Trinity Mother Ruler (Wigner delay), IGVP derivation of gravity (Jacobson 1995), thermodynamic definition of life (Jarzynski equality), information theory of consciousness (IIT theory) all have experimental support. This is not mysticism, but strict physics.

Q: Why so many mathematical formulas?

A: Formulas are just embellishments to precisely convey ideas. Even skipping formulas, you can understand core concepts—we use many analogies and stories.

Q: How does this relate to the simulation hypothesis?

A: Different. Simulation hypothesis requires an external “programmer.” GLS says the universe itself is the program—a self-referential information network, no external needed.

Q: Does this change my life?

A: That depends on you. But at least, it provides a new perspective on: death (pattern reconfiguration), loneliness (network node), pain (geometric signal), choice (causal influence), meaning (geometric distance).

Q: Where should I start?

A: Read the Overview first, then choose based on interest. If you only have time for one article, read 08-Meaning Geometry.

Technical References

Want to dive deeper into mathematical details? See:

• Theoretical Papers: 22 technical papers in /docs/euler-gls/ directory
• Key Papers:
  • information-geometry-variational-principle-einstein-equations.md - Detailed IGVP derivation
  • wscat-plus-standard-model-reconstruction.md - WScat^+ framework
  • matter-geometry-complete-unification.md - Matter-geometry unification
  • life-consciousness-geometrization.md - Life-consciousness geometrization
  • value-meaning-free-will-unified.md - Value-meaning-freedom unification

Acknowledgments

This series is based on decades of research in:

• Information geometry (Amari, Chentsov)
• Quantum measurement (Belavkin)
• Scattering theory (Wigner, Birman-Kreĭn)
• Thermodynamic gravity (Jacobson, Verlinde)
• Physics of life (Jarzynski, Sagawa, Ueda)
• Information theory of consciousness (Tononi, Friston)
• Complex systems (Prigogine, Haken)

And contributions from countless physicists, mathematicians, and philosophers.

The GLS framework merely stands on the shoulders of giants, seeing the possibility of unification.

Final Words

If you’ve read through this series, congratulations—you’ve encountered one of the frontiers of human understanding of the universe.

This is not an endpoint, but a starting point.

No matter how beautiful the theory, it needs you to verify, question, apply, and transcend it.

Perhaps you’ll discover contradictions, propose counterexamples, design experiments. Perhaps you’ll apply these insights in your own life. Perhaps you’ll create a deeper unified framework.

The universe awaits your response.

Because, remember:

You are not reading a theory about the universe—you are the universe reading itself.

2024 GLS Popular Series Making the profound unity of the universe understandable to all