“ The main thing to understand is that we are

imprisoned in some kind of work of art.”

Terence McKenna
z
At the ground of our reality there is a code running. It is a code
from which this universe and countless others emerge and unfold
with infinite variety of form.
I
0
73
This code constructs our universe as a computational device for
z
culturing conscious intelligences. We are one of those intelligences
emergent within this lower-dimensional digital reality. As
intelligences evolve, a small number reach a certain level of
1
cognitive and technological sophistication and become candidates o
for a cosmic game, the final stages of which we now find ourselves z
playing. H

The key to this game is a technology embedded in our reality, which m

takes the form of a powerful psychedelic drug — a message — O
scattered throughout the natural world: N,N-dimethyltryptamine
(DMT).When DMT enters the brain, it grants entry to a miraculously
complex hyperdimensional realm — hyperspace — lying
orthogonal to ours and to an audience with the multitudinous
>
alien intelligences that reside therein. Z
o
30
m
Ultimately, by mastering this technology, humans will complete
$
the game and exit this universe permanently to become
interdimensional citizens of hyperspace. 73
■ 4.a>i.-
i:va * .

> ALIEN INFORMATION THEORY

^ I Psychedelic Drug Technologies and the Cosmic Game ,

Cover design by A. R. G .fl@ ||S ISBN T 7 fl-l-5 2 7 2 -3 4 7 t> -S 30 1

Cover image (c) A. R. 90000

Strange Worlds Press

www.buildingaIienworlds.com j 781527 234765

Strange Worlds Press, February 2019

Copyright (c) 2019 by Andrew R. Gallimore

A ll rights reserved.

Published in the UK by Strange Worlds Press, UK.

W ritten, illu s tra te d , designed, and typset

by Andrew R. Gallimore

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-5272-3476-5

www.buildingalienworlds.com

IG: buildingalienworlds

Tw itter: Oalieninsect
 ALIEN
INFORMATION
THEORY
As a s c ie n tis t and w rite r with a passion fo r psychoactive drugs,
especially those of the psychedelic v a rie ty , I ’ ve spent most of my adult
life so fa r thinking about the way these molecules in te ra c t with the
brain to generate th e ir remarkable e ffe c ts on consciousness. Although,
to a reasonably s a tis fy in g extent, th is thinking often led to something
approaching understanding, when confronted by DMT, my s c ie n tific mind
was le f t reelin g and u tte r ly confounded. I simply could not explain i t .
There was nothing w ithin the pages of the modern neuroscience lite r a tu r e
that could have prepared me fo r DMT, and my f i r s t experience with th is
astonishing molecule triggered what I knew would be a life lo n g dedication
to it s study.

Like many coming of age Just as the in tern et was beginning to emerge, my
introduction to the b iza rre re a lity -s w itc h in g e ffe c ts of DMT came v ia the
la te great psychedelic bard, Terence McKenna, gleaned from the now dated,
but s t i l l extant, HTML pages of his Alchemical Garden at the Edge of
Time, as w ell as from tra n s c rip ts of lecture fragments scattered across
the sparse nodes of the e a rly web - i f you wanted to a c tu a lly lis te n to
Terence speak, you e ith e r had to go see one of his lectures in person or
send o ff fo r cassette tapes by mail order. From these e a rly teenage, mid
90s, forays in cyberspace to my research and w ritin g in the present day,
Terence’ s ideas have remained a f e r t i l e source of in s p ira tio n . However,
there was one o ft-rep eated McKenna-ism that resonated p a rtic u la rly
strongly with me, uttered during a seemingly casual conversation about
crop c irc le s that was subsequently published online:

“The main thing to understand is that we are

imprisoned in some kind of work of a r t . ”

For some reason that wasn’ t e n tire ly clear (it s till is n ’ t ) , when I
f i r s t read th is simple sentence, something about i t shook me and le f t me
shaking. Like one of the Grand Pronouncements from the Upanlshads, i t
seemed to import some deep and profound tru th about our r e a lit y - i f only
I could get at i t and make sense of i t . Why was th is the “main thing” to
understand? What kind of “work of a r t ” was Terence re fe rrin g to? And how
could we possibly be imprisoned w ithin it?
Although exactly what Terence was try in g to convey only he could r e a lly
know, it was c lear th at th is sparkling s c in t i ll a of rev e la tio n was
inspired by his experiences with DMT. And I couldn’ t help but think that
my resonance with i t re s u lte d , in p a rt, from my own. Somewhere inside
me, Terence’ s Grand Pronouncement buried i t s e lf deep and now, many years
la t e r , from that seed th is book emerged.

In many ways, th is is adm ittedly something of a strange book. Although

i t is ostensibly the culmination of several years of c a re fu l research,
thoughtful enquiry, and d ilig e n t labouring at a computer, as I f l ic k
through it s co lo u rfu l pages and gaze at it s in tr ic a te diagrams, I
remain p a rtly m ystified as to where th is book came from, of course, I ’ m
c e rta in ly not claiming any kind of d ivine in s p ira tio n or revealed tru th
about DMT (and I wouldn’ t recommend tru s tin g anyone that made such a
c la im ). But, somehow, from a heady blend of the conscious, subconscious
and, perhaps, a touch of the unconscious, a coherent n a rra tiv e w ithin
which DMT plays a c e n tra l ro le gradually c ry s ta llis e d . I f , as Terence
McKenna asserted, we are indeed imprisoned inside a work of a r t , th is
n arrative describes how such a work might have been constructed and,
more im portantly, how we might escape i t .

I f I was pushed to say what kind of book th is is , I might c a ll i t

a textbook from the fu tu re . The s c ie n tific underpinning of a l l the
ideas I discuss, from the fundamental physics, information theory, and
emergence of complexity to the global dynamics of the human brain and
the e ffe c ts of psychedelic drugs, is as accurate as I can make i t (and
referenced throughout), with a few d e lib e ra te s im p lific a tio n s to aid
understanding, although I allow myself the indulgence of not hedging
my ideas with provisos and caveats at every turn - I am perhaps more
d e fin itiv e in the way I tre a t c e rta in ideas than some would fe e l is
warranted. But, a fte r a l l , th is book is not intended as a work of
s c ie n tific rh e to ric - I am not try in g to convince you that i t is tru e .
I t is simply my vision of r e a lit y that has emerged a fte r incubating an
idea. As fa r as I am aware, i t is a uniquely constructed vis io n , and
I present i t only as th a t. Terence McKenna also said th at “the world
could be anything.” H e ll, perhaps, i t is something lik e th is .

Andrew Gallimore, February 2D19, Okinawa, Japan.

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>
C o n t e n t s :___________

ChaDter 1: The Code_______________ 5IS

Chapter 2: The Uniuerse as D ig ita l

irnaiTMuraFfiTT RTF1

Chapter 3: The Hierarchy of

IK iT iiT iliiC T Ir

Chapter 4: Living Information in a

IliTTTl FI HnJTra

iChanter 5: Uakinn Up in a World____ r m

Chapter 6: How to Build a World:

iifrrai n riv i

Chapter 7: How to Build a World:

l* T » i

Chapter 8: Psychedelic Molecules

FTTTi ■ 9 rT 3 1 *TvTfc

Chapter 9: An Introduction to
Huoersnace___________________

Chapter 10:Information Flow Through

the Grid ___________________

Chapter 11: Information Flow

llilU il> lM im 4 iT 3 1 iU J L l4 M n w T < 1135
Chapter 12: DMT and the
Hunprili m p n q u n a l R r a i n Cnmnlpx__

i
Chapter 13: The Mechanism of
Tnterdimpnsional Communication
I
Chanter 14: Structure of the Code__

u
Cbanter 15: Hou to Build a Uniuerse

Chapter 16: The Game______________

m
Further Readina ______________
For all sentient beings
in a l l the uiorlds_

PRESS START
fit the ground oF our reality there is a code running. It is a code Fron
which this unioerse and countless others energe and untold uith inFinite
uai'iety oF Form. Vou emerged From this code, and within this code you are
embedded. For you are built From this code._____________________________

It is their code

O O l
____________________

The C o d e .
we are a species that huddles around wood f ir e s and speaks to machines
in code. Both human and humanoid, seemingly alone in our corner of
the Universe, we have begun to resemble the a lie n so cieties of our
imagination: Computerised machinery c ry s ta llis e s from the nexus of modern
human c iv ilis a tio n s , the cityscapes exuding b linking and g lis te n in g
structures that appear inexorably d is jo in t from the n atu ral world of
fo rests, mountains, and riv e rs . Our d ig it a l world somehow fe e ls a lie n , as
i f implanted by an in te llig e n c e from the s ta rs . We are a species that s its
uneasily at the edge of the galaxy, at once clutching tig h t to the breast
of sweet Mother Earth and, at the same time, reaching with a trembling
hand towards shimmering m e ta llic discs humming q u ie tly in the dusk sky.

As l i f e emerges on E a rth -lik e planets across the universe, the evolu­

tionary tra je c to ry from p re b io tic soup to wet-brained in te llig e n t beings
with g alactic aspirations is meandering but, u ltim a te ly , p red ictab le.
Our Universe is a resplendent tw inkling d ig it a l machine fo r cu ltu rin g
conscious in tellig e n c e s or, in the words of Henri Bergson, fo r making
gods. As such, a l i beings that reach a c e rta in le v e l of advancement must
eventually confront the fa c t that th e ir own dusty planet is but one
amongst countless others that multitudinous in te llig e n t beings c a ll home.
Since the e a rlie s t days of c iv ilis a tio n , humans have gazed in to the inky
night sky punctured by the flic k e rin g lig h ts of numberless a lie n suns and
wondered who might be out th ere. Whilst the ancients placed the thrones
of th e ir myriad gods amongst the c o n s te lla tio n s , modern man replaces the
d eity with the a lie n , the throne with the spaceship. And i t is the a lie n
that we seek: in terp lan etary vehicles and unmanned probes catapulted from
intermediary o rb its are the toys of a young in te llig e n t c iv ilis a tio n with
an eye towards g a la c tic c itiz e n s h ip . So, as we transform into the a lie n ,
we begin to fe e l ourselves being drawn In eluctably towards the s ta rs .
The exponentially unfolding transformation of humankind in the last
century is a transformation w ritten in code. Fundamentally, a code is
a set of symbols and rules used to represent and transmit inform ation.
A ll creatures with some le v e l of in te llig e n c e eventually discover tech­
niques fo r the encoding of inform ation. A ll of our ape re la tiv e s , from
the macaque to the chimpanzee, as w ell as lower animals, such as birds
and insects, use codes of varying complexity to communicate. Whether i t ’ s
the diverse warning c a lls of a vervet monkey or the in tr ic a te pattern
of chemical signals secreted by social insects, these codes are u nified
as means of representing and transm itting inform ation. However, in the
form of the n atu ral languages, i t is humans that have developed the most
sophisticated and fle x ib le expression of code, allowing us not only to
communicate information important to our s u rv iv a l, but also to encode and
transmit our thoughts, our ideas, our experiences, our dreams. Further,
although the development of the n atu ral languages was undoubtedly c ata­
ly t ic in the o rig in a l separation of humans from other E arthly species,
it is the constructed languages of mathematics and, most re c e n tly , of
computer code, that have been transcendentally transform ative, rendering
us a l l but unrecognisable as creatures of the natu ral world. A d ig it a l
lycanthropy mounted on s ilic o n and lig h t , the transformation nears com­
p le tio n , as we re-encode our world, our bodies, our minds in to binary
form and upload them to the c e n tra l processing units of ever more sophis­
tic a te d computer motherboards.

Machine code binary is the one of most fundamental, and sim plest, of
codes and, yet, from th is s trin g of ones and zeros the most e x q u is ite ly
complex information can be constructed and transm itted. E n tire worlds may
be b u ilt , and th e ir encoding fire d across the Universe with ease. Commun­
ion between humans and distant a lie n species doesn’ t depend upon in te r ­
s te lla r tr a v e l, but only on the transmission of code. And, as we d ire c t
our pulses of electromagnetic ra d ia tio n into the g lis te n in g night sky,
we hope that one day, perhaps many m illennia in the fu tu re , the messages
encoded in these pulses w i ll reach the brain of an a lie n in te llig e n c e . We
hope that one day they w ill hear us and, perhaps, answer us. Of course,
a binary missive from an in te rg a la c tic c iv ilis a tio n 25,000 years in the
fu tu re is l i t t l e more than a dream, and few engaged in such an enterprise
expect to ever have to confront the a lie n towards which they cast th e ir
coded messages in lig h t.
But the code is tr u ly transform ative, not because i t f a c ilit a t e s in te r-
g a la c tic communication, but because i t reveals a deeper se cre t. We seek
the a lie n by tu rn in g our gaze upwards, by tuning our instruments to the
trem bling glows th a t pepper the dark Universe th a t surrounds us. But the
a lie n in te llig e n c e s we seek to communicate w ith are not only scattered
throughout the cosmos on warm and wet worlds rea ssuring ly fa r from our
own muddy home, but

Speaking w ith , even meeting w ith , these in te llig e n c e s depends not upon
f ir in g code in to the s ta rry heavens, nor upon s ilv e ry supra-lightspeed
discs and a n ti- g r a v ity propulsion te ch n o l|g ie s , but only upon retu rning
our gaze inwards and re a lis in g th a t a l l of th is is b u ilt from code.

Just as everything th a t appears on your computer screen emerges from

the processing of binary code, so everything in th is universe emerges
from the Code at the ground of our r e a lity , find a l l th a t separates each
of us from a vast ecology of hyperdimensional a lie n in te llig e n c e s of
unimaginable and unreckonable power is a switch embedded in th is code.
This switch takes the form of a small molecule scattered throughout our
world, derived from one of the 21 amino acids used to b u ild the proteins
from which a l l E arthly l i f e is constructed.
 N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) belongs -to a class of n atu rally-o ccu rring
molecules known as tryptamines, derived from the amino acid tryptophan.
This class of molecules also contains some of the most well-known psy­
chedelic drugs, including psilocybin - the a ctive component of ‘ magic
mushrooms’ - and LSD (ly s e rg ic acid diethylam ide), a sem i-synthetic drug
derived from the ry e -in fe c tin g ergot fungus. Almost a l l organisms contain
the machinery required to b uild DMT and, since a l l organisms are con­
structed from proteins, the amino acid s ta rtin g m aterial is in abundant
supply.

The synthesis of DMT from tryptophan is straightforw ard - requiring only

two enzymes - and, as such, the molecule is widespread throughout the
n atu ral world. In fa c t, i t would probably be quicker to l i s t those plant
species that don’ t contain DMT than those th at do.
As ethnobotanist Dennis McKenna lik e s to say:

nature is drenched in DMT.

The chemical s im p lic ity and ubiquity of DMT render the sheer absolute
u n d en iab ility of the b izarre r e a litie s to which i t gates access even more
h o rrifyin g and confounding. Irre v e rs ib ly , and with a ferocious e ff ic ie n ­
cy, DMT shatters the comfortable illu s io n that our l i t t l e 3-dimensional
Universe is anything but a s liv e r of an unimaginably vast and complex
hyperdimensional system. DMT is the key to confronting the true d ig it a l
structure of th is system, and a technology fo r communicating with the
countless awaiting in te llig e n c e s that permeate it s miraculous domain.
As Dennis McKenna’ s brother, Terence, was so keen to point out:

DMT is not a s e c re t, i t is THE s e c re t.

006
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a
molecule found in countless plant

including humans. It is also a

technology for facilitating the
almost instantaneous transport to
orthogonal hyperdimensional omniue
and communication with the liuing,
conscious, and intelligent beings
therein_

007
 Our r e a lit j emerges a code prog imm in a lie n h y p e rin te llig e n ce
beyond the our 3-dim ensi For want of a b e tte r
term, we w i l l re f m h is i n t e l li g t he author of the Code - as the
Other. DM is te d no i th a t gates a ;ss to the orthogonal dimensions
of a r e a lity ch th is in te llig e n c e n des, and the necessary

.
to o l fo r re s o lu tio t if the Game. I w i l l < :p n d e ta il the nature of
the Game : the book. B r ie fly ue have emerged w ith in a lo w e r-d i­
mensional d i g i t s i ure revers t ly l s oI ated from a higher-dim ension­
a l system. W ith in t h is low -dim ensional r e a l it y we w i l l remain embedded,
u n t il we the t ............. nanent tra n s c rip tio n and
transference of our conscious in te llig e n c e in to t h is higher-dim ensional
container is is Game the s ix leve ls of which can be
enumerated

[Leuel I]

[Leuel I]]

[Leue] tII]

[Leuel IU]

[ L e u e l U]

[I eu« UI ]

Before we can consider the Game in d e t a il, we need f i r s t to discuss the

stru ctu re of our r e a l it y emergent from a fundamental code, i t s purpose as
the machine fo r gene ra tin g in te llig e n c e s such as o u rse lve s, and the ro le
DMT plays

In the ear y chapter' , we w i ll discus a lit y , inclu ding our

Universe an us, is co g it a l inform ation in ­
sta n tia te d by a code We w i ll exp .• hum th is fundamental inform ation
s e lf -o rg a n ise ; m* le x if ie s to g ter the .ad forms of l i f e and
other complex emer 1 t s tru c tu re s in >ur U niverse. We w i l l use a type of
computer program <nowt as a c e l l u l a r m ma " to explain how our r e ­
a lit y is b u ilt from in fo rm a tio n and the manner in which th is inform ation
s e lf -organises md irn p le x ifie s .

008
We w i ll then turn our a tte n tio n to the world b u ilt by your brain - also
from information - which is the sub a c tiv e phenomenal world you liv e
within throughout your l i f e . We w i ll i.scuss how th is p rivate world is
constructed and how i t re la te s to the » r l : outside your brain.

We w i ll then be well-equipped to begin thinking about the mechanism by

which certain molecules, including psycht ; lie s such as LSD and DMT, can
modulate the information generated by iou brain and so change your phe­
nomenal world, fit th is p oin t, we w ill ... beyond the mundanities of the
consensus world, beyond the confines ■ 1 ir 3-dimensional universe, and
plunge into the b izarre hig h er-d im e n sio n a l realms known as hyperspace:
the DMT worlds. I t is within these worlds that we fin d the secret to the
Code, the secret to our existence and emet ' ’nee in th is r e a lit y . We w ill
begin with an introduction to the s tru c tu re of these worlds and th e ir
inhabitants: where you go when you stroke t in je c t DMT and who you might
meet there.

Having surveyed the te r r it o r y , we’ l l be ready to think about the s tru c ­

ture of hyperspace in more d e ta il, r e la tin g it s construction to th at of
our lower-dimensional universe. This w il allow us to explore in great
d e ta il how DMT gates access to the normal hidden orthogonal dimensions
of r e a lit y , how DMT switches the real y flannel and unleashes the f u l l
hyperdimensional p o te n tia l of the bra

F in a lly , we w ill discuss how the DM • onology is to be employed in

pursuit of the highest achievement of any onscious species: interdimen-
sional citizen sh ip and resolution of 1ae Game

I t is hoped th a t, a fte r reading th is you w i ll come to a deeper un­

derstanding of the nature of r e a lity ad your place w ithin i t . However,
true e x p e rie n tia l insight cannot be obtained from a book alone.

: you want a t i g e r ’ s cub, you must go in to the t i g e r 's cave.

The Palace of the Unseen awaits,

toke

away_

009
"If p a t t e r n s of ones and zer o e s
m e r e 'like' p a t t e r n s of hu m a n
lives a n d deaths^

if e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t an
i n d i v i d u a l c o u l d be rep r e s e n t e d
in a c o m p u t e r record by a long
s t r i n g of o n e s and zeroes,

then w h a t k i n d of c r e a t u r e co u l d
be r e p r e s e n t e d by a long s t r i n g
of lives a n d d e a t h s ? "

Thomas Pynchon

Chapter 2:

The U n i v e r s e a s D i g i t a l
Information _____
 "Relax, it's just a
b u n c h o f o n e s a nd
z e r o s o u t there -
y o u ' r e g o n n a be fine.
Rick

Everything in our r e a lit y is b u ilt from inform ation. We in tu itiv e ly un­

derstand information as having something to do with knowledge, perhaps
defined inform ally as what we know about something compared to what we
don’ t know. Information can also be defined as the opposite of uncertain­
ty: when you gain information about something, your knowledge of that
thing increases and your uncertainty about i t decreases. Whilst in t u i­
tiv e , these d e fin itio n s are ra th e r vague and, since information is the
foundation of th is book, we should fin d a more precise d e fin itio n :

Information is generated when a

system selects between a F in ite
number of possible states.

This d e fin itio n might seem rather abstruse, but i t ’ s a c tu a lly very simple
and w i ll be of absolutely fundamental importance in th is book, reappear­
ing a number of times in ostensibly unrelated topics of discussion. What
is meant by a system is any thing (concrete or abstract) that can exist
in any one of a d is tin c t number of states at any point in time. In some
cases, when dealing with systems with large numbers of elements, i t w ill
be more in tu itiv e to think of numbers of arrangements of elements of the
system rather than states (although every arrangement is precisely one
state of the system). For example, a flip p e d coin can land e ith e r heads
up or t a i ls up - the coin has two possible states, only one of which can
be occupied at any point in time. Learning which of these states the coin
occupies - heads or t a i ls - increases your information about that coin by
a unit of information known as a BIT.

Oil
Of course, we don’ f have to use a coin: anything that can e xist in pre­
cis e ly two discrete and exclusive states can be used to encode a single
b it , the most p ertinent being the d ig its of binary code, each of which
can be e ith e r a l or a 0 . The b it is arguably the most fundamental u nit of
inform ation, since i t ’ s always possible to encode even the most complex
forms of information as a sequence of b its - the c e n tra l processing unit
of your computer, fo r example, can only read and process information in
th is most basic form. To understand how a sequence of b its can encode
inform ation, it helps to think of each b it as the answer to a YES/NO
Question. That is , receiving the answer to such a question increases your
information by a single b it . As the classic parlour game 20 Questions
demonstrates, even the most obscure object can eventually be honed in
upon using only the answers to such basic questions.

To illu s tr a te fu rth e r, l e t ’ s use a system that can e xist in many more

states than a coin. Imagine a checkerboard with the standard 64 (8x8)
squares. Without te llin g you, I w i ll select a single square from the
board - th is is equivalent to selecting a single s ta te from a 64 -s ta te
system. Your task is to fin d the square using only YES/NO quest ions. What
is the most e ffic ie n t way of locating the square? One approach would be
to point to each square in turn and ask:

»Is it this one?

However, th is is highly in e ffic ie n t and i t ’ s u n lik e ly you’ l l fin d the
square very quickly - unless you get lucky. In fa c t, the surest and most
e ffic ie n t strategy is to sequentially s p lit the board down the middle,
point to one of the halves and ask: “ Is the square in th is h aif? ” I f the
answer is YES, then s p lit that h a lf in to two and ask the question again.
I f the answer is NO, then choose the other h a lf and s p lit that in to two,
and so on. With each s p lit of the board, you w i ll halve the uncertainty
about the square’ s p osition . Using th is method, with each question the
number of possible squares is reduced from 64 to 32 to 16 to 8 to 4 to 2
and then the s ix th question w i ll reveal the square. Notice how we gain
inform ation about the SQuare’s p o sitio n by ru iin g out one h a if of the r e ­
maining squares - s tates - with each question. A fter the six th question,
you have ruled out every square barring the one you are looking fo r.
5

With each VES/NO question, we rule out

half of the squares and gain a single
BIT of information

013
The Ancient Greek philosopher Democritus believed the world, and a l l
w ithin i t , to be b u ilt from tin y in d iv is ib le p a rtic le s he called ATOMS.
Democritus’ ideas heralded the b irth of the atomic theory of matter:
a l l the world and a l l w ithin i t , barring perhaps the soul, is a complex
orchestration, by divine hand or otherwise, of countless p e lle ts of the
absolute. The b e lie f that the atom was the fundamental unit of matter
reigned u n t il the end of the 19th century, when the ELECTRON - the nega­
tiv e ly charged component of the atom - was discovered and, shortly th e re ­
a ft e r , in the early 20th century, the atom was successfully s p lit into
its constituent electrons and nucleus, which contains positively-charged
PROTONS and uncharged NEUTRONS. This was the dawn of subatomic physics
and, lik e the atom it s e lf was shattered, so was the b e lie f th at the quest
fo r the fundamental s tu ff of the Universe was over.

Generations of p a rtic le physicists

spent the remainder of the century
developing what would become the
STANDARD MODEL of p a rtic le physics.
According to the Standard Model,
our world is constructed from 17
elementary p a rtic le s that can be
broadly c la s s ifie d as FERMIONS and
BOSONS. The fermions can be f u r ­
ther c la s s ifie d into two groups:
QUARKS and LEPTONS. The electron
is a type of lepton, and sp e c ific
agglomerations of quarks form the Electrons surround the nucleus in
more fa m ilia r subatomic p a rtic le s , mathenatically-deFined oribitals_
such as protons and neutrons.
 Quarks cone in six flavours, each with it s
own specific characteristics:

■ ■ ■ ■
UP DOWN CHARM STRANGE
■

TOP
■
BOTTOM

ft p ro -to n is b u i lt from th re e
quarks: two UP quarks w ith e le c ­
tr ic a l charge +2/3 and a DOWN
quark of charge -1 /3 , form ing a
p a r t ic le w ith an o v e ra ll charge of
+1. These th re e quarks are held
to g e th e r by massless bosons ap­
p ro p r ia te ly named GLUONS. S im i­
l a r ly , a s in g le UP quark and two
DOWN quarks combine to form the
uncharged n e u tr o n . In g e n e ra l, a l l
non-elementary p a r tic le s can be
d e fin e d in terms of com positions
of elementary p a r tic le s and t h e ir
in te ra c tio n s .

I t 's tem pting to imagine an elementary p a r t ic le as being sim ply

the sm a lle st piece of m a tte r: i f you keep breaking m atter up in to
sm a lle r and s m a lle r pieces, you w i l l e v e n tu a lly reach p a r tic le s
th a t, no m atter how hard you t r y , cannot be broken up any fu r th e r .
W hilst t h is is n ’ t e n t ir e ly in c o rre c t, i t assumes th a t an elementa­
ry p a r t ic le , such as an e le c tro n , is somehow a t in y ‘ chunk’ of mat­
t e r . In f a c t , an e le c tro n (o r any o th e r elementary p a r t ic le ) has
no s iz e or volum e th a t would j u s t i f y th in k in g of i t in th is way.
 Inside an atom, the negatively-charged electrons surround the p o s itiv e ­
ly-charged nucleus (comprising protons and neutrons) in mathematical­
ly-defin ed structures c alled ORBITALS. Each of these electrons can be
defined in it s e n tire ty by a set of four numbers c alled QUANTUM NUMBERS,
each of which is Quantised, meaning i t can take only one of a set of d is ­
crete values at any point in tim e. Each quantum number defines a s p e c ific
property of the electron:

The p rin c ip a l quantum number, N, defines the energy le v e l of the electron

and can only take integer values from 1 upwards:

The azimuthal quantum number, L, defines the angular momentum of the

electron and can take integer values from 0 to N -l.

•:< :. :. ... n :

The magnetic quantum number, M (L ),defines the d ire c tio n of th is angular

momentum and can take integer values between -L and L:

L ....M..... L

The spin quantum number, M(S), defines the spin angular momentum of the
electron, and can only take on two values (often referred to as spin up
and spin down, re s p e c tiv e ly ):

1+1/2 or 1/2

There are no other properties that an electron can possess that can d is ­
tinguish i t from the other electrons within an atom. So, rather than a
chunk of matter, an electron is more lik e a point in space tagged with a
set of d ig it a l (quantised) values. However, since quantum theory doesn’ t
allow us to know the exact position of an electron before i t ’ s measured,
the quantum numbers only allow us to plot the p ro b a b ility of finding
the electron at any point around the atom. The positions with a non-ze­
ro p ro b a b ility - where the electron might possibly be located - form a
w ell-defined shape re fe rre d to as an o r b ita l. Note that the quantum num­
bers are used to define the o r b ita l, not the other way round.

018
For example, i f an e le c tro n ’ s azimuthal quantum number is 0 , it s proba­
b i l i t y map is spherical: an S-ORBITAL. An azimuthal number of 1 defines a
dumbbell-shaped P-ORBITAL. A fundamental p rin c ip le of quantum physics is
that only two electrons can occupy a single o r b ita l. Why is th is the case?
Simply because adding a th ird electron to an o rb ita l would require two
electrons to share the same four quantum numbers. And, since an electron
is defined e n tire ly by it s quantum numbers, two electrons with the same
set of numbers is simply the same single electron.

A ll the possible o rb ita ls w ithin an atom are derived from a l l possi­

ble arrangements of the four quantum numbers. And, since each of these
numbers is quantised, the number of possible arrangements is f i n i t e .
Equivalently, we can say that an electron can only occupy a f i n i t e set
of discrete exclusive sta te s , with each state being a p a rtic u la r set of
quantum number values. This applies not only to the electro n, but to a l l
fundamental p a rtic le s w ithin the standard model - each p a rtic le can be
fu lly defined by a f i n i t e set of quantum numbers, each of which can take a
f i n i t e set of discrete values. This means that every fundamental p a rtic le
within the Standard Model of p a rtic le physics can be f u lly defined by a
f i n i t e amount of inform ation, since there is a f i n i t e number of possible
arrangements of each p a r tic le ’ s quantum numbers.

Using our working d e fin itio n of inform ation, when an elementary p a r t i­

cle is located in a p a rtic u la r o r b ita l, a single arrangement of quantum
numbers - a single quantum s ta te - is selected from a f i n i t e number of
possible states: th is generates the information th at defines the p a r t i­
cle in the same way that selecting a square on a checkerboard generated
six b its of inform ation. So, a p a rtic le is not an o bject, but only the
information generated by it s p a rtic u la r arrangement of quantum numbers.
Theoretical physicist Max Tegmark goes as fa r as to say:

mathematical o b je c ts in the sense th a t they have no

p ro p e rtie s at a l l beyond t h e ir quantum numbers.’’ 1 j

And since, of course, a l l matter is composed of these p a rtic le s , th is

means that a l l matter can be defined by a f i n i t e amount of inform ation.
In fa c t, everything w ithin the Universe is nothing more than quantised -
d ig it a l - inform ation.

019
 Each orbital can carry two electrons — one spin-up, one spin-down —
defined by the arrangement of their quantum numbers_

The two electrons in the first energy level are defined by the
following quantum numbers:

| 020
 Of course, the Universe is much more than a vast set of elementary p a r­
t ic l e s . These p a r tic le s are dynamic, c o n s ta n tly moving through space,
s h if t in g t h e ir energy s ta te s , and in te ra c tin g w ith o th e r p a r tic le s to
form la rg e r, more complex s tru c tu re s , in c lu d in g atoms, molecules and,
u ltim a te ly , liv in g organisms such as o u rse lve s, in a grand h ie ra rc h y of
in c re a sin g co m p le xity. However, th is doesn’ t a lt e r t h e ir s ta tu s as be­
ing constructed from in fo rm a tio n : when an e le c tro n in s id e an atom jumps
from one energy le v e l to another, fo r example, a l l t h a t ’ s o c c u rrin g is
a change in the quantum numbers of the e le c tro n according to p a r t ic u la r
ru le s .

For example, an e le c tro n in the lowest energy s ta te - known as i t s GROUND

STATE - has the p r in c ip a l quantum number, N=l. I f the e le c tro n absorbs
e x a c tly the r ig h t amount of energy from a photon, i t can jump to a h ig h er
energy o r b it a l: i t s p r in c ip a l quantum number increases to 2. Hhat has a c ­
t u a lly happened? The in fo rm a tio n th a t d e fin e s th a t e le c tro n has changed.
W hilst i t ’ s e a sie r to v is u a lis e an e le c tro n hopping from one o r b it a l to
another, th is is merely a convenient image. In fa c t , a l l th a t has occurred
is a COMPUTATION, which we can d e fin e as the p rocessing o f in fo rm a tio n a c ­
co rd in g to ru le s . So, the in te r a c tio n between the photon and the e le c tro n
Is a c tu a lly an in te ra c tio n between two pieces of in fo rm a tio n . Both the
e le c tro n and the photon are d efined by in fo rm a tio n and t h e ir in te ra c tio n
changes th is in fo rm a tio n according to s p e c ific ru le s described as the
laws of quantum physics.

021
The same p rin c ip le applies to the merging of several elementary p a rtic le s
to form a larg e r p a rtic le : the in te ra c tio n between three quarks to form
a positively-charged proton, fo r example. Each quark is defined by it s
own set of discrete quantum numbers - d is tin c t from those that define
electrons - and is thus a f i n i t e piece of inform ation. The same is true
fo r the gluons th at mediate the in te ra c tio n that holds the three quarks
together.

So, the information that defines the three quarks and the gluons
in te ra c ts to form a more complex chunk of information that we
re fe r to as a proton.

In fa c t, a l l events that occur at the quantum le v e l - the c o llis io n of two

p a rtic le s , the decay of a p a rtic le in to two or more smaller p a rtic le s , or
the jo in in g of several p a rtic le s to form another p a rtic le - are nothing
more than the processing of information according to ru les: confutations.
And, by extension, we can describe a l l processes, at a l l scales w ithin
the Universe, from the microscopic to the cosmic, as part of one huge
ongoing computation.

Since the prima materia of our Universe is d ig it a l inform ation, as

with any form of inform ation, i t ’ s th e o re tic a lly possible to encode the
Universe in it s e n tire ty using a colossal but, c ru c ia lly , f i n i t e number
of b its - the best estimate is that around 10 to the 120<h power b its
would be required. This idea inspired the work of eminent th e o re tic a l
p h ysicist, John Wheeler, who famously maintained that d ig it a l information
lay at the ground of r e a lit y . His epigrammatic coinage - “ I t from b i t ”
- submitted that

“ every p a r t ic le , every f i e l d of fo rc e , even the space-tim e

I t is the processing of these b its according to a ru le set th at generates

the observed physics of our universe. At it s deepest le v e i, deeper than
the atom and more fundamental than the quark, the Universe is running a
low le v e l computation.
C h a p t e r 5s

The C o m p l e x i -
fication of
Information.
 In 1969,
inventor of the world’ s f i r s t programmable computer, Konrad Zuse,
penned an unusual l i t t l e book called Rechnender Raum -

C alculating Space -

in which he argued that our Universe could be described as

a type of computer program th at evolves through a series of
discrete steps, according to predefined ru le s . Zuse was pro­
posing th a t, despite the astounding complexity of the natu­
r a l world, at it s foundation is a set of ra th e r simple rules
that compute and update the Universe with each passing mo­
ment. The Universe Is computable and Is , In ta c t, computing
It s e lf. In Zuse’ s model of the Universe, at every point in
time, the Universe exists in a s p e c ific s ta te which updates
with each c lic k of time: every quantum number of every funda­
mental p a rtic le e ith e r remains the same or changes according
to the rules that govern quantum processes. The Universe
updates with one massively p a ra lle l computation. This update
process also says something important about time. Since the
e n tire Universe updates in p a r a lle l, changing from one state
to the next, there is no ‘ in between’ state of the Universe,
which means time it s e lf is d is c re te . Time doesn’ t flow lik e
a r iv e r , but is simply the sequence of updates of the Uni­
verse from it s current state to the next, edging forward one
c lic k at a time.

As computer s c ie n tis t Tommaso T o ffo li explains:

“““In a sense, nature has been co ntin u ally computing

the “next s ta te ” of the universe
fo r b illio n s of years;
a l l we have to do - and, a c tu a lly ,
a l l we can do -
is “h itch a rid e ” on th is huge
ongoing computation”””..1

| o 24
So fa r , we have discussed how the p a rtic le s th at co nstitu te m atter, and
time i t s e l f , are not continuous, but d is c re te , occupying a f i n i t e num­
ber of countable states that encode inform ation. This only leaves space
to consider. The emerging f ie ld of d ig it a l physics seeks to explain the
physical world in terms of d ig it a l information processing, la rg e ly in ­
spired by the work of Zuse and Hheeler. One of the founders of th is nas­
cent branch of physics is computer s c ie n tis t Ed Fredkin:

“ I f we could look in to a t in y re g io n of space w ith a rnagic

microscope, so th a t uue couid see what was th e re a t the very
bottom of the scale of le n g th , we would fin d something
lik e a se ething bed of random appearing a c tiv ity . Space
would be d iv id e d in to c e lls and at each in s ta n t of tim e
each c e l l would be in one of a few s ta te s . A snapshot would
re ve a l p a tte rn s of two (o r th re e o r fo u r o r some o th e r sm all
in te g e r) kinds of d is tin g u is h a b le s ta te s .

I t would be e ith e r pluses and minuses,

blacks and w h ite s,
seven shades of gray,
ups and downs,
pluses and n e u tra ls and minuses,
clockw ises and a n tic lo c k w is e s o r whatever.
The p o in t is th a t i t would be e q u iv a le n t to d i g i t s . ” 2

By assuming that space, as w ell as time, is quantised - b u ilt from in d i­

v is ib le d iscrete u n its , which Fredkin c a lls c e lls - we can begin to build
a complete p ictu re of the structure of the Universe as a type of g rid of
c e lls . Of course, since uie liv e in an apparently 3-dimensional universe,
i t makes sense to imagine th is fundamental g rid as being cubic, with each
cubic c e ll surrounded by, or connected to , six neighbouring c e lls (we
could also c a ll th is 1:6 c o n n e c tiv ity ). However, th is is n ’ t necessarily
the case and other types of grid structures and co n n e c tiv itie s are also
possible a lb e it more d i f f i c u l t to envisage.

For ease of v is u a lis a tio n , i t makes sense fo r us to work with a f l a t

2-dimensional g rid fo r the time being to v is u a lis e these c e lls , but
everything we discuss applies equally w e ll to a 3D or higher-dimensional
g rid .

025
 To understand how these c e lls of space might behave in the type of world
envisaged by Fredkin, imagine a tin y region of space constructed from
only 16 c e lls . To keep things simple, each c e ll can ex is t in only one
of four states (quantum numbers i f you l i k e ) . He w i l l c a ll these states
BLACK, BLUE, GREEN, and RED, but we could equally w ell la b e l them as 0 ,
1, 2, and 3, or indeed any four d is tin c t names. The BLACK state is the
default state and e s s e n tia lly represents empty space. I f a c e ll is in the
BLUE s ta te , then we can say i t contains a p a rtic le we’ l l c a ll a B-PAR-
TICLE. A GREEN state c e ll contains a G-PARTICLE and a RED s ta te c e ll an
R-PARTICLE.

Just as we’ ve seen with the quantum numbers of electrons, each p a r t i­

cle type is e n tir e ly defined by it s quantum numbers [one in th is case].
S im ila rly , ju s t as there is no ‘ o b je c t’ that is an e lectro n, but only
information encoded as four quantum numbers, so i t is with these simpler
p a rtic le s - i t should not be imagined that these states merely represent
these p a rtic le s , but that each p a rtic le is nothing more, and nothing
less, than the information encoded in a p a rtic u la r s ta te . In the diagram
opposite, th is s lic e of space is shown at six time points - 1 to 6 - pro­
ceeding anticlockw ise from the upper l e f t . At each time step, each c e ll
has updated i ts s ta te f r om th e p re v io u s time step. However, only a small
number have updated to a d iffe re n t s ta te , so most c e lls appear unchanged.

C lea rly, the only th ing th a t occurs at each time step is the update of the
c e ll sta te s. However, we can also describe th is process from a d iffe re n t
perspective: the G-PRRTICLE moves diagonally downwards and to the rig h t
u n t il c o llid in g with the B-PARTICLE. Both p a rtic le s are a n n ih ila te d and
two R-PRRTICLES are em itted, which move away perpendicular to each other.
In fa c t, th is process is analogous to what occurs when an electron c o l­
lid es with it s antim atter partner, a positron: they are both an nih ilated
and two photons are em itted. Since both the electron and positron are
defined e n tir e ly by information encoded in c e ll s tates, th e ir c o llis io n
and a n n ih ila tio n is simply the processing of information - a computation.
He can apply th is same p rin c ip le to our own Universe: since everything is
defined as d ig it a l information encoded as the states of the c e lls of the
fundamental grid of our Universe, there is no requirement fo r 'o b je c ts ’
to move around in space as such. A ll that occurs is the updating of c e ll
states according to ru le s . Inform ation, encoded in c e ll s ta te s , is what
moves around the g rid .

026
The GREEN particle collides
uith the BLUE particle, both
are annhihilated, and two RED
particles are emitted.

027
Looking around at the marvellous complexity of the
n a tu ra l world, i t ’ s hard to imagine th a t a l l of
th is is a m anifestation of computation. This is be­
cause the effulgence of the manifest world emerges
from a hierarchy of increasing complexity, and the
fundamental g rid is buried deep. Pit the pinnacle
of th is hierarchy are, of course, the myriad forms
of complex l i f e that f i l l our oceans, fo re s ts , and
c itie s . Although l i f e seems as fa r from computation
as i t ’ s possible to s tra y , l i f e is lot a p ro p e rty
of matter but an o rg a n is a tio n of matter L ife is a
dynamic process, a behaviour, th a t is dependent on
s p e c ific inform a tion al in te ra c tio n s between mol­
ecules and the ru le s governing them ( i. e . compu­
ta tio n s ). The molecules themselves are rule-based
organisations of atoms, which are organisations of
subatomic p a rtic le s , and so on down to the c e lls
that c o n s titu te the fundamental stru ctu re of space.

Although th is is conceptually not d if f i c u l t to

understand, i t does l i t t l e to expunge the fe e l­
ing that complex l i f e is somehow miraculous.
And, in a sense, i t is . But l i f e is made a l l
the more miraculous by understanding th a t it
a l l emerges from the processing of d ig it a l in ­
form ation. To f u l ly understand th is , we need to
explore th is idea from the bottom up, and to
imagine how a complex universe, such as ours,
is constructed.
When Konrad Zuse imagined the Universe computing i t s e l f , he was thinking
about a type of computer program called a CELLULAR AUTOMATON. Although
they can take many forms, these programs are most often visualised as a
1- or 2-dimensional square g rid . Each square - or CELL - of the g rid can
exist in a lim ite d number of s ta te s . In the simplest type of c e llu la r
automaton, each c e ll is lim ite d to switching between only two s tates,
usually coloured white or black and often re fe rre d to as being dead or
a liv e . As such, each c e ll can encode a sin g le b it of inform ation.

fit each point in time, every c e ll of the automaton w i l l be e ith e r a liv e or

dead. Of course, th is is n ’ t p a rtic u la rly in te re s tin g , but the in te r e s t­
ing behaviour only emerges as the program runs, which i t does by updat­
ing the state of every c e ll simultaneously In a series of discrete time
steps [see o ver]. In addition to the g rid of c e lls with allowable state
values, every c e llu la h automaton must also have a RULE SET. These rules
d ic ta te how a c e ll in a p a rtic u la r s ta te must update i t s e lf with each
‘ c lic k ’ of time. For example, i f a p a rtic u la r c e ll (which we’ l l re fe r to
as the cen tral c e l l )is a liv e , depending on the s ta te of the surrounding
c e lls (u su ally, but not necessarily, the d ire c t neighbours, which form a
NEIGHBOURHOOD), the r ile set w i ll d ic ta te whether the c e ll remains a liv e
(stays black) or becomes dead (turns w h ite ).

The simplest type of c e llu la r automata, known as ELEMENTARY CELLULAR AU­

TOMATA (EGAs), are l-iiim ensional automata in which each c e ll updates it s
state based on its own state and that of it s two immediate neighbours.
This means the ru le set must specify the next s ta te of a c e ll fo r each of
the eight possible 3 -c e ll combinations. This also means there are only
256 possible d iffe re n t ECA ru le sets, a l l of which have been extensively
studied and each given it s own number according to mathematician Stephen
Wolfram’ s binary-based numbering system3. Since a l l the c e lls of an ECA
can be displayed as a single row, i t ’ s simple to v is u a lis e the evolution
of c e ll states over time by p lo ttin g the rows of c e lls one a fte r the other
(in other words, by p lo ttin g time in the second dimension).

029
 Rule H O
Neighbourhood Central cell
cells
Beginning with a random configu­
ra tio n of states, many ru le sets
exh ib it rather uninteresting be­
haviour: e ith e r rap id ly converging
to an unchanging homogeneous state
or to a s lig h tly more in te re s tin g ,
but non-complex, stable or repeat­
ing p attern . Some ru le sets ra p id ­
ly descend in to apparently chaot­
ic or random patterns, whereas a
small number of ru le sets display
patterns that can be described as
COMPLEX. We’ l l discuss complexity
in more d e ta il in the next chap­
te r but, b r ie f ly , a complex system
is neither highly ordered nor com­
p le te ly random, but somewhere in
between.

In an LCft, the next state or a

cell depends upon its current
state and that of its two
immediate neighbours.

Rule HO (opposite), fo r example, displays patterns that have a clear

structure without being p e rfe c tly re p e titiv e . Although certain char­
a c te r is tic patterns emerge and maintain themselves, i t ’ s impossible
to predict exactly how the automaton w i ll evolve with tim e. However,
even in these most basic of a l l c e llu la r automata, stable structures -
dubbed p a rtic le s - that propagate through time can be observed moving
through the automaton, decaying to form other p a rtic le s , or c o llid in g
with each other in patterns e e r ily reminiscent of those generated by
c o llis io n s inside p a rtic le accelerators.

030
Time E v o l u t i o n of

Rule 118 exhibits conplex

behauiour, which is neither
random nor banallp repetitiue.
 Whilst ECAs demonstrate how extremely simple computational rules and an
update algorithm can give ris e to su rp risin g ly complex patterns, i t ’s
hard to re la te th e ir behaviour to the sort of complexity we see in the
world around us. A closer approximation is provided by higher-dimension­
a l automata, in p a rtic u la r by the most famous of a l l c e llu la r automata,
the Game o f L if e 1. This 2-dimensional c e llu la r automaton was discovered
by mathematician John Conway and has a number of properties that make i t
p a rtic u la rly in te re s tin g .

As with a ID EGA, the s ta te of each c e ll in a 2D automaton updates based

upon the states of the c e lls in it s neighbourhood. Whilst the neighbour­
hood in a ID ECA always comprises the two immediate neighbours, there
is no reason, in p rin c ip le , why these p a rtic u la r c e lls must be chosen.
For example, rather than ju s t the single immediate neighbours, one might
choose the f i r s t two c e lls on each side of a c e n tra l c e ll o r, in fa c t, any
set of c e lls one desires, Just as long as they are properly specified in
the ru le set - that is , fo r every possible arrangement of neighbourhood
c e ll states, there is a ru le that t e l l s the c e n tra l c e ll how to update
depending on it s own current s ta te . However, as the number of c e lls in
the neighbourhood increases, the number of possible ru le sets increases
exponentially, making exploration of a l l d iffe re n t automata more and more
computationally expensive.

There are two neighbourhoods most commonly employed in 2D c e llu la r au­

tomata: the MOORE NEIGHBOURHOOD comprises a l l eight c e lls surrounding a
cen tral c e ll, whereas the VON NEUMANN NEIGHBOURHOOD only contains the
four c e lls d ire c tly contacting the faces of the cen tral c e ll:

The Moore The Uon Neumann

neighbourhood neighbourhood

032
 The Game of Life has a rule set comprising four rules:

1 2 3 4

4 4 4 Jr
■ ■ ■ ■

1 If a cell is aliue (black) and less than two of its

■[neighbours are alioe, it dies of loneliness (becomes blue).

““ If a cell is alioe and more than three of its neighbours

Bare aliue, it dies of ouercrowding (becomes blue).

If a cell is aliue and two or three of its neighbours

lare aliue, it stays aliue (remains black).

■ If a cell is dead (blue) and exactly three of its

neighbours are aliue, it becomes aliue (becomes black),
otherwise it stays dead.

033
The Game of L ife ru le set might seem somewhat a rb itra ry , and in a sense
it is : these rules weren’ t designed so much as discovered. As with the
ID ECAs, there is only a lim ite d , but much la rg e r, number of possible
ru le sets, which we w ill re fe r to as the RULE SPACE. However, there is no
simple way to know whether any p a rtic u la r ru le set w i ll display in t e r ­
esting behaviour once the program runs - the only way to fin d out is to
run i t . The ru le set of the Game of L ife was discovered by Conway during
a process of simple t r i a l and e rro r. Again, as with the elementary ID
automata, many ru le sets show completely t r i v i a l and boring behaviour: no
matter which c e lls are a liv e at the beginning, they a l l soon die o ff once
the program s ta rts running. At the opposite extreme, the c e lls descend
into chaos, and no in te re s tin g forms are d iscern ib le. However, the Game
of L ife ru le set is d iffe re n t:

as the program clic k s along,

the c e lls eventually begin to form structures that resemble
a p rim itiv e form of a r t i f i c i a l l i f e .

A huge va rie ty of structures have been observed, and continue to be d is ­

covered. These range in complexity and dynamics, from completely s ta tic
s t i l l li f e s to s tatio n ary pulsating o s c illa to rs to spaceships that g lid e
across the g rid em itting p ro je c tile s . These p ro je c tile s often in te ra c t
with other structures in surprising ways, causing them to move away from
the spaceship or to break apart in to new structures.

This oscillator cycles between three symmetric states

ft Game of Life grid at tuo different tine points
For want of a b e tte r term, we w i ll c a ll these
structures CRITTERS (in complex networks of
simple in te ra c tin g components, these are often
known as AGENTS). One of the most w ell-stud ied
of these c r it t e r s is the GLIDER:

A g lid e r is a 5 -c e ll s tru c tu re that traverses

the g rid by cycling through fo ur d is tin c t c e ll
co nfig uratio ns.

Although the g lid e r c le a rly maintains a s tru c ­

tu re that allows us to recognise i t as such, it s
co nstitu en t c e lls change with each time step.
As such, i t is somewhat misleading to th in k of
the g lid e r as an o bject. I t makes more sense to
th in k of the g lid e r as a process, or a behaviour
of the underlying g rid , in the same way that an
ocean wave is a behaviour of water. The g lid ­
er is a sort of wave of sta te changes rip p lin g
across the g rid . This also applies to any other
type of c r it t e r manifested on the g rid .

The glider cycles

through Tour 5 cell
configurations as it
glides across the grid.

Each cell of the Game of

Life is a simple type of
computer called a finite
state machine. Since its
constituent cells change
with each time step, a
glider is a uirtual state
machine (USH) .__________
Before uie can think about the re la tio n s h ip between c e llu la r automata and
the structure of our r e a lit y , we need to look at these c r itte r s more
clo sely. I f we think of the e n tire grid as a sort of 2D universe, then
the ru le set that d ic ta te s how the c e lls update with each time step repre­
sents the ‘ laws of physics’ obeyed by th is universe. The e n tire universe
is it s e lf a computer, since i t exists in a s p e c ific s ta te at each time
point and uses the ru le set to compute it s next s ta te . However, each c e ll
on the grid is also a simple type of computer known as a FINITE STATE MA­
CHINE (FSM). As the name suggests, an FSM can only occupy one of a f i n i t e
number of states at any point in tim e, and can receive a f i n i t e number
of inputs that i t uses to compute it s next s ta te (the output of the com­
p u ta tio n ). A c e ll on an automaton g rid can only e x is t in one of a f i n i t e
number of states - two in the case of the Game of L ife - and receives
information from c e lls in it s neighbourhood - it s input - to compute it s
next s ta te , which is it s only output.

Transition condition
With each tine step,
(update rule) a cell can either
renain in its current
state or switch to the
other state [output],
dependent on the states
of the neighbourhood
cells [inputs].

A more complex c r i t t e r constructed from a group of c e lls is also a f i n i t e

state machine: the states of it s constituent c e lls co nstitu te it s current
s ta te . The states of the c e lls in the neighbourhood of each c r i t t e r c e ll
act as the input, with the next state being computed based on th is input
and according to the ru le set. C ritte rs that propagate around the g rid ,
such as g lid e rs , are a l i t t l e d iffe re n t: since th e ir constituent c e lls
change over tim e, they are never constructed from the same c e lls fo r more
than a single time step. As such, moving structures are more c o rre c tly
known as VIRTUAL STATE MACHINES (VSMs)5. So, we no longer view the c e l­
lu la r automaton g rid as a single e n tity , but as a sort of ecosystem of
VSMs embedded in the g rid . However, at the same tim e, th is e n tire lo g ic a l
universe is u n ified by the g rid . In fa c t, i t simply Is the g rid .

037
 Gliders [a type of USM] emitted by
this glider gun become input data to
this oscillator [another type of USM]

As a c r it t e r - VSM - approaches another c r it t e r , each w i l l act as input

data to the other, p o te n tia lly changing the way each c r it t e r behaves.
S im ila rly , a c r it t e r th a t emits a p ro je c tile can be viewed as sending
data across the g rid th a t can be received by another c r it t e r . You should
notice that the d is tin c tio n s between s tru c tu re , process, and data are
beginning to b lu r. I f we take the g lid e r as an example: th is p a rtic u la r
propagating c r it t e r occupies fiv e c e lls at any time p o in t, but cycles
through four d iffe re n t co nfig u ra tio n sta te s as i t moves across the g rid .
As th is g lid e r approaches another c r it t e r and enters i t s neighbourhood,
i t acts as data that the ‘ re c e iv in g ’ c r it t e r w i l l use to compute i t s next
state update. This data may cause the receiving c r it t e r to change it s
behaviour, it s s tru c tu re , or even to d is in te g ra te completely.

So, th is gives us yet another way of th in k in g about propagating c r it t e r s :

as signals ca rrying inform ation. Whether we th in k of these c r it t e r s as

depends only upon our perspective. U ltim a te ly , they are ways of th in k in g

about the same underlying d ig it a l computations governed e n tire ly by the
allowable sta te s of the in d iv id u a l c e lls and the update ru le set.
Things become even more in te re s tin g when we consider hierarchies of
VSMs. The g lid e r is a configuration of the basic c e ll f i n i t e state ma­
chine, and so what we might c a ll a FIRST-ORDER VSM. However, we needn’ t
stop there, since configurations can occur at higher order scales. Mul­
t ip le fir s t-o r d e r VSMs can be embedded in higher order structures: SEC­
OND-ORDER VSMs, and so on. As these high-order VSMs may be comprised of
many lower-order VSMs, they become increasingly complex and are capable
of performing more and more sophisticated and elaborate computations.
The p e rfe c tly homogeneous 2D array of Id e n tic a l FSMs - c e lls - co n sti­
tutes the ‘ ground of r e a l i t y ’ of the c e llu la r automaton universe, and
the highly heterogeneous population, or society, of complex, m u ltifa c e t­
ed, and sophisticated VSMs is a m anifestation of th is basic underlying
p a ra lle l computation.

[1 s t o rdi-i- "M * i M i l l HS H

039
 Hopefully, th is idea of h ie ra rc h ic a l VSMs w i ll resonate with the ideas
discussed e a r lie r in th is chapter:

at it s deepest le v e l, the Universe is quantised

and constructed from d ig it a l inform ation,
computing i t s next sta te according to a
fundamental ru le set
as time
c lic k s along.

I f we render the Universe as a 3-dimensional c e llu la r automaton - which

we w ill c a ll the GRID - i t ’ s simple to imagine how a high-order structure,
such as an atom, can manifest.

Instead of a single layer of 2D c e lls , we now have cubic CELLS extending

in a l l three d irectio n s - a 3D grid of the sort envisaged by Fredkin. We
w i l l use the c a p i t a l i s e d G rid and C e ll to In d ic a te th a t we’ re t a l k i n g
about our Universe c e l l u l a r automaton and i t s c o n s titu e n t c e l l s . Just
lik e the 2D Game of L ife , each of these C ells can ex is t in a lim ite d
number of states which update in p a r a lle l with each time step, find, ju s t
as the 2D automaton can form stable structures on the g rid , so i t is with
the Grid of our Universe. The so-called fundamental p a rtic le s that man­
ife s t in our Universe are the 3D equivalents of the low-order VSMs that
manifest on a 2D c e llu la r automaton g rid : patterns of C e ll s tates, find
the atoms b u ilt from these fundamental p a rtic le s are the 3D equivalents
of the higher-order VSMs b u ilt from lower-order VSMs on a 2D automaton.
From here, i t is conceptually simple to see how more complex structures,
such as molecules and, u ltim a te ly , liv in g c e lls and organisms, are 3D
VSMs even higher in the hierarchy, b u ilt from lower order VSMs.

On the 2D g rid , we saw th at VSMs propagating across the g rid change th e ir

constituent c e lls with each time step - b e tte r described as dynamic
processes than structures. This also applies in our higher-dimensional
Universe:
an electron moving through space is a stable process - pattern of
C ell states - but is b u ilt anew as i t traverses the 3D Grid. The same,
of course, applies to even higher-order structures, including ourselves.
Philosopher filan Watts expressed th is idea using the fa m ilia r example of
a whirlpool:

040
“The whirlpool Is a d e fin ite form, but at no time does water stay put in
I t . The whirlpool is something the stream Is doing, Just as we are things
the whole Universe is doing. '*

The g lid e r is something the 2D automaton is doing, and

MM
are I

[something

the Grid is doing.

Since every c e ll of a 2 -sta te c e llu la r automaton can occupy one of only

two sta te s, each c e ll encodes a sin g le b it of inform ation, ft number of
these c e lls can n a tu ra lly form stru ctu re s that encode more inform ation,
such as a g lid e r. He w i ll c a ll these stru ctu re s INFORMATION COMPLEXES,
since they are nothing more than p atterns of inform ation. In our Universe,
th is is also the case: the fundamental Grid in s ta n tia te s the inform ation
that manifests as stru ctu re s of increasing complexity. This gives us a
clea r p ic tu re of the layered nature of r e a lity b u ilt from inform ation
complexes in a hierarchy of increasing complexity from the Grid upwards.

I
R ea lity is nothing more, and nothing less, than manifest patterns of in ­
form ation - in fo rm a tio n complexes - emergent on the fundamental Grid of
the Universe. This includes you, your b ra in , and your e n tire world. Of
course, you fe e l lik e much more than a high-order v ir t u a l sta te machine
on a 3D automaton Grid. You are a l i v e , you are conscious. He’ l l get to
the conscious part la te r , but f i r s t we must deal w ith l i f e .
Complexity

The Code:
the Fundamental code that generates the Grid
(discussed later).
The Grid:
the Fundamental structure oF space consisting
oF Cells in speciFic states.
Fundanental particles:
electrons, quarks, neutrinos, etc. Low order
inFormation complexes selF-organlsed From the
Cells oF the Grid.
Subatomic particles:
neutrons, protons. Higher order inFormation
complexes selF-organised From Fundamental
particles.
Atoms:
carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, etc. Higher order
inFormation complexes selF-organised From
subatomic and Fundamental particles.
Molecules :
proteins, water, carbohydrates, nucleic acids,
etc. Uery high order inFormation complexes
selF-organised From atoms.
Cells:
smallest component oF liFe. Higher order
inFormation complexes selF-organised From
molecules.
Multicellular organisms
higher order inFormation complexes selF-
organised From cells.
Chapter 4 :--------- —

Living Information in a D ig ita l World

You can openI

opthing...

A la n
Matts

Donning a v ir t u a l r e a lity headset fo r the f i r s t tim e, i t ’ s s ta r tlin g

how the p ix e lla te d d ig it a l landscapes of e a rly computer games have been
superseded by e n tire worlds w ith in which to wander and become lo s t. I t ’ s
almost impossible to fathom how these immersive worlds of such dynamic
and responsive complexity and beauty are b u ilt from binary code. The
code i s hidden, but the code i s a l l . find, although the immeasurably ric h
d iv e rs ity of complex organisms th a t crawl, s lith e r , and swim around our
world seem to be animated by some m agically v i t a l p rin c ip le beyond the
physical, each and every one emerges in a hierarchy of complexity from
the fundamental Grid at the ground of our r e a lity . To understand the
stru ctu re of th is r e a lity , we need to examine w ith some care the s tru c ­
ture of l i f e . For although l i f e fe e ls somewhat d is jo in t from the cold,
dark, and dead universe that surrounds us, even your own undeniable
subjective r e a lity is b u ilt from d ig it a l inform ation. E verything i s a
m a n ife s ta tio n o f the c o m p le x if ic a t io n o f in fo rm a tio n .
Imagine a society of so c ia l insects, such as an ant colony. A very large
colony might contain several m illio n ants, with d iffe re n t ant types pro­
viding s p e c ific roles in the organisation of the society: the queen is
the leader and founder of the colony, her eggs f e r t ilis e d by the male
drone ants. Female worker ants are responsible fo r maintaining the nest,
as w ell as protecting i t from intruders and predators. Each in d iv id u a l
ant is a rath er simple creature and in te ra c ts with the other ants in
rather simple ways. However, the e n tire colony can display highly sophis­
tic a te d behaviours: building elaborate networks of underground tunnels,
delineatin g routes to food sources, defending against coordinated e x te r­
nal attacks, or even forming themselves in to b rid g e -lik e structures over
water. No single ant d ire c ts the behaviour of the colony and no single
ant, not even the queen h e rs e lf, is aware of the o v e ra ll s tru c tu re or pur­
pose of the colony. The colony SELF-ORGANISES and it s behaviour emerges
from the myriad simple in te ra c tio n s of it s members.

The complex behaviours displayed by the ant so ciety only emerge when the
so cie ty is fu nctio nin g as a whole. These are EMERGENT BEHAVIOURS, which
are a c h a ra c te ris tic property of so -ca lle d COMPLEX SYSTEMS and can be
defined as behaviours o r p r o p e r tie s e x h ib it e d by the e n t i r e system but
not by i t s p a rts . The whole is greater than the sum of i t s p a rts . Each
in d iv id u a l ant behaves in a simple, s te re o ty p ic a l manner, but the e n tire
colony e x h ib its sophisticated behaviours above and beyond that of any
sing le ant.

Although perhaps h ith e rto unnoticed, emergent behaviour is everywhere.

Anyone who’ s seen a flo c k of s ta rlin g s - a murmuration - sweeping, tw is t­
ing, and reco nfig uring in elaborate dynamic patterns across an autumn sky
can hardly f a i l to be astounded by it s remarkably in te llig e n t-lo o k in g
behaviour. However, the flo c k is not d irected by any p a rtic u la r s ta rlin g
and i t ’ s lik e ly th a t in d iv id u a l b ird s mainly use th e ir closest neighbours
- l o c a l I n t e r a c t io n s - to d ire c t th e ir movement in the a ir . F lo ckin g be­
haviour emerges not from the in d iv id u a l b ird s, but from the in te ra c tio n s
between them. Just as there is no ‘ so ciety programme’ encoded in every
sin g le ant w ith in a colony, flo c k in g is not programmed in to the in d iv id ­
ual b ird s . The organisation of b irds in to dynamic flo c k s , or ants in to
complex s o c ie tie s , emerges from the m ultitude of rule-based in te ra c tio n s
between in d iv id u a l b ird s or ants. The flo c k doesn’ t need to be a c tiv e ly
organised by a ce n tra l organiser - the flo c k se lf-o rg a n ise s.

045
 From these two examples alone, we can begin to delineate the essential
properties of what are known as COMPLEX SYSTEMS. A complex system is not
ju st a complicated, chaotic or random system, but one with at least four
basic c h a ra c te ris tic s :

In the case of a flo c k of s ta rlin g s , i t ’ s easy to spot these four fe a ­

tures: the flo c k is constructed from many simple components: the in d iv id ­
ual s ta rlin g s . These in te ra c t by observing and responding to the position
and flig h t of neighbouring birds - lo c a l in teractio n s - and, w hilst there
is no cen tral bird c o n tro llin g the flo c k , the birds self-o rg an ise and
the b e a u tifu lly dynamic behaviour known as flockin g emerges from th is
s e lf-o rg a n is a tio n . Of course, not a l l types of birds demonstrate th is
flocking behaviour: S elf-organ isatio n is organisation without an organ­
iser and, i f the rules are rig h t, order comes fo r fre e . But the rules must
be rig h t. Not a l l systems with many in te ra c tin g components w i ll exh ib it
complex emergent behaviour. To understand why th is is the case, we w ill
return to our exemplar c e llu la r automaton - the Game of L ife .

A ll c e llu la r automata display the f i r s t three c h a ra c te ris tic s of complex

systems: they are constructed from a large number of simple components -
these are the fundamental c e lls that form the g rid . Each of these c e lls
in teracts lo c a lly with the c e lls in th e ir immediate neighbourhood accord­
ing to a ru le set. And, lik e a flo ck of s ta rlin g s , there is no c en tral
c e ll that controls the behaviour of the automaton - a l l c e llu la r automata
are completely democratic.

1 046
However, despite the obvious commonalities in th e ir construction, not
a l l c e llu la r automata display what could be c alled complex behaviour. The
patterns generated by an automaton as i t runs depend upon it s ru le set,
and the behaviour i t displays w i ll always f a l l somewhere along a contin­
uum of complexity: at one end is perfect c ry s ta llin e order and, at the
opposite is the e n tir e ly unpredictable, thoroughly d iso rd erly behaviour
known as chaos. Mathematician Stephen Holfram exhaustively studied the
ru le sets of many types of c e llu la r automata and observed th e ir behav­
iour, noting that d iffe re n t ru le sets often produce s ta r tlin g ly d iffe re n t
behaviour, but which f a l ls somewhere on th is scale. Holfram defined four
d is tin c t types of behaviour:

A fix e d , unchanging pattern eventually emerges.

C1.1. :I : A pattern consisting of p e rio d ic a lly re p e titiv e
regions is produced.
A chaotic, apparently random, aperiodic pattern
is produced.
Complex, localised structures are produced.

047
He met these categories less form ally in the la s t chapter when discussing
the d iffe re n t behaviours of elementary c e llu la r automata, but l e t ’ s look
at them more c lo sely. Class I c e llu la r automata may display e a rly f l u r ­
rie s of a c tiv ity , but th is soon s e ttle s into an unchanging pattern with
a l l c e lls remaining in the same s ta te . Class I I automata are character­
ised by repeating patterns that are s lig h tly more in te re s tin g but highly
ordered and non-complex, whereas Class I I I automata display a tumult of
chaotic behaviour that never s e ttle s . Complexity, the domain of the class
IV automata, is neither order nor chaos, but s its in a narrow band between
class I I and class I I I behaviour known as the edge of chaos. This special
region is where complexity reaches it s maximum before descending in to
chaos, and i t is only w ithin th is narrow band of the complexity continuum
that stable propagating structures, such as g lid e rs and spaceships, can
emerge and remain sta b le . A complex system maintains a type of order, but
i t is not a s ta tic order unresponsive to the environment - i t is a dy­
namic order. A flock of s ta rlin g s holds together as an ordered structure
which we can recognise as a flo c k , w hilst remaining f lu id , dynamic, and
ever-changing. This is the hallmark of a complex system at the edge of
chaos, where order and disorder are c r i t ic a l ly balanced.

The Game of L ife exem plifies jjnis type of complex behaviour: as the game
runs, the g rid begins f i z z in " w i t h a diverse range of c r itte r s - VSMs
- that p r» a g a te around the grid and in te ra c t with each other. Some of
these 1 s t-order VSMs may jo in togethg> to form higher-order VSMs and,
eventually, the g rid is transformed in to a dynamic ‘ ecosystem’ of VSMs at
varying levels of complexity. Although each in d iv id u a l c e ll of the grid
is re la tiv e ly unsophisticatdi, the emergent betaviour of the system as a
whole is e x q u is ite ly complex and unpredictable - simple rules can give
ris e to highly comp^x behaviour. However, although the patterns emergent
on*! Game of L ife g rid are c e rta in ly fascinatin g - even i^ f e - l ik e - i t ’ s
not d if f ic u lt to appreciate that they emerge ffom the rule-basSFcompu-
tatio n s of the in d iv id u a l c e lls of the g rid . As such, the Game of L ife
o ffe rs us a c le a r example of the comple x i f ic a t ion o f^ ^ o rm a tio n : The
c r itte r s ^ a t e m e r^ o n the g rid are b u ilt from information ^ is ta n ti^ e d
by the states of in d iv id u a l c e lls and, as these c r itte r s appear to move
about the g rid , i t is a c tu a lly inform ation th at is moving. T h i^ flo w of
information across the g rid , in s ta n tia te d by the rip p lin g of g lid e rs or
other structures is c r i t i c a l l y important fo r generating the complex be­
haviour that distinguishes the Game of L ife from non-complex automata.
 The c r itte r s that emerge on the Game of L ife g rid f a i l in to a number of
categories, with the simplest being the s ta tic structures known as s t i l l
ll f e s . Whilst these might be in te re s tin g to a lim ite d exten t, a g rid pop­
ulated e n tir e ly by s t i l l - l i f e s could never be described as complex, since
s t i l l - l i f e s have no way of in te ra c tin g with each o ther, ever remaining
islands irrevocably separated. Rather, it is the dynamic, propagating
c r itte r s jfia t allow complexity to emerge. As these g lid e rs , spaceships,
and other dynamic c r it t e r s s c u ttle across the g rid , th e ^ ^ a n in te r ­
act B l i r e c t l a by c o llid in g with each other, or in d i H U l y , b * e m ittin g
p ro je c tile s t h ^ M it e r a c t with other c r it t e r s in th e ir path. As in a l l
complex systems, these in te ra c tio n s between the c r it t e r s - the agents of
the system - engender the emergent complexity. In the case of the Game
of L i f e , ^ is t |^ in te ra c tio n s between moving p atterns o f inform ation -
information complexes - that generates the complex b^javiour. ®

Whether a p a rtic u la r c e lli^ a r automaton e xh ib its complex behaviour w i ll

■
depend to a large extent on whether or not i t can generate such stab le but
dynamic patterns that in te ra c t and transmit information around the g rid .
A class I automaton, which remains tichanging over tim e, is obviously un­
able to generate such patterns. A chaotic class I I I automaton equally
unable to transmit inform ation: any structures that form are tra n s ie n t,
quickly d isin teg ra tin g as the in fo rm a tio n jh e y encode dissipates into
the seething sea of chaos. b j | , «.n class IV automata, at the edge ofa
chaos, stable structures c a r * ^ r ^ * d maintain th e ir form as they g lid e
across the g rid , carrying the information they botWencode and, indeed,
are b u ilt from. So, class IVBu-Bmata can be distinguished from th e ir
less in te re s t i n g j^ g g J ^ z r cousins by the way information f^ows through
Jhem Failoaiing stable patterns only to emerge b ^ H nt t r a c t-

049
The stable propagating and in te ra c tin g VSMs that characterise the Game of
L ife form a complex system at a le v e l above the base of the g rid : The in ­
d ividu al c e lls are, of course, unmoving with a s ta tic and unchanging set
of neighbours with whom they can in te ra c t. In th is sense, a l l c e llu la r
automata are completely s ta tic - only the states of the in d iv id u a l c e lls
change over time, with each p a ra lle l update of the automaton. I t is only
the information in s ta n tia te d in the c e ll s tates, carried by the VSMs,
that flows about the g rid . The VSMs form a system of in te ra c tin g agents at
an organisational le v e l above, but emergent from, the fundamental s ta tic
agents - the c e lls - at the base of the g rid , find, th is can occur at many
levels of an organisational hiearchy. Information complexifies upwards,
with new complex systems of in te ra c tin g patterns of information emerging
at higher and higher levels of an organisational hierarchy, the formation
of each driven by the flow of information between these patterns and
through the system. In non-complex - class I - I I I - c e llu la r automata,
th is com plexif ic a tio n never progresses above the le v e l of the base g rid .

This same p rin c ip le applies in our universe, in even the most complex of
structures, including conscious liv in g organisms. No objects r e a lly move
in the Universe: patterns of information emerge, in s ta n tia te d by the C e ll
states of the Grid, and th is information flows between C ells generating
the patterns of information that self-o rg anise to form the high-order
patterns we recognise as atoms, molecules, c e lls , liv in g organisms, and
the patterns they form, whether i t be a flo ck of s ta rlin g s , a society
of ants, or human c iv ilis a tio n . The layered com plexification of in fo r ­
mation in stan tia te d by the Grid generates a l l the forms we observe In
our Universe. The d ifferen ce between our Universe and the Game of L ife
g rid is that th is layered com plexification has progressed much higher in
the Universe, with a deep organisational hierarchy emerging, with liv in g
organisms s it tin g at the apex.

f i l l complex systems can be recognised as self-organised emergent patterns

of inform ation, what we recognise as ‘ o bjects’ , together with the names
we use to la b e l them, are merely descrip tive conveniences that allow us
to describe and distinguish a l l the d iffe re n t patterns of information
at varying levels of complexity that are emergent on our Universe Grid.

So what about l i f e ?
I t shouldn’ t come as any surprise that liv in g organisms are r ig h tly c a t­
egorised as complex systems and, as such, are most accurately viewed as
highly complex patterns of information processing.

L ife is an emergent behaviour of c e rta in complex systems.

Living -things must, of course, maintain a degree of order - other­

wise they couldn’ t e x h ib it the complex, meticulously-organised functions
ch a ra c te ris tic of liv in g organisms. However, th is order must be balanced
by a certain degree of f l e x i b i l i t y , since a r ig id ly ordered system would
be unable to respond to information from it s environment, process in fo r ­
mation in novel ways, make decisions, or evolve over time.

Too l i t t l e order and l i f e breaks down, but too much and l i f e

cannot form.

As with other complex systems, l i f e can only e x is t in that narrow band at

the edge of chaos where order and disorder are c r i t i c a l l y balanced. But
l i f e seems lik e a very special type of complex system and, indeed, l i f e
has p a rtic u la r properties that allow us to define i t as such.

The patterns of information re fe rre d to as liv in g organisms s it high

within a stack of layers of increasing complexity. At every layer of a
hierarchically-organised complex system we can observe emergent behav­
iours not exhibited by lower le v e ls , with emergent behaviours at one le v ­
e l allowing new, even more complex, behaviours to emerge at even higher
levels. L ife represents the pinnacle of th is process of self-o rg a n is a tio n
and the com plexification of inform ation, taking place on the Grid of our
Universe. L ife is a special type of emergent behaviour that only appears
at the highest levels of an organisational hierarchy, b u ilt upon many
layers of diverse emergent behaviours below i t . But what exactly is lif e ?

Most people would fe e l fa ir ly confident in distinguishing something

liv in g from something n o n -liv in g : Birds, spiders, plants, and b acteria
appear obviously a liv e , but pinning down a precise d e fin itio n of ‘ l i f e ’,
is more tr ic k y . Perhaps the p ith ie s t d e fin itio n came from b io lo g ists
Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela, who posited that liv in g organ­
isms are d is tin c t from non -livin g machines in that they are AUTOPOIETIC,
meaning ‘ s e lf-c re a tin g ’ 1.

051
Interactions between simple agents cause higher order
structures and behaviours to emerge_

High-order
emergent
structures

Isolated
simple agents

Complexity
Although a g lid e r on a 2D c e llu la r automaton is c e rta in ly not a liv e ,
the g lid e r maintains it s id e n tity despite it s constituent c e lls changing
every few time steps. S im ila rly , liv in g organisms are not objects as
such, but patterns of information that maintain and regenerate themselves
over a period of time we recognise as a life s p a n , which might be a few
days or several decades.

The simplest organism recognised as liv in g is a s in g le -c e lle d organism,

such as an amoeba. Although, throughout it s short life , every single
component of the amoeba might be degraded and replaced several times, i t
s t i l l maintains it s id e n tity as an amoeba. I t achieves th is by v irtu e
of it s construction, from complex networks of in te ra c tin g components
that maintain themselves despite in d iv id u a l components breaking down. As
old components of networks degrade, other networks act to replace these
components. So, the e n tire system regulates, maintains, and regenerates
it s e lf . Put simply, in the words of physicist F r it jo f Capra:

“L ife Is a factory that

makes I t s e l f from w ith in .

053
The process of self-maintenance, re g u la tio n , and regeneration, is an
emergent behaviour, a highly complex type of information processing. This
behaviour emerges from the in teractio n s of large numbers of simple compo­
nents - so a liv in g organism is not a large complex machine so much as a
system of smaller and simpler machines, which are themselves patterns of
inform ation. I t is the in te ra c tio n of these small machines that produces
the complex behaviour of liv in g organisms and, fundamentally, these in ­
teractions are the flow of information through the system. You should be
able to see the rela tio n s h ip between the emergent behaviour of a flo c k of
s ta rlin g s , or a colony of ants, and a liv in g c e ll, which one might go so
fa r as to c a ll a ‘ flo ck of molecules’ . In general, a liv in g organism is a
complex, h ierarch ically-o rg an ised p attern o f inform ation th a t maintains,
regenerates, and re p lic a te s i t s e l f over time.

I f a c e ll were large enough fo r you to open i t up and peer inside, you

would fin d i t packed with small molecules swimming in the g e l-lik e in te ­
r io r , in tera c tin g with other molecules and building new ones. Like a l l
complex systems, c e lls are b u ilt from a large number of simple components
- proteins, sugars, lip id s , DNA, etc - th at in te ra c t with each other.
Whilst the in d ivid u al in teractio n s between components are r e la tiv e ly sim­
p le, i t is from these in te ra c tio n s that highly complex behaviour emerges:
building and maintaining the structure of the c e ll, absorbing and pro­
cessing n utrien ts from the environment, excreting waste products, moving
away from toxins and towards food sources, and even s p littin g to form new
c e lls . The complex behaviours of the e n tire c e ll emerge from the m u lti­
tude of in tera c tio n s of the simple components, and i t is these emergent
behaviours th a t, together, produce an au to po letic system th at we consider
to be a liv e . Of course, in m u ltic e llu la r organisms, such as ourselves,
large numbers of c e lls can self-o rg an ise to form even more complex s tru c ­
tu res, such as muscle, hearts, and brains. In the human body, we can see
a number of higher lev e ls of organisation:

c e lls self-o rg an ise to form tissues;

tissues self-o rg anise to form organs;
and organs self-o rg anise to form the complete organism,
with new
emergent properties emerging at
each layer of the hierarchy.
Whilst a simple c e llu la r automaton such as the Game of L ife could never be
considered a liv e , the behaviour of these class IV automata is useful in
revealing how simple rules can give ris e to complex, h ie ra rc h ic a lly -o r­
ganised, patterns of inform ation. Despite having only two c e ll states -
dead or a liv e - the Game of L ife displays a s trik in g le v e l of complexity,
with a m ultitude of c r it t e r s emerging and scrambling across the g rid . As
they in te ra c t, these fir s t-o r d e r c r it t e r s - VSMs - can self-o rg anise to
form high-order structures with emergent computational capacity, some of
which begin to emit - construct - other c r it t e r s . These new c r itte r s be­
come part of a d iv e rs ify in g ecosystem, themselves in te ra c tin g with other
c r itte r s to form novel high-order c r it t e r s . E ventually, the g rid begins
frothing with an increasingly complex and diverse array of c r it t e r s ,
in teractin g with each other in increasingly complex ways. I t is not too
much of a stretch to imagine how autopoietic - and thus liv in g - s tru c ­
tures might eventually emerge from th is sort of ric h ‘ biochemical’ soup.

The Game of L ife w i ll always remain on the f i r s t few rungs of the ladder
of complexity, w hilst our Universe has progressed much higher and, most
lik e ly , w ill continue to do so. Despite s it tin g at very d iffe re n t levels
of the organisational hierarchy, both our Universe and the c r it t e r s in
the Game of L ife emerge from information processing. In the case of the
Game of L ife , i t is the c e lls of the automaton grid that perform the com­
putations, whereas in our Universe, i t is the C ells of the Grid.

This picture of liv in g organisms as autopoietic systems of h ie ra rc h ic a lly

self-organised patterns of information is comprehensive but not yet com­
p le te . Living organisms don’ t ex is t in a vacuum but, ra th e r, embedded in
an environment. In fa c t, they are both b u ilt from the same s tu ff as the
environment and f u lly dependent upon i t . For an organism to remain a liv e ,
i t must depend upon a flow of molecules and energy into and out of it s
c e lls , which we recognise as food, oxygen, and waste products. From the
inform ational perspective, th is is nothing more than the flow of in fo r­
mation from the environment into the network of in te ra c tin g patterns of
information inside the organism.

For example, embedded in the membrane of a l l c e lls are specialised pro­

tein s called receptors, which are charged with transm itting information
across the membrane, from the environment in to the network of proteins
and other molecules inside the c e ll.

055
ft cell is a self-organised emergent structure,
built from a large number of simple interacting
components, each of uhich is itself a self-
. 1-2
organised structure with emergent properties_
A receptor spans the e n tire membrane, with an outward-facing domain
exposed to the environment, and an inward-facing domain exposed to the
c e ll’ s In te r io r . The outer domain binds s e le c tiv e ly to molecules in the
environment, with d iffe re n t receptors binding to d iffe re n t molecules.
Upon binding to the receptor, the molecule causes the receptor to tw is t
out of shape, d is to rtin g both it s outer and inner domains. The alte re d
geometry of the inner domain allows i t to bind to molecules inside the
c e ll known as s ig n a llin g p ro tein s, which are themselves part of the com­
plex network of molecules inside the c e ll. So, o v e ra ll, by binding to the
receptor, a molecule outside the c e ll transm its information across the
membrane and in to the c e ll. By sporting a v a rie ty of d iffe re n t receptors
in it s membrane, each binding to a s p e c ific type of molecule in the ex­
ternal environment, a c e ll can receive a v a rie ty of forms of information
about the environment. I t ’ s not d if f ic u lt to see why th is could be use­
fu l: i t might, fo r example, allow a c e ll to detect sources of food or
toxins, chemical signals secreted by predators, or even to distinguish
between lig h t and darkness.

Downstream
signalling
molecules

057
When a molecule binds to a receptor protein,
information is transmitted From the environment
into the cell, where it spreads through, and is
processed bp, the network of molecules in the
cell’s interior_
The binding of a molecule to a receptor protein exem plifies one of the
most important concepts in th is book: perception. In humans, perception
is commonly defined as the process by which awareness of the world is
achieved via the senses: the detection of lig h t by the eyes, of sound
vibrations by the ear drum, fo r example. Although we w i ll eventually d is ­
cuss how your brain is able to perceive orthogonal dimensions of r e a lity
during a DMT t r ip , we must f i r s t think about perception more generally
and on a more fundamental le v e l. Perception is usually described as a
means of sensing the environment and is ty p ic a lly re s tric te d to organisms
that are e ith e r presumably conscious or th a t, at le a s t, possess a nervous
system. However, i t w i ll be h elp fu l to define perception more generally
as the process by which a stru ctu re, iiv in g or otherwise, receives and
processes Information from it s environment.

i
A receptor embedded in a membrane enables a c e ll to select information
from the environment and to transmit th is information across the c e ll
boundary and into the network of molecules inside the c e ll. This is
perhaps the most basic form of perception of which a l l organisms must
be capable. An organism w i ll not survive fo r long i f i t cannot receive,
and process, information about it s environment, which is the basis of
perception. A system of receptors embedded in a c e ll membrane, each spe­
cialised to receive and transmit a s p e c ific type of inform ation, allows
an organism to th riv e w ithin an ecosystem of other organisms competing
for food and other resources. For example, receptors that bind glucose
molecules can provide information about the location and concentration of
this important energy resource. S im ila rly , receptors fo r toxins, phero­
mones, or other s ig n ific a n t molecules, provide an organism with a kind of
chemical map of the environment, with concentration gradients of s p e c ific
molecules mapped out by th e ir d iff e r e n tia l a c tiv a tio n of receptors on
d iffe re n t parts of the c e ll membrane.

059
 Of course, if is n ’ t necessary fo r the molecules themselves to pass
across the c e ll membrane, only that they bind to the external domain
of the receptor such that the information s ig n a llin g th e ir presence is
transm itted into the c e ll. This system of receptors allows the c e ll to
continuously receive information from the environment, which can then be
processed by the network of molecules inside the c e ll. N a tu ra lly , th is
information is only useful i f the c e ll has the machinery to ‘ make sense’
of i t and respond in a fu n c tio n a lly useful manner. This requires not only
perception, which we can also c a ll sensory Input, but also a means of
producing a response, which is the output. This response might be rather
simple and automatic, such as moving up a concentration gradient towards
a food source or away from an area with a high concentration of toxins.
However, w hilst such ste re o ty p ic a l responses might be s u ffic ie n t fo r a
s in g le -c e lled organism, a m u ltic e llu la r organism perched several layers
in organisational complexity above such amoebic s im p lic ity , requiring
of a constant and intensive supply of n u tritio n , and with the constant
threat of being preyed upon by other complex m u ltic e llu la r organisms,
th is would never do.

The more complex an organism becomes, the greater is it s need fo r a ric h

re a l-tim e supply of information from it s environment, find, not only must
th is supply be abundant but, i f the response in any given s itu a tio n is to
be appropriate and e ffe c tiv e , th is information must also be f ilt e r e d and
processed. As an organism evolves towards g reater and g reater complexity,
a specialised structure with the sole purpose of receiving and processing
information from the environment becomes a necessity. Of course, th is
is what we know as a brain*, the b io lo g ic a l information generator and
processor par excellence. As brains evolve and complexify, they begin to
construct elaborate models of the environment, containing a wealth of
information p ertinent to the organism’ s s u rv iv a l. E ventually, an in fo r ­
m ation-rich subjective map that constitutes the personal r e a lit y of an
in d ivid u al organism emerges: the organism makes up In a morld.

*uie w ill often refer to the structure that performs the function of a brain
more generally as a brain complex (a type of information complex), since such
structures are universal features of complex life , whether Earthly or otherwise.

1 060
 Sjf the outside world Fell in ruins, one of us would be capable of
|buildin9 it UP again. For mountain and stream, tree and leaf, root and
Iplossom, all that is shaped by nature lies modelled in us.”

Hernann Hesse

iChapt er 5: Making Up in a World

 Your brain is the most complex structure in the known Universe, e f f o r t ­
lessly manifesting the rich and lucent tapestry of your world from mo­
ment to moment. As you witness th is glorious unfolding of the world from
behind your eyes, you’ d be forgiven fo r losing sight of it s fundamental
nature: as information generated by your brain, which is i t s e lf an in fo r ­
mation complex in s ta n tia te d on the Grid.

Each of us liv e s out each of our liv e s from behind our eyes, in a world
that French philosopher Pierre Teilhard-de-Chardin called the ‘ w ithin
of things’ : “ the object of a d ire c t in tu itio n and the substance of a l l
knowledge”1. I t ’ s not enough to say that your body and brain is b u ilt
from information: For conscious beings such as ourselves, borrowing from
philosopher Thomas Nagel, there is so m eth in g -it’s -lik e -to -b e th is par­
tic u la r configuration of inform ation. There is a w ith in , and th is w ith in
is your phenomenal world, the world of subjective experience and the only
world you can ever know. Whether you are hurrying down a damp s tre e t on
a grey Sunday morning or dancing with ancient gods in a jew elled temple
with b izarre c ry s ta llin e geometries of immeasurable luminosity and form,
i t is always your own personal world, and i t is always b u ilt from in fo r ­
mation generated by your brain.

I f we are to understand the b izarre worlds v is ite d at the peak of a DMT

t r ip , we must f i r s t understand the more prosaic world of your d a ily l i f e
in th is universe: it s purpose, why i t takes the form i t does, and it s
relatio n sh ip to everything happening out there in the so-called external
world.

Transcendental id e a lis t Immanuel Kant distinguished between the PHE­

NOMENON - the subjective world w ithin which each of us liv e s - and the
NOUMENON - the unknowable w o r ld -in -its e lf, independent of our percep­
tio n s. Your brain is a h ig h -le v e l information complex that generates the
information that is your phenomenal world - th is is the phenomenon. The
noumenon is a l l the information being generated by the Grid:

the w o rld -in -its e lf is inform ation.

Your brain generates a highly complex form of information that has the
special property of s u b je c tiv ity : you experience th is information as your
world, whether you are awake, dreaming, or at the peak of a DMT t r ip .

1 062
Of course, although your phenomenal world is always b u ilt from in fo r ­
mation generated by your brain [we w i ll discuss la te r how your brain
achieves t h i s ] , there is an undeniable re la tio n s h ip between th is subjec­
tively-experienced world and the world outside of your brain , which we
would n a tu ra lly c a ll the environment. Your brain evolved as a generator,
receiver, and processor of inform ation. More s p e c ific a lly , i t evolved to
receive and process information from the environment - the surrounding
Grid - and then to make judicious decisions regarding behaviour based on
the resu lts of it s computations.

In the la s t chapter, we defined perception generally as the receiving and

processing of information from the environment. A single c e ll perceives
its environment via the gamut of receptors embedded in it s surface, the
information flowing from the external world to the networks of s ig n a llin g
molecules in it s in te r io r . Organised at a much higher le v e l than the in ­
dividual c e ll, your brain is a perceiver par excellence, not only re c e iv ­
ing information from the environment, v ia the sensory apparatus, but also
using th is information to generate a model or map of th is environment.

|The world you liv e w ith in is t h is model.

Brain
complex

Environment

The brain is an information complex specialised in receiving and

processing information from the environment [surrounding Grid]. It uses
this information to build a model of the environment.

063
 I f you look around you now, you w i ll see a world ric h In inform ation: a l l
the objects, colours, textures, re la tiv e distances, and values associated
with a l l these things - beauty, disgust, ambivalence, etc - are encoded
by information generated by your b rain . Your world is e n tir e ly th at in ­
formation experienced from the in side, from uiithin. Your brain generates
th i^ inform ation, not because i t w i l l affo rd you a b e a u tifu l world to
enjoy, but because the phenomenal world thus manifested is useful to you
and fo r your continued s u rv iv a l. A world that contains useful informa­
tio n about the ongoing a c tiv ity in the surrounding environment provides
an organism with an evolutionary advantage over those organisms unable
to build such a world. The Grid contains a m ultitude of information com­
plexes with varying levels of complexity - we recognise these as other
organisms and inanimate objects, but l e t ’ s not lose sight of th e ir true
nature as emergent structures b u ilt from inform ation. Some of these com­
plexes contain information e ith e r b e n e fic ia l or e ssen tial to an organism
- what we might recognise as food or sunlight - and some contain informa­
tio n harmful to an organism. Predators, fo r example, are other organisms
that take an a c tive in te re s t in destroying us because they consider us
food. However, there are more subtle forms of inform ation: the distances
between objects enable us to navigate the Grid to seek c e rta in types of
information whilst avoiding others, fo r example. A ll of th is information
is encoded w ithin your brain and forms a model of the external world
sculpted over m illio n s of years of evolution.

As a brain evolves, so does the world that it generates2. The random

changes that occur at the genetic le v e l during reproduction can increase
the chances that an organism w i ll successfully survive and reproduce -
thefee are called adaptive changes. For example, a s lig h tly longer beak
might enable a b ird to reach insects embedded more deeply in the trunk
of ia tre e , giving th at b ird an advantage over birds with shorter beaks.
Thife w e ll-fe d b ird w i ll be more f e r t i l e and more lik e ly to produce a
number of strong o ffs p rin g . Changes can also disadvantage an organism
and make i t less lik e ly that i t w i ll successfully reproduce - these are
non-adaptive changes. This process of evolutionary change also applies
to the phenomenal worlds b u ilt by the b rain . As a brain evolves towards
increasing complexity, i t becomes capable of building more and more com­
plex phenomenal worlds containing more and more sophisticated information
about the surrounding environment, as w e ll as being able to process and
make decisions based on th is information in more sophisticated ways.

064
Organisms with brains that generate poor models of the world - perhaps
models that f a i l to distinguish between predators and prey - w ill be
less lik e ly to survive and reproduce than those with brains that generate
adaptive models.

Imagine a p rim itiv e brain that is l i t t l e more than a random information

generator, receiving and processing very l i t t l e information about the
environment, w hilst th is brain might generate a sort of phenomenal world,
i t is lik e ly to be a highly unstable and chaotic world that could in no
way be described as a model of the environment. In other words, the in fo r ­
mation being generated by such a brain t e l ls the organism almost nothing
about the information being generated w ithin the environment. The amount
of information shared by two variables - in th is case a brain and the
environment - is called MUTUAL INFORMATION and is a measure of how much
we can learn about one variable by knowing something about the other.
For example, i f you show me a photograph of one of a p a ir of id e n tic a l
twins, without seeing the other, I already have information about the
other twin: the colour of th e ir eyes, the shape of th e ir nose, e tc . The
twins share mutual inform ation.

The mutual information between th is p rim itiv e brain and the environment
is very low: even i f you had access to a l l the information being gen­
erated by the brain , you would learn very l i t t l e about the information
being generated in it s environment. As a brain evolves, and it s phenome­
nal world changes, i t begins building worlds that contain more and more
useful information about the environment. In other words, the mutual
information between the brain and the environment increases. Of course,
building useful models of the world is not simply a matter of accruing
more and more inform ation: a brain must be s e le c tiv e , ignoring irre le v a n t
information and selecting pertinent and useful inform ation. In fa c t, th is
f ilt e r in g of irre le v a n t information is as important as the selection of
useful inform ation. More is not necessarily b e tte r.

Psychedelic drugs, including DMT, and certain psychiatric conditions,

modify the phenomenal world by modifying the information generated by the
brain, creating an a lte rn a te model of r e a lit y . However, we mustn’ t make
the mistake of assuming that the normal waking world in healthy people is
somehow the only true or v a lid r e a lity : a l l models of r e a lity are equally
real in that they are a l l b u ilt from inform ation. ..

065
 Information generated Information generated
Progress by the enoironment_ by the brain_
ot brain
evolution

hs the brain euolues towards increasing complexity, the mutual

information [shown in blue] between the brain’s model of the world and
the environment increases
Of course, some models w i ll be more or less adaptive than others, depend­
ing on the re la tio n s h ip between the model and the environment. A sch iz­
ophrenic’ s world, fo r example, might w ell be markedly d iffe re n t to that
of the ostensibly sane m ajority. We can’ t , however, say that the schiz­
ophrenic’ s world is less 'r e a l' than anyone e ls e ’ s world, only perhaps
that i t is less adaptive, containing less useful information about the
environment and more information unrelated to i t - there is less mutual
information between the schizophrenic’ s brain and th e ir environment.
The same applies to the altered worlds e lic ite d by psychedelic drugs,
which modulate the information generated by the brain and change it s
relationship to the environment. This change might be subtle, as with a
threshold dose of Psilocybe mushrooms, or extremely profound, as with a
breakthrough dose of DMT.

In summary, your normal waking phenomenal world is a model of the world

that your brain has evolved to f a c i li t a t e your s u rvival as a complex
pattern of information on the Grid. Your brain , Just lik e the rest of
you, is a highly complex, h ierarch ically-o rg an ised , structure b u ilt , lik e
a ll things, from inform ation, although i t s its at the apex of the known
hierarchy of complexity. Although a l l structures generate, process, and
are b u ilt from inform ation, a brain is special in that i t generates in ­
formation th at manifests as your phenomenal world, your personal r e a lit y .
Whether you are

s B

a fte r tun lungfuls of th ick DMT vapour, I

your personal r e a lit y is always b u ilt from information generated by your

brain. Although these worlds might be very d iffe re n t in structure and in
terms of th e ir relatio n s h ip to the environment, they are u n ifie d by th e ir
fundamental nature:
“Fat- away a crow caws. The earth slowly keeps on turning. But beyond
any of those details of the real, there are dreans. find eueryone’s
lining in the™ ” Harijki Murakami

Chapter 6 How to B u i l d a World

Part I

069
 ft brain s its at the apex of the organisational hierarchy with many layers
of computational complexity. However, at its most fundamental, lik e a l l
§h at manifests in our Universe, a brain is an arrangement of the Cells
of the Grid. A brain generates inform ation, as do a l l things, by the
updating of C e ll s tates. These C ells in te ra c t lo c a lly w ithin the Grid
and, through many levels of h ie ra rc h ic a l s e lf-o rg a n is a tio n , the complex
computational properties of a brain emerges. The information generated
by your brain manifests from w ith in as your phenomenal world. Throughout
your l i f e , your brain may generate a number of d iffe re n t types of worlds:
the normal waking consensus world of everyday l i f e , the flu id and unpre­
d ictab le worlds you explore w hilst dreaming and, i f you ingest certain
drugs or plants, worlds altogether stranger than e ith e r of those. H hilst
c le a rly d is tin c t, these worlds are u n ifie d by th e ir fundamental nature as
information generated by your brain.

Although the information generated by a brain is u ltim a te ly encoded at

the le v e l of the Grid, by the update states of the fundamental C e lls ,
the brain is a h ie ra rc h ic a lly self-organised structure with emergent
inform ation generated at every le v e l. The information that manifests as
your phenomenal world is generated at the le v e l of neurons, which are the
major information-processing c e lls in the brain . However, i t is important
not to lose sight of the fact that

neuron:, emerge from biomoleculgs, i j I fiH R H |

’ ujhich J^hemoelyes crfierae from a t o m ^ p I I flH flj
^ ^ ^ ^ u jiic t^ h e r r is e lv e ^ e r e ^ ^ r o r i^ u b a ^ r n i^ ia r t^ ^ ^ j B H j j

Information is generated w ithin the brain by the a c tiv ity of it s c o n s tit­

uent neurons and the in teractio n s between them - electrochem ical signals
passed between neurons that generate emergent patterns of inform ation. In
p a rtic u la r, the neocortex - a folded 2-4mm th ick sheet comprising around
59 b illio n neurons amongst 500 b illio n supporting c e lls - is the newest
jend most functionally-advanced part of the brain and has the primary ro le
in generating the information from which the subjective phenomenal world
;is constructed. The neurons within the neocortex form an e x tra o rd in a rily
complex pattern of connections and networks that are able to generate
c a llo s a l amounts of highly complex information experienced as the world.

070
 Dendrite
Information

Cell
body
Axon
Synaptic
bulb

Each in d ivid ual neuron is a highly specialised c e ll with a d is tin c tiv e

structure: the cen tral ‘ hub’ of the neutron, the CELL BODY, contains
varying numbers of membrane protrusions - known as DENDRITES and AXONS
- that extend outwards, rather lik e the limbs of an octopus. The ro le of
dendrites is to receive information from other neurons and transmit th is
information to the c e ll body, which is where the important computations
take place. Axons, in contrast, have the ro le of transm ittin g information
away from the c e ll body to be passed to other neurons.

Although there are many d iffe re n t types of neurons with p a rtic u la r spe-
cialised functions, each has a conceptually simple task: to receive
information, in the form of electrochemical signals from other neurons,
process th is inform ation, and then make a decision. The decision is also
simple: remain quiet (do nothing) or f i r e an electrochemical signal
called an ACTION po te n tia l . This f i r e or n o -fire decision can be likened
- alb eit s im p lis tic a lly - to a tw o-state system that generates a single
b it of inform ation, with the n o -fire decision being equivalent to a ‘ 0 ’
and an action p o te n tia l being a ‘ l ’ in d ig it a l binary code. When a neuron
fire s an action p o te n tia l, the signal is passed along the axon towards
one or more downstream neurons, which must then decide whether or not to
l i r e an action p o te n tia l themselves.

071
 Like a l l c e lls In the body, the inside and outside of a neuron is sepa­
rated by a semi-permeable membrane, which controls the flow of molecules
both into and out of the neuron. Neurons are special in th at they accu­
mulate certa in charged ions - positively-charged sodium and potassium
ions, and negatively-charged chloride ions - on the inside and outside
of the c e ll membrane. I f these charges are unbalanced, there is a net
d ifferen ce in e le c t r ic a l charge across the membrane, referred to as the
MEMBRANE POTENTIAL.

When a neuron is q u ie t, the electrochem ical charge inside the neuron is

more negative than the outside - th is is known as the RESTING MEMBRANE
POTENTIAL. Depending on signals received from other neurons, as w e ll as
other neurochemicals, th is restin g p o te n tia l can be made more or less
negative (lowered or ra is e d ). I f th is p o te n tia l is raised to a s p e c ific
le v e l, known as the THRESHOLD POTENTIAL, the membrane p o te n tia l suddenly
and very rap id ly reverses - shoots upwards - and then returns to the r e s t­
ing p o te n tia l. This event is the action p o te n tia l and appears as a spike
when the e le c tr ic a l a c tiv ity of the neuron is measured. These spikes are
the fundamental ‘ b i t - l i k e ’ units of information generated by the brain.
Sequences of these spikes, lik e the sequences of Is and 9s of binary code,
are used to encode inform ation.

072
Neurons do not work in is o la tio n , but are heavily interconnected via
th e ir dendrites and axons, forming a bew ilderingly complex set of n e t­
works among which information - in the form of spikes - is shared, pro­
cessed, and integrated, fiction p o te n tia ls are in itia t e d close to the
c e ll body, but tra v e l ra p id ly along the neuron’ s axon to be passed to
one or more dendrites of other neurons. However, the action p o te n tia l
isn’ t normally passed d ire c tly from the axon to a dendrite: There is a
small gap between the axon term inal and the dendrite called a SYNAPSE.
The ro le of the synapse is to transm it the information carried by the
acton p o te n tia l from the PRESYNflPTic neuron to the POSTSYNAPTIC neuron.
When the action p o te n tia l reaches the enlarged axon term inal - the PRE­
SYNflPTic BULB - a series of biochemical events causes s p e c ific molecules
- NEUROTRANSMITTERS - to be released in to the gap - the SYNAPTIC CLEFT.
The neurotransmitter molecules then d iffu s e across the c le f t and bind to
special receptor proteins embedded in the postsynaptic neuronal membrane.

Presynaptic Postsynaptic

Neurotransmitter [NT]

073 |
Dependent on the type of neurotransm itter - there are over 100 d i f f e r ­
ent types - and the type of receptor p ro tein , the binding of a neuro-
tran sm itter with it s s p e c ific receptor protein can generate a range of
d iffe re n t e ffe c ts on the postsynaptic neuron. The most straightforw ard
e ffe c t is to e ith e r raise or iower the membrane p o te n tia l of the post­
synaptic membrane. Raising the membrane p o te n tia l w i ll bring i t closer
to the threshold p o te n tia l, making i t more lik e ly th at the neuron w ill
eventually f i r e an action p o te n tia l. This is known as an EXCITATORY
POSTSYNAPTIC POTENTIAL (EPSP). Lowering the membrane p o te n tia l takes i t
fu rth e r from the threshold p o te n tia l and makes i t less lik e ly th at a
neuron w i l l f i r e - th is is an INHIBITORY POSTSYNAPTIC POTENTIAL (IPSP).
Since the number of neurotransm itter molecules released from the presyn-
ap tic bulb and the number and type of postsynaptic receptor proteins can
be changed,! the chemical synapse is highly fle x ib le : the strength of the
synaptic connection can be increased (SYNAPTIC POTENTIATION) or decreased
(SYNAPTIC DEPRESSION) or, in some circumstances, switched o ff e n tir e ly .
This f l e x i b i l i t y is c ru c ia l fo r sculpting the information generated by
the networks of neurons in the neocortex and so is of c e n tra l importance
in b u ild in g your world.

A single neuron might receive hundreds, or even thousands, of postsynap­

t i c p o ten tia ls from the axons of other neurons to which i t is connected.
Each EPSP nudges the neuron towards the threshold p o te n tia l, with IPSPs
p u llin g in the opposite d ire c tio n away from the threshold. The c e ll body
integrates a l l these pushes and p u lls and, i f the membrane p o te n tia l at
the c e ll body reaches the threshold p o te n tia l, an action p o te n tia l is
fir e d . This is how a neuron processes inform ation: i t is simply a matter
of whether or not the membrane p o te n tia l at the c e ll body reaches the
threshold p o te n tia l. Whilst each in d iv id u a l neuron can only generate a
single action p o te n tia l at a time - a single ‘ b i t ’ of information - the
massively interconnected networks of b illio n s of neurons, each connected
to up to 10,000 other neurons, are capable of generating and processing
colossal amounts of inform ation.

I t is th is inform ation,
generated by t r i l l i o n s of action p o te n tia ls per second,
that manifests as your
phenomenal world.
I f you look around you nou), you m ill notice that the visual scene you’ re
experiencing has two properties: F ir s t ly , your visu al world contains a
huge amount of information - observe a l l the d iffe re n t colours, shapes,
and textures in your visu al f i e ld . Then observe how these take on the form
of sp ecific objects that you recognise and how these objects re la te to
each other in terms of th e ir r e la tiv e distances from your eyes or how they
overlap and in te ra c t with each other, f i l l of th is information is encoded
by the neurons in your brain . In fa c t, your vis u a l world is th is in fo r ­
mation being experienced from your subjective perspective - from w ith in .

Secondly, w hilst your visu al world is extremely ric h in inform ation,

it is also u n ifie d . Your phenomenal world cannot be broken down into
its constituent parts: w hilst the red colour of a coffee mug is c le a rly
d istinct from it s shape and te x tu re , there is no way to separate them.
Your e n tire visu al world appears as a single u n ifie d , in fo rm atio n -rich ,
experience, find, every time you move your eyes or a tre e outside the win­
dow bends in the wind, th is u n ifie d pattern of information th at is your
world changes. In fa c t, every moment of your l i f e , whether you’ re awake,
dreaming, or at the peak of a psychedelic experience, is d iffe re n t from
the la s t. This might seem obvious, but th is is only possible because your
brain is capable of generating a p ra c tic a lly in f in it e number of u n ifie d ,
inform ation-rich worlds, each d iffe re n t from the la s t. But how does your
brain achieve this?

Neurons Fire a sequence OF action potentials, the rate and pattern oF

which Form a neural code that represents inFormation_

075
 Imagine a small LED bulb that can e ith e r be switched ON or OFF. When
switched ON, the bulb randomly emits e ith e r a RED, GREEN, or BLUE lig h t.
Now imagine you possess an extremely simple brain th at can only detect the
presence or absence of lig h t - more of a lig h t-d e te c to r than a b rain . Your
brain cannot detect the position of the lig h t nor it s colour or b rig h t­
ness. With th is brain you are only capable of experiencing two d iffe re n t
worlds: a world of lig h t or a world of darkness. When the lig h t is switched
ON, your neurons f i r e and your world becomes a world of lig h t and, when
switched OFF, you’ re plunged back into darkness. This is a l l you can know
and experience. The colour of the lig h t makes no d iffe re n c e , since your
simple brain is unable to d iffe re n tia te between colours and can only se­
lect between two states.

For you to d iffe r e n tia te between the d iffe re n t colours, we need to build
you a more complex brain , by separating the neurons of your brain into
three d iffe re n t groups and ‘ tu ning’ each group to only f i r e i f a sp e c ific
frequency of lig h t is detected. When the bulb shines a low-frequency RED
lig h t , only the 'RED' neurons w i ll f i r e , whereas a BLUE lig h t w i ll only
stim ulate the neurons tuned to that colour. Your brain can now distinguish
between the three colours of lig h t and, in fa c t, you are now able to ex­
perience four d iffe re n t worlds: darkness (lig h t switched OFF), plus the
three d iffe r e n tly coloured worlds of lig h t . Your brain can generate more
information - the colour of the lig h t as w ell as it s presence or absence -
by being able to select from a la rg e r number of states (re fe r back to our
d e fin itio n of information from chapter 2 ). Separating neurons to perform
d iffe re n t functions by tuning them to only respond to c e rta in types of
information is known as FUNCTIONAL SEGREGATION and is absolutely cen tral
to your b ra in ’ s a b ilit y to the generate your phenomenal world.

In the human b ra in , fu nctional segregation re fe rs to the way s p e c ific

areas of the cortex, and s p e c ific sets of neurons w ithin those areas, are
responsible fo r receiving, generating, and processing s p e c ific types of
inform ation. In the ‘ lig h t bulb’ thought experiment, s p e c ific sets of neu­
rons were responsible fo r detecting s p e c ific colours of lig h t . Humans are
p rim a rily vis u a l creatures, devoting a large proportion of the cortex to
th is p a rtic u la r sensory modality. So, i t makes sense to explore fu nctional
segregation focusing on the visu al system. However, these ideas can be
extended to include the other types of information - sound, sm ell, touch,
etc - that contribute to your phenomenal world.

076
 OFF ON ON ON

World 1 World 2

A brain tilth no functional segregation can only distinguish between

light OFF and light ON, but not between the colours oF the light_

By tuning parts of the brain to only respond to a specific Frequency

range, the three colours of light can be differentiated_

077
The areas of the b ra in re sp o n sib le fo r gene ra tin g v is u a l in fo rm a tio n l i e
at the back of the b ra in in the a p tly named VISUAL CORTEX. However, much
more extensive areas of the neocortex a lso make e s s e n tia l in fo rm a tio n a l
c o n trib u tio n s to your v is u a l w o rld . The PRIMARY VISUAL CORTEX - VI - s it s
r ig h t at the back of the b ra in and is the re g io n th a t f i r s t re ce ive s
v is u a l in fo rm a tio n from the e x te rn a l w o rld , from the r e tin a at the back
of the eye and v ia a walnut-shaped hub in the ce n tre of the b ra in c a lle d
the THALAMUS. V l is g e n e ra lly re sp o n s ib le fo r b asic v is u a l in fo rm a tio n ,
c o n ta in in g ‘ s im p le ’ neurons tuned to respond to c e rta in lin e o rie n ta tio n s
or te x tu re s , as w e ll as more ‘ complex’ neurons th a t o nly respond when a
lin e is moving in a s p e c ific d ir e c tio n , fo r example. From V I, in fo rm a tio n
is sent to the VISUAL ASSOCIATION CORTEX, which c o n ta in s neurons spe­
c ia lis e d to represent s p e c ific fe a tu re s of the w o rld , such as geom etric
shapes, c o lo u rs , or s p a tia l depth. F u rth e r downstream, in the TEMPORAL
LOBES - which s i t at the sides o f the b ra in - are areas s p e c ia lis e d fo r
the re c o g n itio n and re p re s e n ta tio n of c e rta in types of o b je c ts , such as
faces or anim als. In fo rm a tio n , in the form of a c tio n p o te n tia ls from the
re tin a and thalamus, is passed along th is pathway and spreads to these
s p e c ia lis e d areas which e x tra c t the types of in fo rm a tio n to which they
are tuned to respond. Using t h is in fo rm a tio n , the b ra in c o n s tru c ts your
phenomenai w orld.

Frontal
areas

Optic tract
Association
Thalanus
areas

Primary
oisual areas
To illu s tr a te how th is works, l e t ’ s imagine a highly s im p lifie d brain ,
more complex than the brain we envisaged in the ‘ lig h t bulb’ thought ex­
periment, but s t i l l containing only a handful of fu n c tio n a lly segregated
areas. How would th is brain generate a very simple world, containing only
a single object: a smooth red square moving from l e f t to rig h t? This sim­
ple world comprises only a few features that must be encoded in the brain:
the form of the square [ it s edges, corners, and o v e ra ll shape], it s c o l­
our, te x tu re , and it s movement. Neurons in fu n c tio n a lly segregated areas
of the brain are specialised to represent these features. An area devoted
to processing colour information contains neurons that only respond to
sp ecific colours. In th is simple world, i t is the ‘ re d ’ neurons that w ill
f i r e , whilst the ‘ b lu e’ and ‘ yellow ’ neurons, fo r example, w i l l remain
q uiet. The same applies to neurons devoted to processing edge, shape, and
movement inform ation, with specialised subsets of neurons w ith in each
functional area representing a s p e c ific feature of the world. Taken to ­
gether, these neurons form a p attern o f a c tiv a tio n - pattern of informa­
tion - that represents the moving red square. I t ’ s important to remember
th a t, whether or not there is a red square in the environment that you
are perceiving, or whether the square is a h a llu c in a tio n , dream, or psy­
chedelic visio n, it s construction is the same. The brain builds the red
square using information generated by the fu n c tio n a lly segregated areas
of the cortex. As we discussed in the la s t chapter, how th is red square
relates to events in the environment is a d iffe re n t issue e n tir e ly , and
th is might be d iffe re n t depending on whether the square is experienced
during normal waking l i f e , during a dream, or during a psychedelic t r ip .

Of course, the worlds we a c tu a lly experience are fa r more complex. How­

ever, no matter how complex the world, a l l of it s information must be
encoded by a pattern of a c tiv a tio n of many d iffe re n t types of specialised
neurons spread across fu n c tio n a lly segregated areas of the cortex. And,
i f areas of the cortex responsible fo r representing s p e c ific features of
the world are damaged, by a stroke or in ju ry , fo r example, the s u ffe re r
w i ll fin d himself in a world without those features. For example, the
area of the visu al cortex c alled V5 is responsible fo r the processing of
movement inform ation. Damage to th is area causes a condition c alled a k l-
netopsia or motion-blindness. In d ivid uals with th is rare condition liv e
in a world of s t i l l images and have no perception of motion. Likewise,
damage to the areas responsible fo r processing colour information resu lts
in a monochrome world devoid of a l l colour.

079
 Smooth red square
mooing to the right

Perceioed uisual object

Cortical representation

Inactioe neurons

Actiue neurons

oso
These p rin cip les can be extended to areas of the cortex responsible fo r
processing the other types of sensory information and constructing other
features of your phenomenal world. For example, a natural sound has a
complex wave structure b u ilt from simple waves of d iffe re n t frequencies.
These waves combine to form the complex wave that stim ulates the machin­
ery inside your ear. S pecific areas of the auditory cortex are tuned to
respond to s p ecific frequencies, and each frequency component of a com­
plex sound wave activates it s own frequency-tuned neurons in the auditory
cortex. This pattern of a c tiv a tio n represents the complex structure of
the o rig in a l sound wave and manifests as the sound you experience.

The smallest functionally-segregated area of the cortex is known as a

CORTICAL COLUMN, a c y lin d ric a l structure containing about 100 neurons,
and the cortex can be described as a mosaic of columns packed side-by-
side. At any point in time, the e n tire cortex displays a complex pattern
of activatio n of these columns1. This p attern of a c tiv a tio n Is a s p e c ific
state of the cortex selected from a p ra c tic a lly I n f i n it e number o f possi­
ble states and encodes a l l the Inform ation that constitu tes your e n tire
phenomenal world at th at moment. In chapter 2 we defined information as
being generated when a system selects between a f i n i t e number of discrete
states. This is exactly how the brain generates inform ation, a lb e it us­
ing a system with a vast number of s ta te s . Hhenever the c o rtic a l column
mosaic selects a s p e c ific s ta te - pattern of a c tiv a tio n - i t generates
an enormous amount of information by ru lin g out countless other s tates.

Patterns of a c tiv a tio n of these in d iv id u a l columns encode a l l the in fo r ­

mation in your phenomenal world. However, the second fundamental charac­
t e r is t ic of your world, a fte r inform ation, is u n ific a tio n : your world is
always u n ifie d . I f you look at a bowl of b rig h tly coloured f r u it s , i t ’ s
impossible to become confused as to which colour is attached to which
f r u i t . This seems e n tir e ly obvious and y e t, based on how we understand
the brain to function, i t ’ s a c tu a lly quite a fe a t: The colour information
of the f r u it s is processed at an e n tir e ly separate area of the cortex
from th e ir shape and, y e t, the correct colour is always bound to it s
p a rtic u la r f r u i t . This is known as the binding problenf, since there is
no superordinate area of the cortex - lik e a projection screen - where
a l l the features of an object are brought together to form the u n ifie d
structure - the various features of each object remain as a d is trib u te d
pattern of information across the c o rtic a l columns.

081 HI
 Each coi-tical column in the human neocortex is constructed From six
layers: layer I is the outermost layer, closest to the skull, and layer
UI is the deepest layer, closest to the centre of the brain. Since these
columns are packed together sideways, this giues the entire cortex a six
layered structure._______________________________ ____ _______ ____ _____

Columns from above

Columns From the side

showing layers_

The solution to th is binding problem lie s in the massively interconnect­

ed nature of the c o rtic a l columns. Rather than a mosaic of independent
columns, the columns have dense connections - formed from large numbers
of synapses - th at allow rapid two-way in te ra c tio n s 3. So, a pattern of
a c tiv a tio n of columns can be integrated to form a u n ifie d stru ctu re. The
thalamus, a walnut-sized structure s it tin g at the centre of the brain,
is commonly seen as a relay sta tio n through which a l l sensory informa­
tio n , barring that from the nose, must pass on it s way to the cortex.
But th is is only part of the sto ry. Each fu n c tio n a lly segregated area
of the cortex - each c o rtic a l column - is re c ip ro c a lly connected to a
corresponding region of the thalamus, forming a THALAMOCORTICAL LOOP. In
fa c t, the thalamus can be described as a miniature map - or 7th layer - of
the cortex4. So, each c o rtic a l column is b e tte r described as a THALAMO­
CORTICAL COLUMN (T-COLUMN). When a T-column is activated , the e le c tro ­
chemical a c tiv ity can be recorded on an electroencephalogram (EEG) as an
e le c tr ic a l o s c illa tio n at around 40 H ertz, known as a GAMMA OSCILLATION.
This p a rtic u la r type of o s c illa tio n is important fo r the in teg ratio n of
T-columns across the cortex5.

O S 2
 Cortex

Thalamus

Each cortical column is reciprocally connected to an area OF the

thalamus Forming a loop or T-column. Connections From the thalamus to
neighbouring columns allow information to spread between T-columns_

Hctiue T-columns Form a pattern oF activation that encodes inFormation:

a T-state

083
I
 When you observe an object, such as a strawberry, fo r example, the T -co l-
umns that encode it s various features - it s red colour, it s shiny mottled
textu re, it s c h a ra c te ris tic shape - are activated and form an a c tiv a tio n
p attern . The electrochemical a c tiv ity of each activated T-column begins
o s c illa tin g In the gamma range and these o s c illa tio n s ra p id ly become syn­
chronised. This can be compared to the way a wine glass can be made to
‘ sin g ’ , or even s h a tte r, i f the rig h t frequency of sound - the natural
frequency of the glass - is played. Gamma o s c illa tio n s can be thought
of as the n atu ral frequency of an activated T-column and, when many
T-columns are simultaneously activated , they ra p id ly synchronise th e ir
o s c illa tio n s and tra n s ie n tly self-o rg anise to form a u nified structure:
a THALAMOCORTICAL STATE (T-STATE)6. The a c tiv ity of a large number of
T-columns can be integrated w ithin a few hundred milliseconds to generate
the in fo rm atio n -rich and u n ifie d T -s ta te th at encodes your phenomenal
world. At every moment of your l i f e , your e n tire world is a unique pattern
of a c tiv a tio n of a huge number of T-columns d is trib u te d across the cortex
and u n ified by the thalam ocortical system. Your world changes from moment
to moment as a sequence of these T -s ta te s , one T -s ta te flowing in to the
next. Since the number of possible T -states is vast, when the cortex se­
lects a s p e c ific T -state i t generates an immense amount of inform ation.

Since a l l of the information that constitutes your phenomenal world is

encoded by these T -states - by the a c tiv ity of the thalam ocortical system
- i t ’ s n atu ral to wonder what exactly is the ro le of sensory information
from the external world. The construction of a phenomenal world is some­
thing the brain does by default and can be fu lly independent of incoming
sensory inform ation. During dreaming, fo r example, the brain is p e rfe c tly
capable of building a phenomenal world with a l l senses apparently in ta c t,
despite having almost no access to sensory inform ation. To explain th is ,
w e 'll f i r s t distinguish between two types of information that the brain
uses to build your world: the world is i t s e lf b u ilt from the information
generated by the a c tiv ity of the T-columns that form a u n ifie d T -s ta te .
We’ l l c a ll th is INTRINSIC INFORMATION. And we’ l l re fe r to information
that enters the brain from outside, through the senses, as EXTRINSIC IN­
FORMATION1. When e x trin s ic information enters the brain - from the re tin a
or the inner ear, fo r example - i t is not simply added to the in tr in s ic
inform ation, whether or not there is any incoming sensory inform ation,
neurons f i r e spontaneously and T-columns are activated , generating in ­
tr in s ic information by forming T -states.

OS4
Rather than adding to th is in tr in s ic inform ation, e x trin s ic information
from the senses am plifies or ‘ awakens’ s p e c ific patterns of in tr in s ic
information. S pecific patterns of e x trin s ic information are MATCHED to
specific patterns of in tr in s ic information being generated by the thalam­
ocortical system?. Or, e q u iv a le n tly , the thalam ocortical system can only
absorb information that matches the in tr in s ic inform ation i t generates.
For example, when you look up into a c le a r blue sky, the blue lig h t a c t i­
vates the blue cone c e lls in the re tin a , and th is e x trin s ic information
is transmitted to the visu al cortex as a sequence of action p o te n tia ls .
This pattern of information is matched to the a c tiv ity of a p a rtic u la r
set of neurons in the vis u a l cortex - those tuned to th is p a rtic u la r type
of information - and am plifies th e ir a c t iv it y . The e ffe c t is to increase
the amount of in tr in s ic information in the T -s ta te th at is experienced as
the colour blue. Note th at the e x trin s ic information i t s e lf never enters
the T -state - i t can only modulate the in tr in s ic information being gen­
erated by the n atu ral a c tiv ity of the thalam ocortical system.

The thalam ocortical system has a re p e rto ire of T -states - patterns of

active T-columns - that i t tends to adopt5. This re p e rto ire is only a
subset of the p ra c tic a lly in f in it e number of possible states (we’ l l see
why la t e r ) . E xtrin sic information is matched to and so selects s p e c ific
T-states from th is re p e rto ire , but never adds to or replaces th is ongo­
ing in tr in s ic inform ation. The brain is not a video camera, capturing
moving images of the world and presenting them to consciousness. Sensory
information only modulates the ongoing a c tiv ity of the thalam ocortical
system and your phenomenal world is b u ilt e n tir e ly from in tr in s ic in ­
formation. when you descend into sleep at n ig h t, access to almost a l l
extrin sic sensory information is removed and, yet, the brain continues to
build complete phenomenal worlds as you dream. These dream worlds usually
appear s tr ik in g ly s im ila r to the waking consensus world. In fa c t, the
only difference between the waking world and the dream world, in terms
of th e ir construction, is that the waking world is modulated by e x tr in ­
sic sensory inform ation, whereas the dream world is not. Without access
to sensory inform ation, the thalam ocortical system, using T-states from
its re p e rto ire , w ill construct the consensus world as a d e fa u lt. Sensory
information constrains the construction of your phenomenal world, by se­
lecting s p e c ific T -states from the re p e rto ire , but the world is not b u ilt
from sensory inform ation10. Whether you are awake, dreaming, or deep in
the DMT worlds, your world is always b u ilt from in tr in s ic inform ation.

085
 Intrinsic
inFornation

Sensory matching

ose
Chapter 7:

How to Build a World Part II

 Whenever you are aware of being in a world

your brain is constructing th is world from information generated by it s

ongoing a c tiv ity , each moment a pattern of a c tiv a tio n of T-columns: a
T -s ta te . Your brain moves through these states moment by moment, state by
state and, by selecting a single state from a vast re p e rto ire of possible
states, generates the massive amount of information that constitutes your
e n tire phenomenal world. Assuming you aren’ t dreaming, information from
the senses reaches the thalam ocortical system, is matched to th is ongoing
in tr in s ic a c t^ ^ t^ a n d s E ^ jc t^ T ^ y ^ te s ^ fp Q m tJ j^ ^ t^ e D e rto ire , guiding
the brain from state to s ta te . C ru c ia lly , sensory information only con­
s tra in s the flow of T -states and is n ’ t necessary fo r your brain to build
your world: during dreaming, fo r example, your brain happily builds your
phenomenal world using the same re p e rto ire of T-states i t employs during
waking. The only d ifferen ce is th a t, u n g u ttto # ^ ^ n ^ ^ ^ ^ W '" > n a tio n , the
flow of states can become ra th e r

leading to the often ir r a tio n a l and, sometimes-; - .diuwp p f e Lird flow of

moments experienced during a dream. But dreaming or waking, building a
phenomenal model of the world is a s k i l l the human brain has developed
over the course of it s evolutionary h is to ry . Learning to build a stable
and ric h ly inform ative phenomenal r e a lit y w ithin which you liv e out your
e n tire l i f e is the b ra in ’ s most remarkable achievement, ^ u n d e rs ta n d in g
of which we can glean by thinking again about the purpose of the world
b u ilt by your brain and the manner of it s construction.

The connections between T-columns are essen tial fo r generating a u n ifie d

T -state and phenomenal world. More s p e c ific a lly , connectivity in the
brain can be separated into three types1:

STRUCTURAL CONNECTIVITY;
EFFECTIVE CONNECTIVITY;
FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY.

is the physical coupling of neurons using the

chemical synapses we met in chapter 6 - th is is the b ra in ’ s basic w iring.
■Since the neurons communicate using action p otentials - spikes - which
lencode inform ation, i t ’ s h e lp fu l to think of the b ra in ’ s connections as

OSS
synaptic connections can be strengthened or weakened, removed e n tire ly ^
or new connections added.

I f a c tiv it y in one T-column causes an e ffe c t on the a c tiv ity in another

T-coiumn we say they have e ffe c tiv e co nn ectivity. Since the thalamocor­
t ic a l system is h ig h ly interconnected - s tru c tu ra l co nn ectivity - in fo r ­
mation is transm itted between T-columns and. when a T-column is a c t i­
vated, i t is likely to a c t i v a t e a nu m b e r of other
is connected. Of course, e f f e c t i v e c o n n e c t i v i t y de pe n d s
c o n n e ctivity: ac t i v i t y in one T - co lum n cannot affect an ot h e r
less there is a co nn ect io n, direct or indirect, be tw e e n
co n n e ctivity is the wi r i n g s c a f f o l d that al l o w s these d y n a ^ ^ B t e r a c -
tio n s and the f l ow of i n f o rma ti on b e t w e e n T - c o l u m n s to o c c u ^ f

Together w ith gamma o s c i l l a t i o n sy nc h r o n i s a t i o n , t h is e f f e c ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ H

t i v i t y manifests as p a t t e r n s of s i m u l t a n e o u s a c t i v i t y of
umns th a t form a T state, that forms y o ur world. It is
temporal c o i n c i d e n c e of ac t i v i t y in se p a r a t e ar ea s of the cortex - the
simultaneously ac ti ve c o l u m n s of a T - s t a t e - that we ref e r f to as func­
tio n a l connectivity.

Functional connectivity is the most f l e e t i n g f o r m of connectivity and,

w h ils t depending on st r u c t u r a l and e f f e c t i v e c o nn ect iv it y, doesn’ t re fe r
to physical connections between T-columns, but ra th e r to connections in
time, when, fo r example, the brain is encoding an object in the vis u a l
f ie ld , T-columns in the fu n c tio n a lly segregated areas th at represent
the features of th at object are simultaneously a c tiv e : those areas are
fu n c tio n a lly connected. In a fu n ctio n al MRI image, these areas of the
cortex are seen to ‘ lig h t up’ at the same tim e, f i l l of the T-columns of
a T -state are fu n c tio n a lly connected since, by d e fin itio n , those T -c o l-
umns are active simultaneously. However, unlike s tru c tu ra l connectivity,
which can p ersist fo r a long period of tim e, fu n ctio n al connectivity can
change from moment to moment, as T-states dissolve and are replaced by
new T -states. This is the flow of moments, one T -s ta te a ft e r the other,
that is your experience of liv in g in a world, whether i t be t his world o r
altogether ■ I
 Structural connectiuity_

Physical connections
between colunns_

Changes slowly over

days to years_

Shaped by effective
and functional
connectiuity_

Effectiue connectivity

The effect of columns

upon each other_

Dependent on
structural
connectivity_

Effectiue
connectivity causes
sets of columns
to be active
simultaneously:
functional
connectiuity_

^ 0 9 0
E ffective connectivity has an e s s e n tia l ro le in sculpting the thalamo­
c o rtic a l a c tiv ity th at is your world, as inform ation w i ll tend to spread
amongst T-columns that are most strongly connected. E x trin s ic information
from the external world is always incomplete: when you’ re gazing out of
a window at the world, the brain is n ’ t receiving complete images of the
scene th at i t then somehow presents to consciousness. Your eyes are r e ­
ceiving noisy patterns of lig h t that the re tin a must convert to action
p otentials and then pass to the cortex. Once the information reaches
the primary visu al cortex, i t w i ll a c tiv a te - be matched to - s p e c ific
T-column populations th at are tuned to respond to the features encod­
ed in the information received from the re tin a . These T-columns w i ll
then a c tiv a te T-columns to which th ey’ re connected, and the information
spreads through the thalam ocortical networks dependent on the e ffe c tiv e
connectivity between the T-columns. A fte r a few hundred milliseconds,
the gamma o s c illa tio n s of the a ctive T-columns w i l l synchronise to form
the integrated T -state that encodes your vis u a l experience of the scene.
The visual scene is not presented to the b rain , but is constructed by i t .
Your brain builds your world.

Sensory inform ation, by a c tiv a tin g s p e c ific T-column populations, helps

to select a p a rtic u la r T -state from the thalam ocortical system’ s state
re p erto ire. But th is is only possible because of the connectivity between
the T-columns: only a re la tiv e ly small number of T-columns are activated
by the sensory data, but e ffe c tiv e connectivity allows th is information
to spread to other T-columns to form a complete T -s ta te . Which T -s ta te is
selected w ill depend on how these T-columns are connected, as w ell as on
T-columns that were already active when the sensory information reached
the cortex from the sensory organs. Only a small amount of e x trin s ic
information is required to select a p a rtic u la r T -s ta te and connectivity
does the re s t. When you dream, the sequence of T -states that you expe­
rience as your dream world is not modulated by e x trin s ic sensory data.
And y e t, the dream world normally appears very s im ila r to the normal
waking world. The connectivity of the thalam ocortical system organises
its a c tiv ity such that the T -states th at are adopted tend to be those
of the waking world. Your brain knows how to build the consensus waking
world and w ill tend to do so whether or not i t has access to e x trin s ic
sensory inform ation. The consensus world is b u ilt from the T -states of
thalam ocortical state re p e rto ire , and the states w ithin th is re p e rto ire
are determined by the connectivity of the thalam ocortical system.

091
 ft selection of 6 T states from the oast repertoire ol states

1 092
By being matched to thalamocortical activity, extrinsic
sensory information selects T-states from the repertoire.
During dreaming, the brain moves more freely between T states
without guidance from sensory information_

093
 The human brain was not dropped to Earth as a p ris tin e engineered
w orld-building machine - the brain evolved to b uild a model of the world.
The brain is e s s e n tia lly an informat ion-generator, the information be­
ing generated by the in tr in s ic a c tiv ity of the thalam ocortical system.
The sequence of T-states adopted by the brain encodes the inform ational
structure of your phenomenal world. The modern human brain builds the
fa m ilia r consensus world by d e fa u lt, with T -states being selected from a
re s tric te d s ta te re p e rto ire controlled by it s co nn ectivity. But how was
th is re p e rto ire of states formed? How did the brain learn to b uild the
world we are a l l fa m ilia r with? On a c e llu la r automaton g rid , one can
imagine an information complex evolving to receive, process, and store
information about a c tiv ity in the surrounding g rid . Your brain is th is
information complex that has evolved on the 3 (+ )-dimensional Grid of our
Universe, and the world i t builds serves that same purpose: to generate
useful information about the surrounding Grid. The success of any par­
tic u la r model of the world is measured only in terms of it s usefulness:
does the model make i t more lik e ly that an organism, such as yo urself,
will survive to reproduce? I f so, then brains th at b uild such a model
will be selected by evolution, whereas brains building poor models of the
wo rl d will be consigned to the scrap heap of fa ile d attempts.

H o w does a br a i n re fin e it s model of the world throughout the course of

evolution? _________________________
By m o d i f y i n g its conn ect iv it y.

The a c tiv a tio n pa t t e r n s - T- s t a t e s - adop ted by the thalam ocortical

s y s t e m are determined by its conn ect iv it y. This re p e rto ire of states is
not fix e d , but changes as the connectivity changes. A brain with pure­
ly random connectivity might generate as much information as your own
b rain , although th is information would say nothing about the external
world - the surrounding Grid. Sensory information would flood in to such a
b rain , cascading through the randomly-connected T-columns and generating
an extremely in fo rm atio n -rich , but completely meaningless and useless,
phenomenal world. In chapter S, we saw how th is corresponds to a lack of
mutual information between the brain and the external world [surrounding
G rid ]. As a brain evolves, the mutual information between the external
world and the information generated by the brain increases: by modifying
and tuning i t s co nn ectivity, the brain builds b e tte r worlds that are more
inform ative about the environment.

094
The b ra in ’ s connectivity is shaped over two very d iffe re n t timescales:
you are born with a basic connectivity that is shaped g e n e tic a lly , a r e ­
sult of the blend of genes you received from your? parents. In ad dition ,
your b ra in ’ s connectivity changes during development - th is is also p a rt­
ly controlled by your genes. I t is th is g e n e tic a lly encoded connectivity
that has been moulded by evolution over countless generations2. As the
human brain evolved, those brains generating more and more useful and
inform ation-rich models of the world were selected fo r . On a much shorter
timescale, your b ra in ’ s connectivity changes as a re s u lt of experience.

From the moment you’ re

dragged
■ 1
1screaming
I ngffWBTSWBTiTi ll

and even before [see chapter 16], your brain is flooded with information
through the senses. This information a ctiva te s T-cplumns, which then pass
the information to other T-columns via the b illit jn s of synaptic connec­
tions in the brain.

Synaptic connections are special in that the more a connection is used,

the stronger i t becomes, whereas connections that aren’ t used may d is ­
appear e n tir e ly . So, the continuous stream of information entering the
brain is not only stim ulating the form ation of T -states,

It is through th is re p e rto ire of states that your brain moves, state by

state, as i t builds your phenomenal woiHd. By se le ctin g from the count­
less possible a c tiv a tio n patterns of the columns of the thalam ocortical
system, through a combination of evolutijon, development, and experience,
the human brain has learned to b u ild £ sta ble , inform a tive, and useful
model of the world. This is the only world your brain knows (or, at le a s t,
ought to know) how to b u ild . And such is the p ro fic ie n c y with which your
brain builds th is world, it performs th is task e ffo r tle s s ly , even in
the complete absence of sensory inform*-): iidn from the external world, as
during dreaming.

095
 Weak,
non-specific,
poorly organised
connectivity

Sensory inFornation

Strong,
highly specific,
organised
connectivity

Sensory inform ation is absorbed by the brain and shapes the connectivity

of the th a la m o co rtical system, tuentually, the in trin s ic a c tiu ity or the

system builds a stable model of the world as a default state_

096
The worlds that appear when you dream are not mere suggestions or sketch­
es of the waking phenomenal world, but mimic i t in every way. The dream
state, lik e the waking s ta te , is characterised by synchronised gamma
o s cillatio n s and the a c tiv a tio n of sensory-specific areas of the cor­
tex3. Seeing a face in a dream activates the same areas of the cortex as
seeing that face in waking l i f e .

in t r in s ic inform ation generated in e ith e r s ta te .______________

The only d ifferen ce is th a t, when you’ re awake, the world is modulated

by e x trin s ic sensory inform ation, whereas th is information is excluded
during dreaming. Despite th is paucity of sensory inform ation, the brain
remains active in building the dream world, using the re p e rto ire of
T-states developed during evolution, development, and experience. How­
ever, since these states are not constrained by e x trin s ic inform ation,
the dream world can become b iz a rre , often impossible: Faces of fam ily
members become simultaneously associated with d istan t frien d s or the
family dog, w hilst the scene s h ifts in exp licab ly from the garden at the
front of the house to the inside of an a ir c r a f t . However strange the
dream world might become, i t is almost always a more flu id version of
the consensus waking world. Of course, the same cannot be said fo r the
worlds into which DMT admits access. The a lie n worlds that immerse the
DMT user bear no rela tio n s h ip whatsoever to consensus r e a lit y , with a
degree of complexity and strangeness fa r beyond e ith e r the waking world
or the dream world. However, since the DMT user enters a phenomenal
world, no matter how b iza rre i t might become, i t must be constructed
from in tr in s ic information generated by the thalam ocortical system. To
understand the nature of these worlds of such in e ffa b le beauty and pecu­
l i a r i t y , we must f i r s t examine in some d e ta il how psychedelic drugs in
general a ffe c t the way your brain builds your world.
“A lot can be said Foe the inFinite mercies oF God, but the
smarts oF a good pharmacist, when you get down to it, is
more

Chapter 8:

Psychedelic Molecules and the Brain

 Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers charged with transm itting
informat ion from neuron to neuron and throughout the b rain . Released from
the presynaptic bulb, these specialised molecules d iffu s e across the
synaptic c le f t to reach the postsynaptic membrane. Upon a r r iv a l, by bind­
ing to protein receptors embedded in the postsynaptic membrane, they can
have a v a rie ty of e ffe c ts on the postsynaptic neuron. Over 100 natural
neurotransmitters have been id e n tifie d , each with th e ir own p a rtic u la r
roles in brain function. Most types of neuron w i ll only secrete a single
type of neurotransm itter, with glutamate, dopamine, acetylcho lin e, and
serotonin being some of the most important.

Neurotransmitters are stored inside small bubbles of membrane - synaptic

vesicles - in the presynaptic term in al. Hhen an action p o te n tia l reaches
the presynaptic term in al, a sequence of biochemical events is triggered
causing the synaptic vesicles to fuse with the presynaptic membrane,
which releases the neurotransm itter in to the synaptic c le f t , ft synapse is
usually a tig h t, one-to-one, connection between a presynaptic bulb and
a postsynaptic membrane - neurotransmitters are unable to d iffu s e out
of the synaptic c le f t and p o te n tia lly a ffe c t other neurons. This allows
synapses to form the precise wiring of the brain - it s s tru c tu ra l con­
n e c tiv ity - and, as such, is referred to as WIRING TRANSMISSION.

In contrast, other synapses are much more open - with a wider synaptic
c le ft - and allow the neurotransm itter to d iffu s e out of the synapse and
have e ffe c ts on large numbers of neurons at the same tim e. This is known
as VOLUME TRANSMISSION and the neurotransmitters involved are given the
name NEUROMODULATORS to distinguish th e ir ro le from that of the w iring
neurotransm itters. Each type of neuromodulator can bind to a s p e c ific set
of receptors, each having a c h a ra c te ris tic e ffe c t on the neuron in which
i t ’ s embedded. For example,

serotonin receptor, each of

m in ’ s e ffe c t on a neuron is
determined e n tir e ly by the types of serotonin receptor i t possesses, i f
any at a l l . A ty p ic a l neuron in the brain w i ll contain receptors fo r a
number of d iffe re n t neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, perhaps with
several d iffe re n t subtypes of each.

IO O
Narrow synaptic cleft means neurotransmitter provides a
direct connection to the postsynaptic neuron_

Wide synaptic cleft allows neurotransmitter to diffuse

widely and affect a large number of postsynaptic neurons_

101
 One of the most common e ffe c ts of a receptor is to a lt e r the membrane
p o te n tia l of the neuron. I f the membrane p o te n tia l is raised closer to
the threshold p o te n tia l - known as DEPOLARISATION - then the neuron is
more lik e ly to f i r e an action p o te n tia l, since the sum of EPSPs re s u ltin g
from presynaptic a c tiv ity is more lik e ly push the membrane p o te n tia l over
the f ir in g threshold. This is also c a lle d EXCITATION, often described as
making the neuron more e x c ita b le . Some receptors have the opposite e f ­
fe c t, lowering the membrane p o te n tia l - known as HYPERPOLARISATION - and
pushing i t fu rth e r away from the f i r in g threshold. This makes the neuron
less lik e ly to f i r e , or less e x c ita b le . Since the e ffe c t of a neuromodu­
la to r is determined e n tir e ly by the receptors to which i t binds, the same
neuromodulator might have very d iffe re n t e ffe c ts on d iffe re n t neurons.
And, since neurons usually contain many d iffe re n t types of receptor, i t
can be d if f ic u lt to predict the o v e ra ll e ffe c t of a neuromodulator on any
p a rtic u la r type of neuron.

Threshold potential
Depolarisation

5HT2A receptor
Resting potential

.
5HT1R receptor
Hpperpolarisation

The serotonin [5HT] receptor subtypes, 5HT1A and 5HT2A, have opposing
effects on the membrane potential_

1 102
Serotonin [5HT] is the most important neuromodulator with regards to the
effects of the classic psychedelics, which include LSD, psilocybin, and
DMT. Serotonin is secreted exclusively by small clu sters of neurons at
the base of the brain c alled the RAPHE NUCLEI. Although the Raphe nuclei
form a small stru ctu re, the axons from th e ir neurons spread out lik e long
te n d rils th at can reach almost every area of the cortex. Serotonin has a
number of roles in c o rtic a l function, but uie’ 11 be focusing on one only:
its e ffe c ts at a type of neuron known as a PYRAMIDAL CELL. These neurons
form the main c o rtic a l component of the thalam ocortical loops th at are so
important in building your phenomenal world. Pyramidal c e lls send th e ir
axons from layer 5 of the cortex to the thalamus, and receive input from
the thalamus in re tu rn , completing the loop. They get th e ir name from the
tria n g u la r, p yram id-like, shape of th e ir c e ll body, with dendrites pro­
truding from the apex of th is pyramid and p ro jectin g high in to the upper
layers of the cortex. These APICAL DENDRITES receive the inputs from the
thalamus, as w ell as from other types of neurons surrounding them in the
cortex. Serotonin binds to s p e c ific receptors embedded in the membrane
of these apical dendrites.

There are seven recognised classes of serotonin (5HT) receptors - 5HT1 to

5HT7 - with some of these classes also containing subtypes. For example,
the 5HT2 receptor class contains three receptor subtypes: 5HT2a, 5HT2b,
and 5HT2c, each with it s own p a rtic u la r e ffe c ts . The most important s ite
of action of the classic psychedelics is the 5HT2a receptor1, and the
potency of a psychedelic drug co rrelates q uite closely with how strongly
i t binds to th is p a rtic u la r receptor subtype2, and blocking th is receptor
abolishes any psychedelic e ffe c ts 3.

Serotonin binding to the 5HT2a receptor has a depolarising e ffe c t on a

pyramidal c e ll - the membrane p o te n tia l is nudged towards the threshold
p o te n tia l. Serotonin also binds to 5HTla receptors - also found on pyram­
id a l c e lls - but th is has the opposite, hyperpolarislng, e ffe c t on the
neuron: a c tiv a tio n of th is receptor p u lls the membrane p o te n tia l fu rth e r
from the threshold, making i t less lik e ly that the neuron w i ll f i r e .
Since these two d iffe re n t receptors share space on the same neuronal mem­
brane, they have an antagonising e ffe c t on each other, with the 5HT2a r e ­
ceptor excitin g the pyramidal c e ll and the 5HTla receptor in h ib itin g it" .
As such, the balance of 5HT2a vs 5HTla a c tiv a tio n sets the e x c it a b ility
of the pyramidal c e ll and, by extension, the e n tire cortex.

103
[he Thalamocortical Loop
An axon from a thalamic neuron projects to the apical dendrites of a
cortical pyramidal cell, which sends its axon down towards the thalamic
neuron, completing the loop_

Apical dendrite

Inhibitory
interneuron

Cortical
pyramidal
nenrnn

Cortex

Thalamus

Thalamic neuron
As w ell as th e ir antagonising e ffe c ts on neuron e x c it a b ility , the 5HT2a
and 5HTla receptors also have opposing e ffe c ts on gamma o s c illa tio n s ,
which are important fo r in teg ratin g the pattern of T-column a c tiv a tio n to
form a u nified T -s ta te . A ctivation of the 5HT2a receptor promotes gamma
o s c illa tio n s , whereas 5HTla receptors In h ib it these o s c illa tio n s 5. Under
normal circumstances, i t is serotonin that occupies and activates both
receptor subtypes, tuning the e x c it a b ility of the c o rtic a l pyramidal
c e lls and settin g the balance of c o rtic a l a c tiv a tio n . The significance of
th is balance can be appreciated when i t is disrupted.

The classic psychedelics bind s e le c tiv e ly to the 5HT2a receptor, but have
l i t t l e a c tiv ity at the SHTla receptor subtype. This tip s the balance in
favour of d epolarisation, excitin g the cortex and promoting gamma o s c il­
latio n s in thalam ocortical loops. This has two e ffe c ts : f i r s t l y , the cor­
tex becomes more sen sitive to incoming sensory information - the spikes
that reach the cortex via the thalamus are lik e ly to a c tiv a te a larger
number of T-columns than they would in the absence of the drug. The re a ­
son fo r th is is straightforw ard: whether or not a pyramidal c e ll, and by
extension a T-column, is activated depends e n tir e ly on whether the e x c it­
atory postsynaptic p o te n tia ls (EPSPs) i t receives push it s membrane po­
te n tia l over the f ir in g threshold, when sensory inform ation, in the form
of action p o te n tia ls , reaches the cortex, large areas of the cortex, and
so large numbers of T-columns, w i ll receive th is inform ation. However,
most of these columns w i ll not be a c tiv a te d , since the EPSPs w i ll f a i l to
push the membrane p o te n tia l of the pyramidal c e lls over the threshold. By
binding s e le c tiv e ly to 5HT2a receptors, psychedelic drugs set the basal
membrane p o te n tia l - the p o te n tia l in the absence of stim ulation - of a l l
the pyramidal c e lls s lig h tly higher. This means that more of these c e lls
w ill be nudged over the threshold as the sensory information reaches the
cortex. Furthermore, once these T-columns are a c tiv a te d , they are more
lik e ly to successfully transm it th e ir information to other T-columns,
since they w i ll also be more e x c ita b le .

The o v e ra ll e ffe c t is th at sensory information is not only b e tte r absorbed

by the primary sensory areas of the cortex, but is also more lik e ly to
spread to other areas of the cortex. The a rch itectu re of thalam ocortical
connectivity usually controls the spread of information between columns,
but th is control begins to s lip as the T-columns become increasingly ex­
c ita b le and more re a d ily activated by even r e la tiv e ly weak connections.

105
 By selectively Binding to GH12B receptors, psychedelics depolarise the
pyramidal cell, increasing its excitability by pushing its nenbcane
potential closer to the filing threshold

Pyramidal cell
apical dendrite
5HT2A

Threshold potential
s * * :m :mt sss? - "7

Resting potential
5HT1A
Effect on cell
excitability

& 5HT1fi receptor Serotonin

5HT2R receptor LSD/psilocybin/DMT

106
Secondly, the enhancement of gamma o s c illa tio n s by psychedelics means
that activated T-columns are more lik e ly to be incorporated in to an in ­
tegrated T -s ta te , which contains a l l the information th at constitutes a
phenomenal world. Furthermore, since th is enhanced gamma e ffe c t is wide­
spread across the cortex, highly coherent gamma o s c illa tio n s are lik e ly
to spread more fr e e ly , p o te n tia lly even in the absence of incoming sen­
sory information6. T-columns are re c ru ite d in to novel a c tiv a tio n patterns

Normally, the in tr in s ic a c tiv ity of the thalam ocortical system provides

the context fo r incoming sensory inform ation, which is matched to th is
ongoing a c tiv ity , selecting and am plifying states from the T -s ta te rep er­
to ire . However, in the presence of a psychedelic drug, the in fla te d state
repertoire means that sensory inform atio

This sequence of novel T -states is experienced as a profound change in

both the structure of the phempnenal world and the way the world flows
from moment to moment. The world s h ifts from being stable and predictable
to being unstable, unpredictable, and novel. Colours appear b rig h te r and
rich er, the boundaries between objects appear to b lu r, as objects blend
into one another or reconfigure th e ir structure and id e n tity before your
eyes: The hose-pipe on the lawn morphs in to a coiled snake or the pebble
driveway transforms in to a bed of gleaming jew els. There might even be a
blending of the normally well-demarcated sensory systems, perhaps with
visual areas of the cortex being re c ru ite d in response to sound informa­
tion: blue flashes accompany the dog barking across the s tr e e t, or music
from the stereo system e l i c it s bursts of coloured lig h t that shimmer
across the visu al f ie ld .

When a psychedelic molecule enters the b rain , the world appears to change
and, indeed, i t does change: the a c tiv a tio n patterns of the T-columns
have changed, and th is means the information generated by the thalamo­
c o rtic a l system - the information from which your world is b u ilt - has
changed. Again, we return to the idea th a t your phenomenal world is b u ilt
from inform ation. Hhen th is information changes, so does your world.

107
 Intrinsic
actiuity

Nouel
activation
patterns

Psychedelic
state

Nouel
T-state

lOS
These e ffe c ts on c o rtic a l a c tiv ity can be visu alised using modern brain
imaging techniques, such fu n ctio n al magnetic resonance imaging (fM R l),
which allow the a c tiv ity w ithin the brain to be measured and monitored
in re a l time, producing a vis u a l image of a c tiv ity in the various areas
of the cortex. The connectivity of the brain is organised in to networks,
many of which are common across a l l healthy people. The brain areas that
comprise these networks tend to be activated together and are associated
with s p e c ific functions. For example, the so -called DEFAULT MODE NETWORK
(DMN) comprises several brain areas and th e ir connections, mainly located
towards the midline of the brain , th at are activated when a person is
focused inwardly rath e r than on the outside world or on any p a rtic u la r
task. Hence th is network is also known as the task-negative network.
Daydreaming, ruminating about the past or fu tu re , or thinking about one­
self tend to be associated with a c tiv ity in th is network. TASK-POSITIVE
NETWORKS, on the other hand, are outward-looking networks activated when
an in d ivid u al is a c tiv e ly engaged in a s p e c ific a c tiv ity that requires
a tte n tio n , such as solving a maths problem or d riv in g . Strong connections
within these networks help to organise brain a c tiv ity and r e s tr ic t the
flow of information between c o rtic a l areas. Monitoring the a c tiv ity w ith­
in these w ell-defined networks provides a measure of how w e ll the b ra in ’ s
information is organised. When an in d iv id u a l is given a psychedelic drug,
as predicted by th e ir e ffe c ts on pyramidal c e lls , these networks appear
to break down: A c tiv ity ceases to be kept w ithin the order of the networks
and flows more fre e ly between d iffe re n t types of network9'5. O v e ra ll, the
c o rtic a l a c tiv ity appears more disorganised and random, which is the
visual expression of the novel T-states generated by psychedelics.

As a brain evolves, i t becomes b e tte r at generating a useful and inform­

ative model of the environment. This can be q uan tified as an increase
in the mutual information between the brain and the external world.
Psychedelics appear to tem porarily reverse th is process: the in tr in s ic
a c tiv ity - information - becomes looser and spreads more fre e ly under the
influence of a psychedelic drug. The information generated by the thalam­
o c o rtic a l system becomes less constrained by sensory information and the
mutual information between the brain and the external world decreases.
This doesn’ t mean that the psychedelic s ta te , or the phenomenal world
experienced, is any less v a lid or ‘ r e a l’ than the normal waking world,
simply that the world has changed it s s tru c tu re . The thalom ocortical
system explores novel T-states that f a l l outside it s normal re p e rto ire .

109
 In the NORMAL UfiKING STBTC, actiuation of the DMN and TPN are well
demarcated and anti correlated, Bs the DMN is activated, the TPN is
strongly suppressed, and uice uersa_

Within-network Network
connectivity Activity

DMN

Between-network
connectivity

TPN

In the PSVCHEDFLIC STATE, there is a loss oT difTerentiation between

the DMN and TPN networks. Information begins to flow between normally
separated networks, indicated by an increase in between network
connectiuity on functional MRI_

| n o
I t ’ s possible th at the brain a c tu a lly generates more information during
the psychedelic state than during the normal making s ta te . However, less
of th is information w i ll be immediately useful from an evolutionary per­
spective. The brain is as much concerned with ignoring or f i lt e r in g out
information not considered useful in the immediate concerns of s u rvival
as i t is with selecting important inform ation. Since sensory information
is not simply swallowed by the brain but, ra th e r, selects T -states from
the thalam ocortical system’ s state re p e rto ire , information that doesn’ t
match th is ongoing a c tiv ity has no e ffe c t on the brain and is e ffe c ­
tiv e ly f ilt e r e d out. However, since psychedelics expand th is re p e rto ire
to include completely novel T -s ta te s , a broader range of sensory in fo r ­
mation w i ll happen to match th is a c tiv ity , including information that
would normally be f ilt e r e d out. Pis a re s u lt, the brain becomes b e tte r at
absorbing sensory information and the world becomes fa r ric h e r as the
thalam ocortical system progresses through a series of novel T -states.
However, th is ric h e r, expanded, and more fle x ib le state of consciousness
comes at a cost.

The brain must s trik e a balance between order and disorder [lik e other
complex systems, it s dynamics s it at the edge of chaos]: the organisa­
tion of information using networks is e s s e n tia l fo r building a stable
and predictable world th at can be used to make Judicious decisions about
behaviour. Locating food and avoiding predators, fo r example, requires
the brain to know the d iffe re n c e . However, i f the networks m ilita te a
too stringent and in fle x ib le form of order, then the p o te n tia l fo r crea­
tiv e th in king , incorporating new ways of looking at the world, or simply
reacting ra p id ly to the ongoing in flu x of sensory information would be
compromised, fit the opposite extreme, the complete d is in te g ra tio n of n e t­
work organisation would y ie ld a highly fle x ib le s ta te of consciousness
with the p o te n tia l fo r immense c r e a tiv ity and novelty. However, such a
brain would completely f a i l to organise the contents of the world into
meaningful objects about which astute decisions could be made - the world
would be u tte r ly chaotic and confusing. By relaxing the order imposed by
c o rtic a l co nn ectivity, psychedelics s h ift the brain towards disorder and
generate a ric h e r and more fle x ib le world - without descending in to chaos
- with the p o te n tia l fo r greater levels of c r e a tiv ity and novel thought
than the normal, undrugged, s ta te . However, a s ig n ific a n t amount of order
must be s acrificed and the psychedelic state is perhaps suboptimal from
an evolutionary standpoint - at least in the long term.

Ill
 LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and DMT are the ‘ big fo u r’ classic psyche­
d e lic s , each b u ilt from e ith e r a tryptamine or phenethylamine nucleus,
but each with it s own c h a ra c te ris tic way of a ffe c tin g the brain and
changing the phenomenal world. However, the e ffe c ts of DMT on the struc­
tu re of the world are fa r more dramatic than those produced by normal dos­
es of LSD, psilocybin, or mescaline. A ll psychedelics, including the many
novel drugs derived from the classic psychedelics, modify the information
generated by the brain and, in so doing, modify the world. Usually, the
world that manifests under the influence of a classic psychedelic is an
a lte re d version of the consensus world. DMT, however, is exceptional:
given a s u ffic ie n t dose - around 30-56 mg fo r an average person - the
world is not changed but, ra th e r, replaced e n tir e ly . Whereas the other
psychedelics p a r tia lly reduce the mutual information between the brain
and the environment, DMT reduces th is information to zero. DMT is a 100%
r e a lit y channel switch: the DMT worlds bear no re la tio n s h ip whatsoever
to consensus r e a lit y .

As a psychedelic drug reaches the b rain , c o rtic a l networks begin to break

down and lose th e ir control over the spread of information through the
cortex. Increasing the dose of a psychedelic tends to enhance th is e ffe c t
even fu rth e r: a larger number of drug molecules reach the brain and bind
to a larger number of 5HT2a receptors. This increases the e x c ita b ility
of pyramidal c e lls even fu rth e r and, consequently, the in tr in s ic a c t iv i­
ty of the thalam ocortical system becomes even more f lu id , unstable, and
unpredictable. At it s extreme th is can lead to a complete d is in te g ra ­
tio n of the phenomenal world and u tte r confusion, with the user tumbling
into a maelstrom of fragmented forms with no point of reference in the
outside world. A ll sensory information enters the brain fr e e ly , without
co nstrain t, a c tiv a tin g an apparently boundless v a rie ty of novel T-states
without any re la tio n s h ip to each other or the environment. This confusion
is ty p ic a l of the e a rly stages of a DMT t r i p . However, once th is early
phase passes, the DMT worlds no longer resemble maelstroms of confu­
sion, but stable worlds of c ry s ta llin e c la r it y . Whilst the DMT space is
undoubtedly of immense complexity, i t possesses a character a l l of its
own and doesn’ t re s u lt from random neural a c tiv ity . The DMT worlds are
thoroughly a lie n , often indescribably b iza rre and, y e t, possess a s t r ik ­
ing number of c h a ra c te ris tic features commonly reported by large numbers
of users. Before discussing how DMT achieves th is , l e t ’ s look at these
strange worlds in more d e ta il.

112
 “I like to think that I am a rigorous
thinker and, yet,
here I an telling you that
elf legions await in hyperspace,
one toke away...”
Terence McKenna

Outside of laboratory studies, LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline are usually

ingested o ra lly . LSD, owing to it s extreme potency, is usually prepared
by soaking absorbent b lo tte r paper, perforated into square ‘ tab s’ , in a
solution of the drug, which is then dried . These tabs allow the minute
q u an tities that co nstitu te a f u lly a c tive dose to be e a s ily measured out
fo r consumption. Psilocybin and mescaline are most often ingested in
th e ir n atu ral form: psilocybin by eating any of the many v a rie tie s of
mushroom of the Psilocybe genus, and mescaline by chewing the dried tops
- ‘ buttons’ - of the peyote cactus.

Despite being present in an abundance of plants, DMT cannot be consumed

o ra lly in it s natural form. Monoamine oxidase ft (MflO-fl) is an enzyme
present in the gut that is important fo r metabolising ce rta in amino ac­
ids in food. In p a rtic u la r, MftO-fl s e le c tiv e ly breaks down molecules that
contain a single amine group (hence, monoamine), of course, th is also
includes DMT, which is ra p id ly destroyed by MflO-ft on entering the gastro­
in te s tin a l tr a c t. However, DMT can be rendered o ra lly active by consuming
a drug that tem porarily suppresses MflO-ft a c tiv ity - a MflO in h ib ito r or
MftOI - allowing DMT to enter the bloodstream and reach the brain . This
drug combination is the basis fo r the tr a d itio n a l ftmazonian brew known as
ayahuasca which, in its minimal form, is a decoction of two plants, one
of which contains DMT and the other a MftO in h ib ito r. The ayahuasca brew is
extremely b it t e r and unpleasant, with most users struggling to gulp down
the nauseating dark brown liq uo r before enduring several hours of vio lent
purging. This lim its it s popularity as a means of ingesting DMT outside
of tr a d itio n a l shamanistic ceremonies and, by fa r , the most popular mode
of DMT ingestion is via the pipe. Freebase DMT is re a d ily vaporised with
gentle heat, usually in a small glass pipe, and a f u l l dose can be inhaled
in one or two lungfuls. Care must be taken not to burn the drug, which
not only destroys i t but also produces a highly noxious vapour often
described as tastin g lik e burning p la s tic and making in h alatio n without
coughing extremely challenging.

114
Amongst DMT aficionados, there is much debate over the most e ffic ie n t
means of vaporising DMT, which is seen as something of an a r t . A Jet flame
torch lig h te r is id e a l, since i t burns with a hot soot less flame. Regular
butane lig h te rs produce large amounts of soot, which coats the pipe j ^ |
obscures the DMT as i t vaporises, making i t easy to burn.

The most common practice is to empty the lungs f u ll y , before slowly in ­

haling between one and three lungfuls of the DMT vapour, with the f in a l
lungful being held as long as possible to maximise absorption in to the
bloodstream. Or, some suggest the best approach is simply to inhale as
much as possible, as quickly as possible, u n t il holding the pipe becomes
impossible.

A quiet and comfortable environment, usually in d o ors, is preferred ,

is somewhere to l i e down. Whilst outdoor DMT t r ip s are not unheard o f, a
breakthrough t r ip is almost always experienced from behind closed eyelids
with l i t t l e opportunity fo r enjoying the n a tu ra l w orld, so a comfortable
bed in a d im ly -lit room is as good a place as any. The onset of the
is both rapid and overwhelming, u s u a lly beginning before the user. 1
exhaled the f in a l lu n g fu l, and at which point the eyes are closed and the
user lie s back and holds tig h t.

I n i t i a l l y , the voyager is hurtled through a ra p id ly changing procession

of complex visual imagery - oeing
described by Timothy Leary as lik e be
“fire d out the muzzle of an atomic cannon with neo-byzantine b a rre l!
- and often accompanied by a d is tin c tiv e m e ta llic buzzing or whirring
sound as the drug takes hold. I f the dose is s u ffic ie n t, th is complexity
eventually gives way and the user bursts through a v e il or membrane -
sometimes heralded by a teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeearing or

popping sound

- into a completely novel domain of im possible d im e n s io n a lity and teeming

with e n titie s of immense in te llig e n c e and power. Many DMT t r ip s f a lt e r
before reaching th is ‘ breakthrough’ phase, and the user is dragged back
into the consensus world without having reached the other side of the
v e il. However, i f the dose is properly prepared, the vaporisation tech­
nique properly honed, and the lungs well-seasoned, entry into the DMT
hyperspace is assured.

115
 During normal waking l i f e , your phenomenal world is constructed by your
brain as a model of your environment: the surrounding Grid. In the same
way, hyperspace re fe rs to the phenomenal world experienced during a DMT
t r ip , and is a model of a higher-dimensional environment to which DMT
gates access. In la te r chapters we w i ll dicuss the structure of th is en­
vironment, and it s rela tio n s h ip to the Grid, in great d e ta il.

Once breakthrough is achieved, tra n s fe r tofhyperspace is rapid and com­

p le te , as i f the consensus world has been switched o ff and an e n tire ly new
world switched on. Users ty p ic a lly describe th is thoroughly a lie n world
as being more re a lltn a n ordinary waking r e a lity and the lu c id ity of the
experience is s trik in g , with trip p e rs ty p ic a lly able to experience the
b izarre e ffe c ts as i f in an ordinary waking s ta te . Not a l l DMT users enter
the same type of B r l d and, of course, we shouldn’ t expect that everyone
thrust in to an a lte rn a te r e a lit y ought to have exactly the same type of
experience: i f an alienjw as dropped onto a random place on Earth, his
experience would depend on the geog"aphicai location he happened to touch
down upon. Landing on a busy s tre e t during rush hour in Hanoi would be
incomparable to landing on a barren freezin g Siberian tundra, and re p o rt­
ing back to his a lie n kin he would describe two very d iffe re n t worlds. The
regions of the DMT hyperspace that users fin d themselves tumbling into is
la rg e ly , at least in inexperienced users, beyond th e ir control, as are
the types of e n titie s encountered, with experience, however, some users
can learn to d ire c t th e ir Journey towards sp e c ific areas of hyperspace
and into meetings with ce rta in types of in te llig e n t e n tity .

Entry into hyperspace, esp ecially the f i r s t time H e almost in v a ria b ly

accompanied by a fe e lin g of overwhelming shock and astonishment. This is
a normal reaction - these worlds are not ju st strange, but in e ffa b ly b i­
zarre and seemingly impossible in th e ir complexity and construction. Most
users describe an unshakeable fe e lin g of absolute a u th e n tic ity and the
undeniable presence of extreme in te llig e n c e beyond anything that could be
experienced in the consensus world. The apparent im p o ssib ility of these
worlds and th e ir contents stems p a rtly from two c h a ra c te ris tic features
of the DMT hyperspace that distinguish i t from consensus r e a lity : in o r­
dinate complexity and the perception of higher s p a tia l dimensions ( i . e .
beyond th re e ). This complexity doesn’ t manifest as unbridled chaos or
random configurations of bright colours and geometric forms but, in the
words of author Graham Hancock1, these world; are:

| 116
 highly artificial

cons + rue +ed_

inorganic,

technological.

There is an undeniable sense that these realms are not merely novel do­
mains of the mind, but

a lie n habitats constructed by a h y p e rin te llig e n t hand,

complete with the jew elled cityscapes and w histling machinery
of a highly advanced a lie n society.

The fe ro c ity of the i n i t i a l entry phase into hyperspace w ill often over­
whelm even the most seasoned tr a v e lle r , and neophytes are advised against
trying to make sense of th e ir new hyperdimensional surroundings or to
control the experience, fit least fo r the f i r s t few journeys, i t is advis­
able to relax as much as possible and simply observe.

Often the construction of the DMT space ra p id ly transcends the merely

remarkable and moves into the unambiguously impossible: the tr a v e lle r
is transported into realms of apparently higher-dimensional structure,
or presented with objects that defy the geometrical constraints of our
Universe. I t is n ’ t unusual fo r trip p e rs to recount seeing objects from
a l l sides at once, or observing ad dition al s p a tia l dimensions beyond the
usual th ree. The d irect perception of higher-dimensional (i.e . above
three s p a tia l dimensions) objects is not possible w ithin our 3-dimension­
al r e a lit y . In fa c t, such objects are d if f ic u lt to envisage at a l l , and
the experience of doing so is almost always confounding. A 3D r e a lit y is
subsumed by any higher-dimensional system, in the same way our 3D world
subsumes a lower dimensional one, such as a 2D ‘ flatland’ world. This not
only provides an important clue as to the nature of the DMT world and
its re latio n sh ip to ours, but also as to the true structure of our brain
complex. We w ill explore th is more deeply in the chapters that fo llo w .

117 |
In addition to th e ir in o rd in ately complex stru ctu re, the hyperdimensional
DMT worlds are made a l l the more compelling by th e ir occupants. Just as
a sprawling a lie n cityscape would reveal the nature of it s a rch itects
and residents before a single soul was seen, so the presence of supreme
in te llig e n c e is f e l t from the e a rlie s t stages of the t r ip . Once they make
th e ir appearance, e n titie s range from savage insectoid and r e p tilia n
alien s to benevolent amorphous beings of lig h t. But, by fa r , the most
famous denizens of these fa n ta s tic a l realms are the s p rite ly , mischie­
vous beings often described as ‘ e lv e s ’ . Terence McKenna’ s expositions on
these highly animated l i t t l e creatures, which he dubbed ‘ machine e lv e s ’ ,
are legendary:

McKenna also ca lle d them ‘ tyke s’ , which p e rfe c tly captures th e ir p la y fu l­

ly impish nature. Whilst ubiquitous, they appear in a v a rie ty of forms,
ranging from amorphous b a lls of c o lo u rfu l lig h t to the c la s s ic elves of
C e ltic fo lk lo re . Despite th is v a r ia b ilit y , they seem to be u n ifie d by
th e ir p la y fu l character. The elves w i ll often vie fo r the a tte n tio n of
the trip p e r and d e lig h t in demonstrating th e ir s k ills , such as singing
impossible hyperdimensional objects in to existence or leaping in and out
of the tr ip p e r ’ s chest with much glee.
Whilst the the e lf in ones are some of the kookiest occupants of the DMT
space, fo r many, they are generally seen as l i t t l e more than a d is tra c tio n
from the more powerful beings that inhabit these realms, ft comprehensive
survey of the fauna would include a bewildering array of creatures?:

insectoids,
re p tilia n s and serpents,
elves, E f I goblins, and je s te rs ,
tSS jS , humanoid and otherwise,
robots and cyborgs,
s p ir its , a n g e l s * ^ ^ E | gods,
and many other beings that defy categ o risatio n .

For any experienced voyager, i t is c le a r that DMT hyperspace is not a

luminal realm populated e n tir e ly by beneficent gods of lig h t , but an
extremely complex, varied and vast hyperdimensional ecology populated
by creatures that vary as much in th e ir character and in ten t as th e ir
outward form.

The in teractio n s between the trip p e r and these beings are, more often
than not, p o s itiv e . Often, the trip p e r w ill fin d himself being carried or
guided by a p a rtic u la r e n tity acting as a wise elder or p ro tective s p ir it
guide eager to import profound insights into the nature of r e a lit y - in ­
sights most trip p ers struggle to carry back in to the consensus world. Oc­
casionally, the more liv e ly e n titie s appear simply to delight in the op­
portunity to show the v is ito r around the wacky circus. Of course, not a l l
interactions are p o sitiv e and whilst vio le n t aggression is , fo rtu n a te ly ,
not that common, non-human e n titie s with some degree of malevolent intent
or, at le a s t, that are e ith e r v is u a lly objectionable or performing some
unpleasant act on the user are not infrequently encountered. The curios­
ity of an e n tity , which might i n i t i a l l y be expressed by a gentle probing
can sometimes progress to something more invasive. Outright 'violence or
maliciousness is rare but possible, and i t takes both experience and a
strong co nstitu tio n to deal with e n titie s manifesting in th is way.

One of the most uncanny types of experience, reported by a s trik in g num­

ber of DMT users, is not only the sense that the e n titie s were expectant
of th e ir v is i t , but of a great celebratory uproar upon breaking through
into the space:

119
 “ They kept saying welcome back and words lik e :
the big winner, he has returned, welcome to the
end and the beginning, you are The One! Os I
looked around the room I f e l t the sense of some
huge celebration upon my entry to th is place.
B ells were ring ing , lig h ts fla s h in g ...”3

This is often accompanied by a profound sense of deja vu, the unshakeable

fe e lin g that one has been there before. In chapter 16, we w i ll discuss
exactly why th is occurs.

tounding, the existence of such worlds is not the most astonishing

revelatio n afforded by DMT. O ffer a l l , even the most conservative of
physicists would struggle to ru le out the possible existence of p a ra lle l
worlds inhabited by advanced a lie n in te llig e n c e s . No, the most aston­
ishing revela tio n is not the existence of such worlds, but that we have
the a b ilit y to access them with such f a c i l i t y : by inhaling a couple of
lungfuls of one of the simplest and most common molecules in the plant
kingdom. It seems impossible to fathom how, when perturbed by such a
simple molecule, the human mind can reach into such p a ra lle l dimensions
of r e a lity and meet in te llig e n t beings that exist e n tir e ly independent
of us. However, we must re a lis e that DMT was embedded in our r e a lity
fo r precisely th is reason: to enable us to access the hyperdimensional
realm lying orthogonal to ours. Rather a lie n realm, th is is the
realm from which we have become alien ated , and the realm to which we w ill
u ltim ately return: reso lu tio n of the Ga fu lly understand how th is
can be achieved, we f i r s t need to unders ind the re la tio n s h ip between our
Universe and the DMT hyperspace.

120
hp thought he’d S9en treeb ranch es in a ga id hpgmnl tin- uin

in ^ ^ b a r b a t^ a n ^ c a te y e ^ d u a r f^ w ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ c o d p ^ ^ |^ i)^ s (^ ) ^ ^ ^ |M i^ ^

i:ili'll<n: IlcC.tr n u j

m s m - s T s a

lO:
Infor-
TEUEij
Floui
Through
he
ED S
Grid
 Vaporisation of DMT in a smail glass pipe remains the sim plest, most r e ­
lia b le and, consequently, most popular mode of entry in to the DMT space.
Within seconds of inhaling a lungful of DMT vapour, almost before the
pipe leaves the lip s , the DMT molecules flood the brain and the world
begins to change. If the dose is well-measured and the vaporisation
technique a d ro it, breakthrough into the hyperdimensional h abitat of the
machine elves w i ll occur only a few seconds la t e r . Entry in to the DMT
space has only one absolute requirement:

the flow of information from normally inaccessible dimensions of

r e a lit y in to the brain .

DMT changes the information generated by the brain such that i t can no
longer be modulated by - no longer matches - information being received
via the usual sensory apparatus from our lower-dimensional Universe
[G rid ], but instead begins to match information being received from the
DMT space. The brain loses the a b ilit y to sample information from our
Universe, but gains the a b il it y to sample information from the DMT r e a l­
it y . Consequently, the brain stops constructing a model of the consensus
world and begins building the DMT world. But the question remains as to
how information to which the brain normally has no access can flow from
these hidden dimensions into the b rain . Before we can deal with th is
interdimensional information flow , we must f i r s t deal with the flow of
information w ithin the usual dimensions of our r e a lit y .

R eality is b u ilt from inform ation, and the complex forms th at fill
the world are complex patterns of th is inform ation, self-organised in
an emergent hierarchy of complexity from the le v e l of the Grid to the
le v e l of liv in g and conscious organisms. The in te ra c tio n s between ‘ ob­
je c t s ’ in the world are the in te ra c tio n s between patterns of inform ation.
Everything is information and it s processing. When these patterns of
information in te ra c t, information is processed, information flows. I f a
g lid e r on a 2D c e llu la r automaton s c u ttles across it s grid and co llid e s
with another c r i t t e r , the information from which the g lid e r is b u ilt -
it is , a fte r a l l , ju s t a pattern of information - flows in to the other
c r i t t e r , in a completely l i t e r a l sense. The d ire c tio n of flow is somewhat
ambiguous, but we’ l l simply re fe r to th is as SIDEWAYS INFORMATION FLOW:
the flow of information w ithin the same organisational le v e l of a com­
plex, h ie ra rc h ic a lly organised system.

122
Regular sensory Information from

inf ormation alternate DMT reality

Failed

Sensory matching sensory matching

5Ht 0MT

Failed Sensory matching

sensory Hatching

123
 When a photon of lig h t is absorbed by an e lectro n, causing i t to leap to
a higher energy le v e l w ithin an atom, there is a flow of information from
the photon to the e lectro n. In fa c t, there is nothing other than a flow
of inform ation, and the e le c tro n ’ s quantum numbers change in response to
th is : the electro n computes i t s next s ta te . In chapter 3, we discussed
how molecules inside liv in g c e lls form complex networks of in te ra c tio n s .
When a p ro te in , or other type of molecule, inside a c e ll in te ra c ts with
another molecule, i t might modify the structure or change the way that
molecule operates. This is simply the flow of information between mole­
cules which are themselves - without wanting to labour the point - p a t­
terns of inform ation. In fa c t, the e n tire workings of a liv in g c e ll can
be described as the flow of information through these complex networks
of molecules. Rising to the macroscopic le v e l, we observe the flow of
information between neurons and the networks they form in the brain - the
a c tiv ity of neurons, the undulations and spikes of th e ir membrane poten­
t i a l generate information that flows between neurons v ia the machinery of
the chemical synapse. So, although your world is b u ilt from inform ation,
th is information is not s ta tic .

nanic Information is dynamic

The dynamism of the information from which your world is constructed is

never more apparent than during the peak of a DMT t r ip . Your world is
b u ilt from information generated by the a c tiv ity of your thalam ocortical
system, from the patterns of a c tiv a tio n of the myriad columns from which
the cortex is b u ilt - the sequence of T -s ta te s . Psychedelics change your
world by changing the a c tiv ity of the c o rtic a l system and so change the
information that constitutes your world. Your model of the external world
is a lte re d . Modern neuropharmacological techniques have revealed the
binding of classic psychedelics, including DMT, to the 5HT2a receptor as
being p rim a rily responsible fo r these e ffe c ts . A ctivation of th is recep­
to r causes pyramidal c e lls to depolarise, promotes gamma o s c illa tio n s ,
and changes the patterns of information generated by c o rtic a l a c tiv ity .
These changes in information manifest as a change in the world you expe­
rience, which is the psychedelic s ta te .

124
 T ime

Glider

The information encoded

by the glider flows into
 I f we examine th is process more deeply, we can view i t as a flow of in ­
formation: information flows from the drug molecule to the receptor and,
from the receptor, i t flows in to the network of molecules Inside the neu­
ron. This u ltim a te ly has the e ffe c t of depolarising the neuron, bringing
i t closer to it s f ir in g threshold. But the information flow doesn’ t stop
there: w hilst the drug-receptor in te ra c tio n takes place at the molecular
le v e l, the psychedelic e ffe c t occurs at the highest le v e l of organisation
of the brain: the le v e l of global c o rtic a l a c tiv ity . This is n ’ t par­
tic u la r ly surprising or mysterious, but i t illu s tr a te s an e ffe c t known
as UPHARDS INFORMATION FL0H1,z, which occurs when behaviours or processes
that occur at a lower le v e l in an organisational hierarchy have an e f ­
fect at a higher le v e l. This type of information flow can be observed in
a l l self-organised complex systems. In fa c t, upwards inform ation flow is
essen tial fo r complex systems to s e lf-o rg a n is e . For example, in a flock
of s ta rlin g s , we’ ve seen how the adherence to a few simple rules by the
in d ivid u al birds - the b ird le v e l - causes the dynamic behaviour of the
flo ck - the flock le v e l - to emerge. In a c e llu la r automaton, such as the
Game of L ife , we’ ve seen how simple update rules at the c e ll le v e l cause
complex, high-order, structures to emerge at le v e ls above the base g rid .
When a psychedelic molecule enters the b rain , the information flows from
the molecular le v e l, upwards through the organisational hierarchy, to the
le v e l of the integrated T-states that constitute your phenomenal world.

Emergence is precisely the e ffe c t of information as i t flows through

layered complex systems, and describes the layered com plexification of
the information from which a l l such systems are b u ilt . The re la tiv e ly
simple in teractio n s between large numbers of neurons, the exchange of
information between them, engenders the highly complex, adaptive behav­
iours of the complete brain, we cannot necessarily predict the e ffe c t of
information as i t flows through the increasingly sophisticated levels
of a complex system, which w ill depend on the system i t ’ s entering. At
every le v e l of the organisational hierarchy information is generated.
The form of the flo ck of s ta rlin g s contains new information not present
at the le v e l of the in d iv id u a l bird s. The birds contain the p o te n tia l to
form a flo c k , but the ‘ flo ck inform ation’ is n ’ t generated u n t il the flock
it s e lf forms. A drop of water contains the p o te n tia l fo r every possible
snowflake form, but only the p o te n tia l. The information in the form of
the snowflake is only realised when the snowflake manifests, as molecular
le v e l information flows to the le v e l of the c ry s ta llin e form.

1 126
 w m B m m m sm

Upwards Downwards
information information
flow flow

ffnnmaiH^SW TTiiTTMH

127
 Remember, structures that emerge on the Grid are not s ta tic objects, but
processes - the dynamic processing of inform ation, updating with every
c lic k of time, ft complex structure doesn’ t emerge and then s ta tic a lly
maintain i t s e lf -

SII«lB]Mll^RI^SBBIRXCnEl«H9iil9KnvBIH

Even an apparently s ta tic structure is b u ilt from C ells th at update

themselves with each time step, Just as a whirlpool doesn’ t stop w h irl­
ing once i t forms, save i t should disappear. The w hirlpool is a dynamic
pattern of inform ation, a process, ju s t as the c r itte r s that emerge on an
automaton grid are dynamic patterns of inform ation. So i t ’ s important not
to get confused between the idea of information flowing through a complex
h ie ra rc h ic a l system th at has already emerged and the information flow
that causes the system to emerge in the f i r s t place. They are the same.

Information flowing upwards through a complex hierarchy is n ’ t

simply passing through -
i t is a c tu a lly generating the hierarchy.

fts water flowing downriver gets caught up in a w hirlpool, the flow of

water that maintains the whirlpool is not d is tin c t from the water that
caused i t to form in the f i r s t place. The whirlpool is a process that
is not simply emergent but is constantly emerging with each moment, and
w ill continue to do so as long as i t manifests. Likewise, your b rain is
continuously emerging, together uilth the world that manifests from behind
your eyes.

psychede l i c drugs don ' t so much change t he |

128
Without upwards information flow , s e lf-o rg a n is a tio n would be impossible.
The information being generated at the le v e l of the Grid flows upwards
and causes fundamental p a rtic le s to emerge. The in te ra c tio n s between
these p a rtic le s generate information that flows upwards, causing atoms to
emerge, and so on upwards through the hierarchy to complex liv in g organ­
isms - information being generated at one le v e l causes the increasingly
complex structures to emerge at higher and higher le v e ls .

This upwards information flow approach to understanding complex l i f e is

standard: physics underlies chemistry and chemistry underlies biology.
However, whilst being standard, i t is incomplete. There is an upper lim ­
i t to the complexity th at can be achieved with upwards information flow
alone. The new information generated at each le v e l of an organisational
hierarchy is not re s tric te d to flowing only upwards to generate even
higher levels of organisation. This emergent information - the form and
dynamics of the flo ck or the behaviour of a complex ant society - can
also flow in the opposite d ire c tio n , and th is DOWNWARDS INFORMATION FLOW
is essential i f we are to f u lly explain the emergence of l i f e and, even­
tu a lly , the unique properties of DMT.

Downwards information flow occurs when information generated at a high

level in an organisational hierarchy has e ffe c ts on structures or
behaviour at a lower le v e l in the hierarchy3. Returning to the flo ck of
starlin g s, the emergence of the flo ck can be p a rtly explained in terms
of upwards information flow:

J je ii^ lig h ^ ^ D e g c ^ n jU jg a d iM ^ c c o p d in t M ^ ^ f e ^ s im D l^ r u le s .
J u ^ c a u s e ^ ^ T ^ c h a ra ^ e ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ o ^ n ^ b e h a v ^ u t^ ^ e rn e rs ^ ^ ^ H

However, once the flo ck begins to emerge, the in d iv id u a l birds begin

receiving, and responding to , information about the o v e ra ll structure
of the flo ck: it s shape, d ire c tio n of movement, and th e ir own position
within i t . This is downwards information flow, since the flock information
is only generated at the flock le v e l, but a ffe c ts the behaviour of the
individual bird s, helping to rein fo rce the structure of the flock and
augment it s elab o rately dynamic behaviour.

129
 Downwards information flow exerts it s e ffe c t by constraining the behav­
iour of the lo w er-level components of the system. The h ig h -le v e l emer­
gent structure/behaviour constrains the behaviour of the lo w er-level
components from which that structure is b u ilt : the form of the flock
constrains the flig h t patterns of the in d iv id u a l birds from which the
flock is constructed.

To make i t clear why th is is described as a downwards flow of in-forma­

tio n , i t ’ s h e lp fu l to return to our d e fin itio n of information as being
generated when

a system selects between a f i n i t e number of states.

A ll of the possible arrangements - states - of the lo w e r-le v e l compo­

nents of an organisational hierarchy form a space of p o s s ib ilitie s or a
kind of s ta te space. By constraining - or selectin g from - th is set of
possible states, h ig h -le v e l information generates information about the
lo w er-level components. Or, e q u iv a le n tly , inform ation flows downwards
through the le v e ls of the organisational hierarchy.

Imagine a snowflake c ry s ta llis in g out of

a drop
a drop
a drop
of
water.

I t is said that no tuio snowflakes are ajpke, such is the apparently in ­

f i n i t e v a rie ty of forms. That sin g le d r « p f water, the countless water
molecules and th e ir innumerable in te ra c tio n s , embodies the p o te n tia l form
of a l l possible snowflakes. So how is one snowflake form selected from
a l l the other p o s s ib ilitie s ? As the geometric form of a snowflake c ry s ta l
begins to emerge - h ig h -le v e l information - i t begins to d ic ta te the dep­
o sitio n of fu rth e r water molecules in to the c ry s ta l. The growing c ry s ta l
selects from the space of a l l possible arrangements of water molecules:
information flows from the le v e l of the c ry s ta l form to the le v e l of
the in d ivid u a l water molecules. In the example of flo c k in g , the form and
dynamics of a flo c k of s ta rlin g s - h ig n -le v e l information - constrains
the f lig h t dynamics of the in d iv id u a l birds - lower le v e l Inform ation.

130
 IBHBHB1

Ipownwards information flow

Low l e u e l s ta te s

ruled o u t __________

Hi (|li leuel inFornation se le cts (con the possible states nr the Inner

leuel structures, ru lin g out other states and generating inro rn a tion _

TNote that SI SM a r e not Inner leuel conponents of the systen, but

possible states/arranqenents nf the e ntire set of c o m p o n e n t s ] ___________

1311
 In liv in g systems, the ro le of downwards information flow is elevated
from merely modulatory to absolutely c r i t i c a l . L ife could not e xist w ith­
out the flow of Information both up and down the organisational levels
that characterise liv in g organisms. To be considered liv in g , a system
must maintain, regenerate, and reproduce i t s e lf over time. These are
h ig h -le v e l behaviours th at can only be performed by a complete c e ll,
dependent on it s e n tire emergent network of molecular components. But,
th e ir e ffe c ts often occur at the le v e l of the in d iv id u a l components them­
selves: a damaged protein is replaced, a piece of the membrane regener­
ated, a section of DNA repaired. Information generated at the c e ll le v e l
flows downwards to the molecular le v e l.

We’ ve already discussed at length how networks of neurons are responsi­

ble fo r generating information and c o n tro llin g it s flow throughout the
brain . Certain networks [h ig h -le v e l structures] have algorithm ic prop­
e rtie s s im ila r to th at of computers, allowing them to control s p e c ific
behaviours. The adoption of a very p a rtic u la r network s ta te - an emergent
h ig h -le v e l behaviour th at we might experience as a decision - might t r i g ­
ger the a c tiv a tio n of s p e c ific synapses [lower le v e l] that lead to a par­
tic u la r movement, such as turning the head or b linkin g 4. This is s im ila r
to how a computer software algorithm [high le v e l] controls the switching
of tran sisto rs [low le v e l] inside the computer to achieve some outcome.
In both cases, information generated at a high le v e l of organisation
modifies the information being generated at a lower le v e l - information
flows downwards.

This two-way flow of information can set up p o te n tia lly powerful feed­
back loops: information generated by the lo w -level components of a sys­
tem flows upwards and causes high-order information - structures or
behaviours - to emerge. This emergent information then flows downwards,
constraining the behaviour of the very same lo w -level components that
generated the h ig h -le v e l information in the f i r s t place. In certain
well-tuned - or evolved - systems, th is fu rth e r enhances or reinforces
the h ig h -le v e l emergent behaviour. These p o s itiv e feedback loops can oc­
cur at many levels of an organisational hierarchy, helping to s ta b ilis e
and maintain the e n tire system and it s behaviour over extended periods
of time. A liv in g organism is a highly complex system of finely-tu n ed
feedback loops of th is kind, from which emerge the dynamic but s tab le,
responsive, and regenerative q u a litie s that characterise l i f e .

132
 Downwards
infornation flow

The downwards and upwards flow

of information establishes
feedback loops that stabilise eedback loo
the entire system_

C o m p l e x 1 ty
Of course, downwards information flow w i ll occur to some degree between
any two levels of an organisational hierarchy and, as such, information
flows from the very top of the hierarchy to the lowest le v e l, which would
be the Grid i t s e l f . Your brain and the phenomenal world i t generates
emerge from the moment-by-moment updates of C e ll states at the le v e l of
the Grid, with

new emergent information being generated

at every organisational le v e l
from the Grid upwards,

flowing up through the many layers of the complexity hierarchy to the

le v e l of global brain a c tiv ity and consciousness, find, of course, in ­
formation also flows in the opposite d ire c tio n , from the le v e l of the
coordinated behaviour of large areas of the cortex, down to the le v e l of
the Grid.

When the information generated at the c o rtic a l le v e l - the information

from which your phenomenal world is b u ilt - is modulated by the action of
a psychedelic drug molecule, th is also changes the flow of th at in fo r ­
mation downwards through the layers of organisation to the le v e l of the
Grid. DMT, in p a rtic u la r, e li c it s a highly s p e c ific and c h a ra c te ris tic
e ffe c t on th is downwards information flow . The re s u lt is the gating of
information from orthogonal dimensions of r e a lit y and the granting of an
audience with the e lf in fo lk that dance along the fr a c ta l hallways. To
understand how th is is achieved, we need to think a l i t t l e more deeply
about the re la tio n s h ip between our Universe Grid and the dimensions w ith ­
in which these beings reside.
“riuerrun, past Eoe and fidan’s, from sueroe oF shore
to bend of bay, beings us by a connodius oicus of
recirculation back to Houth Castle and Enoirons.”
Janes Joyce

Chapter 11:

In fo r m a tio n Flow Through th e HyperGrid

Communicating w ith the vast array of a lie n in te llig e n c e s in h a b itin g d i­
mensions orthogonal to ours requires, m inim ally, the flo w of inform ation
from those dimensions in to your brain complex. W hilst everything that
manifests in th is r e a lity is constructed from inform ation, the brain is
special in it s ro le as an e xq u isite inform ation generator. Indeed, the
f le x ib ilit y and complexity of the inform ation generated by the human
brain is unparalleled and, when perturbed by DMT, provides the key to
gating inform ation from these normally inaccessible dimensions, e x p e ri­
enced as bre a kin g through in to DMT hyperspace. In the la s t chapter, we
explored how the flow of inform ation both w ith in and between organisa­
tio n a l layers is of c r it ic a l importance in the emergence of complex forms
and, u ltim a te ly , of liv in g and conscious beings such as y o u rs e lf. Now we
w i ll consider how inform ation flow s, not only w ith in an o rganisational
hierarchy, but between dimensions.

So fa r , we have considered the Universe as a type of c e llu la r automaton:

the Grid. A 3-dimensional cubic Grid is the easiest to v is u a lis e , since
i t corresponds most clo se ly to how we view the world. However, we mustn’ t
become too attached to the idea that there is a g rid of cubic c e lls at the
ground of r e a lity , since th is is inaccurate - in chapter 14 we’ l l discuss
the true stru c tu re of the Grid in much more d e ta il. Our Universe Grid is
a c tu a lly part of a higher-dim ensional s tru c tu re which we w i ll c a ll the
HYPERGRID, and i t is the orthogonal dimensions of th is HyperGrid to which
DMT gates access. Both the Grid and the HyperGrid [the former being a part
of the la tte r ] are generated by the Code. This means th a t the author of
the Code - the Other - e xists in a place outside of the HyperGrid.

Imagine a 3D cubic c e llu la r automaton and then take a sing le 2D s lic e of

c e lls , which it s e lf forms a 2D automaton. In fa c t, the e n tire 3D automa­
ton can be considered a stack of 2D s lic e s , and each s lic e has the same
kind of re la tio n s h ip to the 3D automaton as our Grid has to the HyperGrid,
in th a t i t is a lower-dimensional s lic e of a higher-dim ensional s tru c ­ Each 2D s l i c e of a 3D c u b i c c e llu la r au to m a to n is its e lf an a u t o m a t o n

tu re . Likewise, every c e ll of a 2D s lic e is connected to the 3D system th a t mau o r mau n o t i n t e r a c t p ith th e o t h e r s l i c e s ________________________

and, in the same way, every C e ll of the Grid is connected to HyperGrid.

 However, being s tru c tu ra lly embedded in the higher-dimensional system
doesn’ t necessarily mean that information can flow fre e ly from the o r­
thogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid into the Grid. In fa c t, under most
circumstances, our dimensional s lic e of the HyperGrid remains independent
of i t . The Grid is a structure that was generated, from the Code, with the
express purpose of allowing conscious liv in g beings to eventually emerge,
independent of the HyperGrid at large.

The Grid is a sl ic e of the H y p e r G r i d u t i l i s e d as a

c o m p u t a t i o n a l de v i c e to ‘c u l t i v a t e ’ i n te lli ge nc es
in a l o w e r - d i m e n s i o n a l e n v i ron me nt in fo rma t i o n a l l y
d e t a c h e d f r o m the HyperGrid.

However, th is detachment is not irre v e rs ib le and mechanisms exist to gate

the flow of information from the HyperGrid to the Grid. Since the e n tire
Grid is a s lic e of the HyperGrid, your brain is a lower-dimensional s lic e
of a higher-dimensional processor. DMT is an embedded information complex
that modifies the information generated by the brain such that informa­
tio n is gated from the HyperGrid into the Grid, allowing the brain to
tem porarily become a part of th is higher-dimensional system, ftgain, the
d etailed mechanisms and reasons fo r th is w i ll be explored at some length
in la te r chapters. F ir s t, we need to consider how the flow of information
between the dimensions of the HyperGrid can be co n tro lle d , such th at a
lower-dimensional s lic e can be reve rs ib ly isolated from the HyperGrid to
be u tilis e d as a to o l fo r c u ltiv a tin g emergent conscious in te llig e n c e s .

The tr a d itio n a l c e llu la r automaton remains a useful way of thinking about

the Universe Grid, and i t ’ s in s tru c tiv e to assume that the Grid possesses
the basic c h a ra c te ris tic s of such automata:

1 ray of CELLS, each connected to a sp e c ific

E
' Of NEIGHBOURHOOD c e lls ;

138
c e ll may occupy one of a f i n i t e number of
ETE STATES;
The neighbourhood of a c en tral c e ll usually comprises the c e lls in the
immediate v ic in ity , although, in p rin c ip le , any set of c e lls can be de­
fined in the tra n s itio n ru le s . In a regular 2D c e llu la r automaton, we
have already met both the Von Neumann neighbourhood and the larger Moore
neighbourhood, which is used in the Game of L ife . So, a neighbourhood is
defined as those c e lls considered in the tra n s itio n ru le s . We can also
define a neighbourhood as those c e lls from which Inform ation flows into
the cen tral c e ll. This is because, in a f u lly d eterm in istic c e llu la r
automaton, knowing the s ta te of a p a rtic u la r c e ll in a neighbourhood
reduces your uncertainty about the next s ta te of the c e n tra l c e ll by r u l­
ing out s p e c ific update s ta te s . So, since uncertainty is the opposite of
information, the information about the next s ta te is increased - informa­
tion fiows from the neighbourhood c e ll to the c e n tra l c e ll. Of course, i f
you know the state of every c e ll in the neighbourhood, then you have a l l
the information required to determine the next s ta te of the c e n tra l c e ll
with complete c e rta in ty , since every update s ta te is ruled out barring
the state d ictated by the tra n s itio n ru le .

IF none of the neighbourhood cell states are known, there is no way of

knowing whether the central cell will update to black or white_

If all of the neighbourhood cell states are known, the update of the
central cell is known with absolute certainty [a bit is generated]_

139
 I t is conceptually simple to extend a 2D c e llu la r automaton, such as the
Game of L ife , into the th ird dimension to generate a 3D grid that appears
more closely aligned with the worid we experience in normal waking l i f e .
Of course, in a 3D c e llu la r automaton, the neighbourhood may take into
account c e ils in the th ird dimension, in addition to the c e lls in the
2D plane. The 3D version of the Von Neumann neighbourhood adds the two
c e iis d ire c tly above and below the c en tral c e ll to the four c e lls in
the 2D plane, allowing information to p o te n tia lly flow from the th ird
dimension into the c e n tra l c e ll. Extending an automaton into four or more
dimensions is also possible, although i t becomes d if f ic u lt to vis u a lis e
such automata in any straightforw ard manner. Whereas the most natural way
to visu alise a 3D automaton is as an array of cubic c e lls , each c e ll of
a 4D automaton is most n a tu ra lly represented as a tesseract (or 4-cube):
the 4D equivalent of a regular 3D cube (or 3-cube). And, whereas a 3-cube
possesses six 2D square faces, the tesseract boasts eight cubic (3-
cube) faces. So, in a regular 4D c e llu la r automaton, the 4D Von Neumann
neighbourhood would consist of the eight tesseracts contacting each of
these faces.

|?D and 31) Uon Neumann neighbourhoods

Cells in
the 2D plane

3D cells orthogonal
to the 2D plane

140
I t ’ s not p a rtic u la rly in s tru c tiv e to tr y and think beyond 4D, although
there is no lim it to the number of dimensions that a c e llu la r automaton
can possess. The important point is that each dimension is orthogonal
to the others, meaning one can move in any of the in d iv id u a l dimensions
independent of the others. Specifying the position of any point in 3D
space, or any c e ll in a 3D c e llu la r automaton, requires p recisely three
independent numbers, one fo r each dimension. In our everyday 3D world,
orthogonality is synonymous with the rig h t-a n g le , the perpendicular
lin e : a ID lin e can be converted in to a 2D plane by extending a lin e
perpendicular to i t . This plane can i t s e lf be converted in to a 3D space
by extending another lin e at a rig h t-a n g le , orthogonal to , the other
two. ft fourth s p a tia l dimension would be orthogonal - perpendicular -
to the other th ree, and i t would be possible to move along the fourth
dimension w hilst remaining in the same position in the f i r s t th ree, find,
defining your location in a 4D s p a tia l world, or the location of a c e ll
in a 4D automaton, wouid require a four-number coordinate, ftlso, ju s t
as one can take a 2D planar s lic e of a 3D automaton, one can also take
a 3D s lic e of a 4D automaton, or 3D or 4D s lic e of a 5D automaton, fo r
example. Our Universe Grid is a lower dimensional s lic e of a much higher­
dimensional structure: the HyperGrid. For s im p lic ity we’ l l assume the
Grid has only three s p a tia l dimensions, but i t ’ s c e rta in ly possible i t
contains ad d itio n al dimensions that we are unable to d etect.

For a c r i t t e r emergent on a 2D c e llu la r automaton, a th ird dimension

orthogonal to the two dimensions of it s world would be unimaginable. But,
for us 3D beings, i t seems p e rfe c tly n a tu ra l, whereas a 4D g rid is more
d if f ic u lt to envisage. This d if f ic u lt y , however, is simply a consequence
of our perspective as 3-dimensional beings liv in g on a 3D Grid. Such is
the d if f ic u lt y of vis u a lis in g automata above three dimensions, purely fo r
explanatory purposes, i t w i l l be h e lp fu l to reduce the dim ensionality of
the Grid from three to two dimensions. This w i ll allow us to discuss the
relatio n sh ip between the Grid and HyperGrid without having to vis u a lis e
4D space or resort to abstractions. Everything we discuss in th is regard
applies equally w ell to a 3D s lic e of a 4(+)D structure as i t does to
a 2D s lic e of a 3D stru c tu re . Using th is reduced 2D model of the Grid,
we w i ll explore how a lower-dimensional s lic e of a c e llu la r automaton
can be reversib ly iso lated from the higher-dimensional system, and how
the patterns of information generated by the s lic e can be used to gate
information from the normally inaccessible orthogonal dimensions.

141
 The purpose of these simple examples is not to provide the actual mecha­
nism of information tra n s fe r from the HyperGrid to the Grid. Of course,
the actual Grid is not in s ta n tia te d as such a t r i v i a l c e llu la r automa­
ton. However, these examples w i ll provide an in tu itiv e grasp of the way
p a rtic u la r patterns of information generated within a lower-dimensional
s lic e of an automaton can be used to control the flow of information be­
tween dimensions. We w ill then apply these general p rin c ip le s to explain
how DMT gates access to orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid.

I f we imagine the Grid as a 2D automaton, not d is s im ila r to the structure

of the Game of L ife , then i t makes sense to imagine the HyperGrid as a 3D
c e llu la r automaton, of which the Grid is a 2D s lic e . However, since th is
2D Grid is an embedded part of the 3D HyperGrid s tru c tu re , i t ’ s unclear
whether a conscious in te llig e n c e that emerges on th is 2D s lic e w i ll expe­
rience a 2D or a 3D world. This w i ll depend on whether or not information
flows from the 3D HyperGrid to the 2D Grid, which w ill be determined by
the neighbourhood and tra n s itio n ru les, since the flow of information is Grid HyperGrid
controlled e n tir e ly by these ru les. With a single isolated 2D automaton,
the choice of neighbourhood is obviously re s tric te d to c e lls w ithin the
2D plane, since there are no other c e lls to consider, find, i f the e x p lic ­
i t purpose of the Grid was an automaton irre v e rs ib ly iso lated from the
HyperGrid, then the s lic e can be constructed such that the tra n s itio n
rules only take into account c e lls w ithin the 2D s lic e . So, c e lls in the
orthogonal - th ird - dimension have no e ffe c t on c e ll update states,
meaning information does not flow from the th ird dimension, but only
w ithin the s lic e . This approach is no d iffe re n t from simply constructing
a 2D c e llu la r automaton, and the fa c t that i t ’ s a s lic e of a 3D automaton
has no e ffe c t on it s behaviour or on the environment experienced by any
c r itte r s that emerge w ithin i t .
If information doesn’t flow between the Grid and the HyperGrid,
the Grid remains structurally connected to, but informationally
I f , however, the aim is not complete is o la tio n of the Grid from the Hy­
isolated from, the HyperGrid____________________________
perGrid, but to have some control over the flow of information from the
orthogonal th ird dimension into the 2D s lic e , then a number of techniques
can be employed in the construction of the Grid. To understand some of
these, we’ l l f i r s t explore how c e ll states can be encoded that can receive
information from a specified number of dimensions. We’ l l then discuss how
the patterns of a c tiv ity generated by the Grid can be used to trig g e r the
emergence of C e ll states that allow the Grid to receive information from
normally inaccessible orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid.

142
 To keep things as simple as possible, we’ l l i n i t i a l l y r e s tr ic t the Grid
to two states: BLACK and HHITE, and use the Von Neumann neighbourhood.
F ir s t ly , we’ l l consider the BLACK state only, and think about how we can
is o la te c e lls in the BLACK state from the th ird dimension, allowing c e lls
in th is state to only receive information from the 2D Grid. To construct
a w ell-defined standard 2D c e llu la r automaton, fo r each c e ll state a
ru le must be defined fo r every possible neighbourhood configuration. In
the example below, fo r a c e ll in the BLACK s ta te , the tra n s itio n ru le
set must define how the c e ll updates fo r each Von Neumann neighbourhood
configuration. Since there are 64 possible neighbourhood configurations,
we need to define 64 rules fo r the BLACK state [the same applies to the
HHITE s t a t e ] . Extending our automaton into the th ird dimension means
taking into account the two ad d itio n al orthogonal c e lls to generate the
3D Von Neumann neighbourhood. Since there are four possible combinations
of these c e lls - BLACK-BLACK, HHITE-HHITE, BLACK-HHITE, or HHITE-BLACK -
the number of possible neighbourhood configurations expands by a fa c to r
of four: fo r every 2D Von Neumann neighbourhood c o n fig u ra tio n , th e re are
fo u r 3D Von Neumann neighbourhood c o n fig u ra tio n s , meaning fo u r ru le s
must now be d e fin e d - i t ’ s h elp fu l to think of each 2D Von Neumann
neighbourhood ru le as being associated with th is group of four rules in
the 3D Von Neumann neighbourhood.

TO T1

This rule dictates that a BLACK cell updates to a WHI1L cell with
the ? D Uun Neumann neighbourhood in this particular configuration [the
neighbourhood cells are greyed out alter the update since each of their
states will depend on their neighbourhood]:

^ 1 4 4
Howeuer, ir we extend the transition rule to take into account the
orthogonal cells :tD Uon Neumann neighbourhood we now haue Tour rules
to specify. Recording to these rules, i r precisely one of the orthogonal
cells is BLACK, then the central cell remains BLACK when it updates.
Otherwise, it becomes WHITE:

Since the states of the orthogonal c e lls a ffe c t the update of a BLACK
c e ll, information flows from the th ird dimension into the Grid. This
means th a t, as long as there are BLACK c e lls present, the Grid is
receiving information from a l l three dimensions of the HyperGrid. I f we
want to prevent the flow of information from the th ird dimension of the
HyperGrid into Grid c e lls in the BLACK s ta te , we need to ensure th a t,
fo r every 2D Von Neumann neighbourhood c o n fig u ra tio n , a ll fo u r o f the
a ssociated 3D Von Neumann neighbourhood ru le s generate the same update
o f the c e n tra l c e ll.

145
 In -this second example below, we see the same four 3D Von Neumann
neighbourhood configurations. However, in th is case, a ll four rules
generate the same update: BLACK to WHITE. This means th a t, in contrast to
the f i r s t example, the states of the orthogonal c e lls have no e ffe c t on
the update of the c e n tra l c e ll. Knowing the states of the orthogonal c e lls
doesn’ t reduce the uncertainty about the next state of the cen tral c e ll,
meaning no inform ation flows from the orthogonal c e lls to the cen tral
c e ll. He can say th a t, fo r th is p a rtic u la r 2D Von Neumann neighbourhood
configuration, the cen tral c e ll is INSENSITIVE to the orthogonal - th ird
dimension - c e lls .

Iach of the 3D Uon Neumann rules generates the same central cell
update, errectiuely collapsing the four 3D rules into a single 2D rule,
since the states of the orthogonal cells haue no effect

1 146
Of course, th is only applies to th is p a rtic u la r neighbourhood configu­
ratio n: i f we want to completely is o la te a l l c e lls in the BLACK state
from the HyperGrid - to block the flow of information from the th ird
dimension - we need to ensure that each of the 64 possible 2D Von Neumann
neighbourhood configurations is in s e n s itiv e to the orthogonal c e lls .
That is , we need to construct the ru le set such th a t, fo r each 2D Von
Neumann neighbourhood co nfiguration, each of the four associated 3D Von
Neumann neighbourhood rules generates the same update. We can then say
that the BLACK state is in s e n s itiv e to the th ir d dimension. I f we want
to completely is o la te the 2D Grid from the HyperGrid, we must construct
the tra n s itio n rules such th at the WHITE s ta te , in addition to the BLACK
state, is also in sen s itiv e to the th ird dimension. This means th a t, no
matter the state of a c e ll, it can never receive information from the
orthogonal th ird dimension, and the 2D Grid w i l l always remain isolated
from the HyperGrid. As fa r as any emergent c r itte r s on the Grid are con­
cerned, the 2D space of the Grid is a l l that e x is ts .

We can create a s lig h tly more complex Grid by increasing the number of
states from two to three: BLACK, WHITE, and BLUE. And, we’ l l assume that
both BLACK and WHITE states are in s e n s itiv e to the th ird dimension of
the HyperGrid. We w ill c a ll c e ll states that can only receive informa­
tion from two of the three dimensions of the HyperGrid 2 - i STATES ( i fo r
in p u t). In contrast, l e t ’ s assume th at the BLUE s ta te is not in sen sitive
to the orthogonal dimension, meaning BLUE c e lls can receive information
from a l l three dimensions: 3 - i STATES. In the example on the following
page, a BLUE c e ll w i ll become WHITE i f p recisely one of the orthogonal
c e lls is BLACK, but w i ll remain BLUE otherwise. Since the update of BLUE
c e lls depends on the configuration of the orthogonal c e lls , they allow
the 2D Grid to receive information from the orthogonal th ird dimension.
Of course, in th is o v e rtly s im p lis tic example, a 3 - i BLUE c e ll immediate­
ly loses it s a b ilit y to receive information from the th ird dimension by
tra n s itio n in g to a 2 - i WHITE c e ll. However, th is is simply a consequence
of using such a t r i v i a l , th re e -s ta te , automaton. More sophisticated au­
tomaton structures w i ll enable greater f l e x i b i l i t y in the encoding of
states to be s e n s itiv ie to any p a rtic u la r number of dimensions. The actu­
a l Grid, in contrast to our highly s im p lifie d model, is a 3D s lic e of a
much higher-dimensional HyperGrid. However, in an analogous manner, C e ll
states can be encoded in the Grid that receive information beyond the
three usual s p a tia l dimensions - we’ l l re fe r to these as 4 ( + ) - i STATES.

147
 TO

T1

Tlip updalf1 ill the ULUC central cell depends upon the stales or the
orthogonal cells, meaning the Bl IIr cell stale is sensitioe to
receiues information from the orthogonal third dimension

The ultim ate aim of c o n tro llin g the flow of information between dimen­
sions of the HyperGrid is to allow ce rta in complex structures that emerge
within the Grid - such as conscious brain complexes - to in te ra c t with the
orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid and, eventually, to become part
of that higher-dimensional r e a lit y . This requires the Grid to be con­
structed such that 4 ( + ) - i C e ii states only emerge w ithin these sp e c ific
complex structures and under s p e c ific conditions - th is means structures
outside of such structures remain iso lated from the HyperGrid. Whether or
not 4 ( + ) - i c e ll states emerge w ithin a brain complex obviously depends
upon whether such states are encoded within the ru le set. Assuming that
states sen sitive to the orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid are indeed
encoded, whether they manifest w ill depend upon whether the appropriate
neighbourhood configurations are adopted at the le v e l of the Grid.

| l 4 &
In the last chapter, uie discussed houi information can flow downwards
through an organisational hierarchy, a ffe c tin g the behaviour of s tru c ­
tures at a much lower le v e l by selecting from a space of p o s s ib ilitie s .
Of course, th is also applies to a brain complex, the coordinated, emer­
gent a c tiv ity of which generates information that flows from the le v e l of
global c o rtic a l a c tiv ity to the le v e l of the Grid. So, i t ’ s possible fo r
information generated at the highest le v e l of organisation of the brain
to flow downwards and a ffe c t the state configurations adopted by the
Cells of the Grid. There is nothing esoteric about th is process, which
s t i l l requires the appropriate neighbourhood configurations to be adopted
by the Grid fo r any p a rtic u la r C ell states to be adopted, but i t ’ s pru­
dent to remind ourselves that changes in c o rtic a l a c tiv ity manifested by
psychedelic drugs, including DMT, can a ffe c t the adoption of C e ll states
at the lowest le v e l of organisation - the Grid.

So fa r , we have only considered automata with simple, s ta tic ru le sets.

Whilst the Code at the ground of r e a lit y doesn’ t in s ta n tia te such a
t r i v i a l type of automaton, re s tric tin g our discussion th is way allowed
us to explore the essen tial properties of c e llu la r automata, and re la te
these to the construction of r e a lit y from d ig it a l inform ation, without
having to concern ourselves with more complex types of automata. How­
ever, to understand how control over interdim ensional information flow
from the HyperGrid to the Grid can be achieved, we need to consider more
advanced techniques, including DYNAMIC RULE SETS and what are known as
PATTERN-RULE MAPPINGS. There are many possible ciasses of tra n s itio n
rules beyond the basic s ta tic rules th at are specified from the outset
and remain unchanged as the automaton runs. In tr a d itio n a l c e ilu la r au­
tomata, only the states of the c e lls evolve over tim e, although i t is
also possible fo r the ru le set i t s e lf to evolve as the automaton runs.

To give a c lear example, i t makes sense to return to the simplest type

of automaton: the ID elementary c e llu la r automaton, in which each c e ll
updates based on it s own s ta te and those of it s two immediate neighbours.
As explained in chapter 3, there are precisely 256 possible ru le sets,
each given it s own number - from 0 to 255 - according to Wolfram’ s coding
system. The standard way to run an elementary automaton is to select a
ru le s e t, say 110, and allow the automaton to run using th is s e t. Howev­
e r, i t ’ s also possible fo r the ru le set to change as the program runs,
depending on some measurable property of the automaton at each time step1.

149
 For example, we could set up an ECA with 24 c e lls and begin with a random
configuration of s tates. At each time step, the number of BLACK c e lls
is counted and the ru le set corresponding to that number is applied
to generate the update of the c e ll s tates. So, if there are 13 BLACK
c e lls , fo r example, then Rule 13 is applied to update the c e ll s tates.
Then, the number of BLACK c e lls in th is updated state is counted and the
appropriate ru le applied, and so on:

TO

Rule 13

T1

Rule 9

T2

This is known as a SELF-REFERENTIAL UPDATE RULE1, in that a property of

the e n tire system - the number of BLACK c e lls - determines which ru le ,
selected from a ru le space, w ill be applied to i t s e l f . So, instead of
a single c e llu la r automaton with a single ru le set, we have created an
automaton that selects from a space containing 25 ru le sets as i t runs.
We could also design an automaton whereby ce rta in state patterns, rather
than simply the number of c e lls of a certain s ta te , trig g e r the adoption
of s p ecific ru le sets according to some PATTERN-RULE MAPPING. Again, th is
is easiest to illu s t r a t e using a ID automaton.

According to Wolfram’ s coding system, each of the 256 possible ru le sets

fo r an elementary c e llu la r automaton is given a number from @ to 255.
E quivalently, th is number can be represented in binary notation as an
8 -b it strin g of Is and Os. Rule 175, fo r example, is

in binary notation, which is much easier to handle computationally.

L et’ s create a 2 4 -c e ll elementary automaton with a random i n i t i a l s ta te .
We can then segregate the 24 c e lls into eight 3 -c e ll blocks. U ltim a te ly ,
we w i ll use a property of each of these 3 -c e ll blocks to generate a single
binary d ig it of the new ru le . There are eight possible 3 -c e ll patterns,
each of which we w i ll map to e ith e r a 0 or a 1 . There are a number of ways
to do th is , but we w i ll choose to count the number of s ta te tra n s itio n s
within a block. For example, BLUE-BLUE-BLACK has a single tra n s itio n
(from BLUE to BLACK), whereas BLACK-BLUE-BLACK has two tra n s itio n s (BLACK
to BLUE to BLACK). I f there is precisely one tra n s itio n , then w e 'll map
the block to 1. Otherwise, i t maps to 0 .

I I I I
0 1 0 1

I I I I

1 0 1 0

So, o v e ra ll, the 2 4 -c e ll pattern maps to an 8 -b it binary s trin g : one of

the 256 ECA ru les. We then apply th is ru le to the automaton and repeat:

■■ ■ ■■■ ■■ !■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ IIBT0
1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1
^ Rule 211 [1101811]

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ T1

151
 So, at every time step, the pattern generated by the automaton is used
to generate the ru le used in the next time step, As the c e ll states of Specific Cell state patterns

the automaton update, so does the ru le set used to perform the update. [perturbation Brain Patterns,

Of course, using a 3 -c e ll pattern to generate the ru le is a rb itra ry and, PBP] can be napped to a rule

p a rtic u la rly in larger and higher-dimensional automata, a vast, but f i ­ set different to that of the

n ite , choice of possible patterns and ways of mapping these patterns to s u rro u n d in g G r id _
PBP
the ru le space w ill present it s e l f .

In th is example, we used a l l of the c e ll states - grouped into 3 -c e ll

patterns - of the 2 4 -c e ll automaton to generate the 3 -b it update ru le ,
which was then used by a l l 24 c e lls . However, i t is also possible for
patterns generated by a s p e c ific number of c e lls - as opposed to a l l of
the c e lls - to be s e le c tiv e ly mapped to a ru le set. This generates what
is known as a NON-UNIFORM CELLULAR AUTOMATON2, since the ru le set is not
uniform across the g rid : c e lls w ith in the pattern use the ru le set they
are mapped to , whereas the c e lls outside the pattern use the o rig in a l ru le
set. There is no lim it to the number of p a tte rn -ru le mappings that can
be encoded, although care must be taken to consider how clashes between Dll cells update using
the sane rule set PBP adopted
patterns - when a c e ll is part of more than one pattern at a single time
by localised
point - w i ll be handled.
set of Cells

So, in summary, using p a tte rn -ru le mappings, the ru le s e t(s ) governing

the update of a c e llu la r automaton can vary over both time and space
dependent on the patterns of a c tiv ity generated by the automaton. I f a T1
mapping generates c e ll states sen sitive to more dimensions than states
reachable using the o rig in a l ru le s e t, then the mapping provides a mecha­
Cells within the BPP
nism fo r gating the flow of information from those higher dimensions into
update with different
localised regions of the automaton.
rule set to the
surrounding Grid cells
Applying th is to the Grid-HyperGrid re la tio n s h ip , patterns of informa­
[pattern-rule napping]
tio n generated by the Grid can be mapped to ru le sets th at s p e c ific a lly
generate C e ll states se n s itiv e to orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid,
allowing structures expressing such a c tiv ity - such as brain complexes
- to receive th is otherwise inaccessible higher-dimensional inform ation. T2

These p a tte rn -ru le mappings needn’ t necessarily be encoded when the au­
tomaton is constructed and in itia t e d , but can be programmed in to the Grid
once in te llig e n t organisms with brain complexes - candidates fo r the Game
- begin to emerge.

152
Since th is technique r e lie s on patterns of a c tiv it y w ith in a b rain com­
plex over large numbers of C ells, i t ’ s possible to id e n tify C ell c o n fig ­
u rations c h a ra c te ris tic o f, and unique to , brain complexes and map these
patterns to ru le s that w i ll only then be executed w ith in a brain complex.

So, o v e ra ll, th is methodology can be summarised as fo llo w s:

The Grid is encoded and allowed to run in fo rm a tio n a lly is o la te d from the
HyperGrid. This is achieved using a ru le set that only in s ta n tia te s C ell
states th a t are in s e n s itiv e to the orthogonal dimensions of the Hyper-
Grid. As the Grid runs, the 0
the Grid occurs in the manner discussed in e a r lie r chapters. Once brain
complexes are id e n tifie d as p o te n tia l candidates fo r the Game - we’ l l
discuss la te r how the Game works - the patterns of C ell a c tiv it y generat­
ed w ith in these b rain c o m p le x e ^ a r ^ a n a ly s e ^ s o a ^ ^ c o n s tr u ^ th ^ p a t-
te rn -ru le mappings that w i l l K
Brain actiuity perturbed by DMT
brain complex: these C ell states w i l l allow the brain complex to receive|
generates Perturbation Brain Patterns
inform ation from the orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid.

However, in constructing these p a tte r n - r u le mappings, NATIVE BRAIN PAT­

TERNS - patterns of brain a c tiv it y [C ell states] that occur during normal
d a ily l i f e - are not used d ir e c tly , since these would cause inform ation
to flow from the HyperGrid in to the brain complex co nsta ntly, which is
not the desired outcome. Rather, PERTURBATION BRAIN PATTERNS - patterns
of a c tiv it y re s u ltin g from a temporary p erturbation of brain a c tiv it y -
are u tilis e d , such th a t 4 ( + ) - i C ell states are only generated under th is
p ertu rb a tio n . We have already discussed at great length how psychedelic
drugs perturb the inform ation generated by the brain complex, modifying
Perturbation Brain Pattern napped to
the way i t receives inform ation from the environment and a lte rin g the
rule set generating b(+)-i states
stru ctu re of the phenomenal world. DMT is the molecule embedded in our
r e a lity responsible fo r perturbing the a c tiv it y of the brain complex in a
very p a rtic u la r manner, e lic it in g modified neural inform ation th a t flows
downwards to the le v e l of the Grid and selects unique patterns of C ell
sta te s. These are the b ra in p e rtu rb a tio n p a tte rn s that have been mapped
to a ru le set engendering 4 (+ ) - i C ell sta te s, thus gating the flow of
inform ation from the normally inaccessible dimensions of the HyperGrid
in to the bra in .

This i s the keg to entry in to hyperspace.

«fhe Universe is a puzzle. Life is a problem to be solved, it’s a
conundrum. It’s not what it appears to be. There are doors, there are
locks and keys, there are levels, find, if you get it right, somehow, it
will give way to something extremely unexpected.”

Terence McKenna

jChapter 12:
DMT and the H y p e r d i m e n s i o n a l
Drain Complex
 A ll forms emergent on the Grid of our Universe are u n ifie d by th e ir
fundamental nature, as inform ation complexes-, structures b u ilt from in ­
formation i t s e l f , in s ta n tia te d by the C e ll states from which the Grid
is constructed. From the sim plest, fir s t- o r d e r , structures to the most
supremely complex liv in g organisms with many layers of h ie ra rc h ic a l o r­
ganisation, a l l are fundamentally Cell-based structures that receive and
process information from the surrounding Grid and the other structures
co-emergent w ithin i t .

This is also true of the HyperGrid, the higher-dimensional system - also

generated from the Code - of which the Grid is a lower dimensional s lic e .
I t ought to be obvious th at the dim ensionality of an information complex
w i ll correspond to the dim ensionality of the s lic e upon which i t emerges
and is embedded. Entering the DMT space means confronting a world th a t is
not only s ta r tlin g ly complex, b iz a rre , and teeming with apparently ‘ hy-
p e r in te llig e n t’ liv in g beings, but which is e n tir e ly impossible. Indeed,
these worlds are impossible from the perspective of a conscious being
that emerged in a lower-dimensional r e a lit y . The information complexes
you w i ll meet and in te ra c t with in the DMT space - the elves and th e ir
curious objects, the impossibly constructed hallways and jew elled tem­
ples - emerged, or were constructed by emergent in te llig e n c e s , embedded
in the HyperGrid and, as such, are higher dimensional structures th at are
beyond inconceivable fo r a Grid-based organism, w hilst many mathemati­
cians ro u tin e ly work in high-dimensional spaces, and passable renderings
of 4-dimensional forms, such as the ‘ te s s e ra c t’ hypercube, give us an
idea of the structure of a 4-dimensional object, i t ’ s c e rta in ly not pos­
s ib le fo r a 3D brain complex to envisage 5, 6, or 7-dimensional objects
and organisms other than in complete ab stractio n. So, when a machine e lf
g le e fu lly tosses you a 7-dimensional 'Faberge egg' across a 9-dimensional
room, i t ' s thoroughly confounding.

Whether you are immersed in the mundanities of your regular l i f e in th is

universe or dancing with Brobdingnagian re p tilia n s in the DMT worlds,
the phenomenal world you experience is always constructed by that most
complex of a l l information complexes emergent on the Grid: your b ra in . A
brain is a special type of information complex in that i t is adapted to
receive, process, and store large amounts of information from the en vi­
ronment: the surrounding Grid. This information manifests as the phenom­
enal world experienced by the brain .

158
In e a r lie r chapters, we discussed how your brain generates the i n t r i n ­
sic information from which i t constructs your phenomenal world as je ll
as the manner in which psychedelic drugs can a lt e r th is in fo rm a tio n and
change th is world. Since th is information is larg ely generated at the
level of neurons and th e ir networks, i t made sense to set the d iscu ssio n
at th is le v e l. However, i t ’ s important that we equate the ‘ wet b r a in ’
fa m ilia r from neuroscience with the brain as a h ig h -le v e l in fo rm a tio n
complex that emerges on the Grid of our r e a lit y . Like a l l such complexes,
the human brain is a structure normally re s tric te d to the Grid's lim ite d
dimensionality. The same applies to the phenomenal world i t const ic ts ,
which we each experience with a dimensionality commensurate lit the
slice within which we're embedded. This raises the question as to how, in
the presence of DMT, the brain suddenly becomes capable of c o n s tru c tin g
worlds of seemingly impossible dim ensionality.

By modulating the patterns of information i t generates, and a c tiv a tin g

the encoded p a tte rn -ru le mappings, DMT gates the flow of in fo rm a tio n from
the normally inaccessible orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid in to the
brain. As w e 'll discuss in more d e ta il in the next chapter, t h i ; caus
the brain to cease building the consensus world and to begin c o n s tru c tin g
the thoroughly a lie n , higher-dim ensional, DMT worlds experienced
perspace. To achieve th is , the brain doesn't simply passively absorb the
hyperdimensional inform ation, but a c tu a lly undergoes a transformation in
its most fundamental, lowest le v e l, structure.

In the la s t chapter, we saw how the adoption of 3 - i (BLUE) s ta te s by

c e lls in a 2D s lic e of a 3D c e llu la r automaton allowed those c e lls to
receive information from the th ird dimension, and structures b u ilt from
such c e ll states a c tu a lly become part of th is higher dimensional system.
This is analogous to the process by which the brain is transformed in the
presence of DMT: the brain is restructured at it s most fundament .
A ll forms are constantly emerging and, in the normal waking s ta te , the
brain emerges, from the le v e l of the Grid, from information in s ta n tia te d
by C e ll states th at receive information only from the lim ite d dimensions
of the Grid. However, in the presence of DMT, the brain re-emerges from
C ell states sen sitive to the HyperGrid's orthogonal higher dimensions.

the brain is transformed in to a higher-dimensional processor

w ith in the HyperGrid.

159
 2D slice of
structure

fl structure emerges as a pattern or blue 3 i state cells

uithin a 2D slice

Orthogonal, 3D,
colls

3D structure

Since 3 i states receiue information From 3 dimensions, the

blue structure is reuealed to be a 2D slice of a 3D structure

160 161
 Information received From orthogonal
dimensions of the HyperGrid

In the presence of DI1T, the brain begins receiving inform a tio n

From norm ally inaccessible orthogonal dimensions oF tbe

H yperR rid, reupaling its e lf to be a lower dim ensional s lice of

a higher dim ensional inform ation generator and processoi~_

I t might seem d i f f i c u l t to re c o n c ile such a fundamental s h i f t in the
s tru c tu re and behaviour of the b ra in - from a 3-dim ensional to a 4 ( + ) - d i­
mensional s tru c tu re - w ith the r e la t iv e ly s u b tle e ffe c ts on b ra in a c t iv ­
it y observed from the o u ts id e . However, i t ’ s u s e fu l to remind ourselves
that the in fo rm a tio n generated by the b ra in - by the in te g ra te d areas of
the co rte x form ing a T -s ta te - has the s p e c ia l p ro p e rty of s u b j e c t i v i t y :

the in fo rm a tio n is experienced as the phenomenal w orld.

Furtherm ore, the b ra in is i t s e l f c o n stru cte d from th is

in fo rm a tio n , as w e ll as the in fo rm a tio n generated at a l l
le v e ls of the o rg a n is a tio n a l h ie ra rc h y . As DMT flo o d s the b ra in , the
profound changes th a t occur in the in fo rm a tio n i t generates are observed|
from a com pletely unique s u b je c tiv e p e rs p e c tiv e .

I t ’ s somewhat analogous to the d iffe re n c e between observing the p a tte rn s

of rip p le s on the surfa ce of water and a c tu a lly being the w ater. A camera
set up above the water w i l l o n ly d e te ct changes in the 2-dim ensional p a t­
terns of the r ip p le s , but the water - i f i t was capable of having an ex­
perience - would have access to the f u l l d im e n s io n a lity of i t s dynamics:
the v ib r a tio n a l modes p u ls a tin g in the t h ir d dimension and, perhaps even,
the e n d lessly dynamic a g ita tio n s and in te ra c tio n s of its c o n s titu e n t
water m olecules. Modern fu n c tio n a l neuroimaging is the camera observing
the lim ite d dimensions of the b ra in complex from a le ss than p riv ile g e d
p o s itio n - from the w it h o u t - whereas the DMT user is observing these

w ith in . w ith in .

163
 Inform ation is generated at every le v e l of an org an isatio na l hierarchy,
from the Grid upwards. In the normal waking s ta te , the in d iv id u a l’ s phe­
nomenal world - the inform ation generated by the brain experienced sub­
je c tiv e ly - is constructed almost e n tir e ly from h ig h -le v e l inform ation
generated by global c o r tic a l a c tiv it y , from the integrated a c tiv ity ~ o T ~
large numbers of neurons w ith in an a ctive T -state. The thalam ocortical
system seems to s i t at Just the r ig h t le v e l of organisation fo r encoding
inform ation about the gross patterns of inform ation th a t emerge in the
environment and thus i t makes sense that the phenomenal world is con­
structed using inform ation generated at th is le v e l of the hierarchy. As
you scan your environment fo r p o te n tia l predators, i t is n ’ t necessary
fo r you to be aware of the m ultitude of in tric a te molecular in te ra c tio n s
inside the c e lls of the organisms that surround you, but only th e ir
h ig h -le v e l stru c tu re and behaviours:

Who are th e y ? H h ere a r e t h e y ? H h at a r e th e y d o in g '?

__________________________ __
This co arse-g ra in e d c o r tic a l le v e l of inform ation overwhelms the phenom­
enal world and there is no awareness - under normal circum stances - of
inform ation being generated at the le v e l of c e lls , m olecules, o r lower.
However, th is lo w e r-le ve l inform ation is also bei.ng generated by the
same areas of the brain responsible fo r generating the phenomenal world
inform ation, except i t is excluded from su bjective experience. In fa c t,
th is lo w e r-le ve l inform ation is abso lu te ly e s s e n tia l fo r generating the
h ig h e r-le v e l inform ation, since the upwards flo w of inform ation drives
the emergence of the higher le ve ls of order.

However, during the DMT s ta te , when inform ation begins to flo w from the
normally inaccessible dimensions of the HyperGrid, th e re is an expansion
of th is awareness from the c o r tic a l le v e l downwards through the hierarchy
to the le v e l of the [Hyper]Grid. This is because the phenomenal world of
the hyperdimensional brain complex is generated from th is lo w e r-le v e l,
higher-dim ensional, inform ation, in a d d itio n to the inform ation generat­
ed by the networks of the thalam ocortical system. Many DMT users a c tu a lly
experience th is expansive downshift during the e arly phase of the t r i p as
a fe e lin g of being propelled downwards to the core o f r e a l i t y , sometimes
observing the tr a n s itio n in stages down through the molecular, atomic,
and subatomic, before reaching the breakthrough phase in which hyperspace
i t s e lf m anifests.

164
 Normal wakina state PUT state

Cortical

Intermediate
levels of
organisation

[Hyper]Grid

Awareness

Of course, th is is a s h ift in awareness that is only av a ila b le to the

individual undergoing the experience: to an outside observer, a l l that
can be measured is the change in information - neural a c tiv ity - being
generated at the c o rtic a l le v e l, as revealed by modern functional brain
imaging techniques. There is no way fo r these instruments to detect th is
expansion in the dim ensionality of the brain complex, but only the e f ­
fect of th is information as i t flows upwards to the le v e l of the cortex,
perturbing it s global dynamics and modulating the information generated
at that higher le v e l.

When DMT gains entry into the brain , i t causes an e n tir e ly new brain to
emerge: the brain is transformed from a lower-dimensional processor - an
information complex emergent w ithin our s lic e of the HyperGrid - to a
hyperdimensional jewel of transcendent beauty and magnificence embedded
in the HyperGrid - but i t is a jewel that can
■ ■ h h only be enjoyed from w ith in .

165
 Hec fia n is m o~f
'
>>In te r d im e n s io n a l

> > C o m m u n ic a tio n _

"What happens is, the world is completely

replaced, instantly, lOO percent. It's all
gone. A n d gihat's p u t in i t s p l a c e , not one iota
of what's put in its p l a c e was taken from this
world. So it's a lOO percent reality channel
switch."

Terence McKenna
 In radiocommunications, the term channel switch re fe rs to the s h ift from
receiving an input signal at one p a rtic u la r radio frequency band to an­
other. A simple c ry s ta l radio tuner, fo r example, uses a capacitor to
modulate a tuning c o ii to resonate w ith, and am plify, a p a rtic u la r f r e ­
quency of electromagnetic wave w hilst ignoring the others. As the tuner
is sh ifted to a new frequency, reception of the o rig in a l signal is lost
as the new one begins to crackle through the speakers. The radio tuner
modulates the flow of e le c t r ic it y through the tuning c o il so th at i t can
receive the information embedded in the new frequency. Analogously, DMT
modulates the flow of information through the brain such that i t loses
the a b ilit y to receive information from the consensus world - from our
dimensional s lic e - but gains the a b ilit y to receive information from
the normally hidden orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid, experienced
as the DMT hyperspace. This complete switch of the phenomenal world from
consensus r e a lit y to the DMT hyperspace has two s p e c ific requirements:

1. In fo rm a tio n from the orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid must be

^ T jT ^ o r t h o g o n a lin f o r m a t io n r n u s t m
t h e o n g o in g in t r in s ic in fo r m a tio n ta e in g ff e n e r a ^

Remember, the construction of a phenomenal world by the brain is not a

passive process: your phenomenal world is always b u ilt from in tr in s ic
inform ation, with e x trin s ic sensory information only modulating th is in ­
formation by being matched to i t . This applies under a l l circumstances,
including a DMT t r ip . DMT doesn’ t tra n s fe r your consciousness from the
consensus world to the DMT world but, ra th e r, DMT causes your brain to
cease building the consensus world and s ta rt building the DMT world. But,
fo r the brain to achieve th is , i t ’ s not enough th at i t can receive in fo r ­
mation from these orthogonal dimensions (requirement 1 ). This information
must successfully modulate the in tr in s ic information generated by the
brain complex, which means the in tr in s ic information must change so that
i t matches th is information from the orthogonal dimensions (requirement
2, see page 123). DMT has a c ru c ia l ro le in both of these processes.

168
During waking l i f e in the consensus w orld, in -
inrmat ion enters the brain complex from w ith in

Obviously, the inform ation received from the

orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid during a
DMT t r i p is not received through these sensory
conduits, and i t would be wrong to assume that
inform ation tra n s fe r in to the brain can only

were to s tr ik e you hard enough on the head, you

might w ell see flashes of lig h t. This is not
from lig h t inform ation, or even stim u la tio n of
your re tin a e , but because the r a t t lin g of your
brain inside your s k u ll a lte re d the inform ation
i t generates. Inform ation tra n s fe r occurred not
via the senses, but by d ire c t stim u la tio n of the
bra in , a lb e it in a ra th e r uncontrolled manner.
To understand how DMT allows inform ation from
orthogonal dimensions to enter the b ra in , we
must le t go of the assumption th a t the fa m ilia r
sensory routes are the only means of inform ation
tra n s fe r in to the brain complex.

169
 > > > The 3 phases of e n try in to t h e DMT
space-

> >Fn+ru intcL the PHI_realily —

Activation phase
>>(« "> can be
During normal waking l i f e in the consensus world, your brain generates the
>>broken down into three phases:
in trin s ic information that constitutes your phenomenal world. E xtrin sic
information from outside the b rain , received via the senses, modulates
this ongoing in tr in s ic a c tiv ity such that a stab le, p red ictab le, and
adaptive phenomenal world is b u ilt . When DMT enters the brain , i t binds
to and activates the 5HT2A receptors embedded in the membrane of the
>>1 .
c o rtic a l pyramidal c e lls . The e ffe c t of th is is to in i t ia t e a sequence of
> > [ a c t i v a t i o n phase]. reactions and in teractio n s inside the pyramidal c e ll. Since a l l of these
>> e ffects are occurring at the molecular le v e l, th is is sideways in-for­
>> mation flow, with the information generated by the DMT molecule binding

>> 2. to the 5HT2A receptor flowing into the network of molecules inside the
neuron. However, since th is network possesses emergent properties - such
> > Cga+ing phase].
as the a b ilit y to regulate the membrane p o te n tia l of the neuron - the
>>
information also flows upwards, causing the membrane p o te n tia l to ris e
»
towards the threshold p o te n tia l. This is the depolarising e ffe c t of 5HT2A
> > 3. receptor stim ulation and occurs in pyramidal c e lls across the cortex.
>> The pyramidal neurons form part of the highly complex emergent system

> > [ lock p h a s e ] . that generates the patterns of in tr in s ic information - T -states - that
constitute your phenomenal world, and th is p a rtic u la r adjustment of th e ir
>>
membrane p o te n tia l by DMT causes that pattern of information to change.
>>
Your world begins to change. This is an upwards flow of information from
XX
*
the molecular le v e l to the c o rtic a l network and phenomenal world le v e l.
----y y ---------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ---------
For most psychedelic drugs, each with th e ir own e ffe c t on the pattern
>> of in tr in s ic information generated by the c o rtic a l network, th is is the

>> end of the sto ry. The change in the pattern of in tr in s ic information is
the change in the world generated by the drug: the psychedelic e ffe c t.
>>
However, with DMT, th is is only the beginning. This phase is the i n i t i a l
» _ ....................... —
ACTIVATION of the brain by modulating the information i t generates.
 Gating phase
f i l l psychedelic drugs a ffe c t the in tr in s ic information generated by the
cortex in th e ir own p a rtic u la r way. Usually, the e ffe c t can be likened to
a kind of 'loosening' of the information such that the phenomenal world
becomes more flu id and unpredictable than the normal waking world. This
is achieved by expanding the re p e rto ire of T -states to include e n tire ly
novel states. DMT, however, exerts a more s p e c ific e ffe c t: ra th e r than
simply rendering the information more random, DMT s h ifts the in trin s ic
information from one pattern,

the consensus world pattern, Downwards

m m m m m m m information
the DMT world pattern. flow
I [see page 123]

This is more analogous to switching a channel to an e n tir e ly d iffe re n t

frequency than to nudging the d ia l s ig h tly out of tune. However, th is Perturbation
channel switch doesn’ t explain how information from the orthogonal dimen­ brain pattern
sions can access the brain . To explain th is , we must return to the idea adopted [pink]
of downwards information flow, which occurs when h ig h -le v e l information
selects from a lo w er-level state space.

Pattern-rule
DMT e li c it s a highly s p e c ific pattern of information from the a c tiv ity
napping
of the c o rtic a l system. Assuming the dosage is s u ffic ie n t to surpass
the i n i t i a l l y disorderly a c tiv a tio n phase, the information becomes ‘ hy­
p er-stru ctu re d ’ . The DMT user w i ll notice c h a ra c te ris tic DMT patterns
and motifs when entering th is phase - extremely complex and almost im­ GRID
possible to describe, but unquestionably 'DMT-esque' in th e ir form.
This hyper-structured information flows down to the le v e l of the Grid
i t s e l f , selecting s p e c ific patterns of C ells that we have re fe rre d to as
HVPERGRID
perturbation brain p atterns (see chapter 11). These DM T-elicited C ell
configurations only emerge w ithin the brain complex in the presence of
th is p a rtic u la r psychedelic molecule and are mapped to the ru le sets that
allow 4 ( + ) - i C e ll states to emerge. So, o v e ra ll, the information gener­ h(+)-i cell states [blue]
ated during the a c tiv a tio n phase flows to the le v e l of the [Hyper]Grid
gate the flow of informatio
and gates the flow of information from the orthogonal dimensions of the
from orthogonal dimensions
HyperGrid into the brain complex.
of the HyperGrid.________
 Normal Waking State

Intrinsic
information builds
the consensus
phenomenal world

Sensory matching

Information
from Grid

In the normal waking state, the thalamocortical system builds

the consensus world as a model of the Grid, modulated by
extrinsic information from the Grid [sensory matching]_
 DMT State

DMT-modulated
intrinsic
information builds
hyperspace

Sensory matching

Information
from HyperGrid

DMT perturbs the actioity of the thalamocortical system such

that it ceases to build the consensus world, but begins
to build the DMT hyperspace as a model of the HyperGrid,
modulated by information from its orthogonal dimensions_
 Lock phase
DMT binding to the 5HT2A receptor doesn’ t open a magical p o rta l to an­
other dimension, but causes a s p e c ific pattern of a c tiv ity - information
- to be generated by the thalam ocortical networks. This h ig h -le v e l in fo r ­
mation then flows downwards to the le v e l of the [Hyper]Grid, selecting
C e ll state patterns [brain perturbation patterns] that allow information
to be received from it s orthogonal dimensions.

The information received from the orthogonal dimensions then begins to

flow upwards in the usual way through the molecular and neuronal le v e ls ,
up to the c o rtic a l network le v e l, fu rth e r modulating c o rtic a l a c tiv ity
and the information generated by the c o rtic a l networks. So, information
is flowing in both d irectio n s: downwards from the c o rtic a l le v e l to the
le v e l of the [Hyper]Grid and upwards from the [Hyper]Grid to the cortex.
Of course, there is nothing unusual about information flowing in both
d irectio n s through the layers of a complex system. The d ifferen ce here is
that the DMT-modulated h ig h -le v e l information generated by the cortex has
a unique e ffe c t at the le v e l of the HyperGrid, owing to the p a tte rn -ru le
mappings which a c tu a lly gate the flow of information from the HyperGrid.

A brain complex is special in that the complex, emergent Information

that i t generates is highly fle x ib le and dynamic, allowing information
tran sfer from the orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid to modulate the
in tr in s ic a c tiv ity being generated by the brain complex in re a l time.
Of course, th is means that the information flowing downwards from the
c o rtic a l le v e l to the HyperGrid is also a lte re d . The top-down e ffe c t of
th is new modulated information is more e ffic ie n t at generating the p e r­
turbation patterns at the le v e l of the HyperGrid to fu rth e r enhance in ­
formation tran s fe r from it s orthogonal dimensions. This information flows
up the hierarchy to the le v e l of the cortex and so on. So, a p o s itiv e
feedback loop emerges, with information from the orthogonal dimensions
modulating c o rtic a l information such that the tra n s fe r of information
from those dimensions is enhanced, allowing them to fu rth e r modulate
c o rtic a l inform ation. This Information feedback loop eventually ‘ locks’
the cortex into the s ta te in which i t is most e ffic ie n t at receiving in ­
formation from the orthogonal dimensions and constructing the phenomenal
world experienced as hyperspace.
P rio r to th is stage, there is an experience of confusion, d is o rie n ta ­
tio n , and a flu r r y of highly complex imagery and in flu x of inform ation,
and only when the lock phase is achieved does th is s ta b ilis e . This is
the breakthrough. For th is phase to be reached, however, the a c tiv ity
of the c o rtic a l system, in the presence of DMT, must be such that the
information flowing upwards to the c o rtic a l le v e l can be absorbed by the
c o rtic a l networks. Remember, ju st as normal sensory information can only
be absorbed by the brain i f i t matches it s ongoing in tr in s ic a c tiv ity , so
i t is with information from the HyperGrid. In the presence of DMT, the
modified in tr in s ic a c tiv ity is matched to the information being received
from the HyperGrid [w hilst the brain loses the a b ilit y to absorb informa­
tion via the normal sensory apparatus], which can then modulate c o rtic a l
a c tiv ity as the brain begins to build a stable model of the HyperGrid,
which is experienced as the breakthrough into hyperspace.

C ru c ia lly , the e ffe c t of DMT on c o rtic a l a c tiv ity is determined by its

connectivity and, since thalam ocortical connectivity varies between in ­
d ividu als, some people might be more or less sen sitive to the transdimen-
sional gating e ffe c ts of DMT, with a small proportion never progressing
beyond the a c tiv a tio n phase. However, assuming the lock phase is success­
fu lly reached and s ta b ilis e d , the brain complex is no longer re s tric te d
to our usual dimensional s lic e of the HyperGrid: the brain re-emerges
from the HyperGrid as the hyperdimensional brain complex, and the trip p e r
becomes part of that higher-dimensional r e a lit y .

|This is when the elves welcome you home.

It 's important to note the two d is tin c t, but overlapping, roles of DMT
in this process:

l^ ^ t ^ je r ^ u r b ^ ^ o M ^ ^ ^ c ^ ^ U ^ ^ ^ ^ e n e r a te ^ h ^ je r tu r b a ^ o r M jr ^ n
Ip a U e r a ^ a ^ h e ^ ^ v ^ ^ ^ h ^ G r id ^ n ^ ^ ^ d im e n s io n a ^ a U n ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

|2. The DMT-perturbed c o rtic a l a c tiv ity also allows the brain to absorbl
the information from the HyperGrid as i t flows to the c o rtic a l le v e l.

H |
Unfortunately, [or fo rtu n a te ly ], th is sta te doesn’ t la s t fo re ver: a fte r
only a jfeu) minutes, the DMT le ve ls drop below a threshold and seroto­
nin, which is e s s e n tia lly competing w ith DMT at the receptor s ite , again
floods the 5HT2A receptors. In the presence of serotonin, the pyramidal
neurons are returned to th e ir basal a c tiv a tio n le v e l and th is reverses
pMT’ s e ffe c ts on c o rtic a l a c tiv it y . The brain begins generating the same
patterns of inform ation as before DMT was ingested, and the h ype r-struc­
tured, downward-flowing inform ation generated by the brain in the pres­
ence of DMT is no longer generated in i t s absence. As such, the p o s itiv e
feedback loop is broken and the brain loses access to the orthogonal
dimensions of the HyperGrid. Feedback loops often tend to show sw itching
behaviour, s h iftin g ra p id ly from an in a c tiv e to a f u l ly a ctive s ta te ,
and vice versa. This is why the tr a n s itio n from the DMT space back to
consensus r e a lity is often abrupt. You might fe e l as i f you are suddenly
jo lte d back in to the consensus world, shaking, awestruck, and g ra te fu l
fo r the most h o r rify in g ly b e a u tifu l and astonishing experience you could
never have imagined.

Information flowing from the ORTHOGONAL dimensions of the HyperGrid

[see gating phase] flows upwards and modulates information at the
cortical leoel. This nodulated information flows downwards to
the leoel of the [Hyper]Grid, further enhancing the selection of
brain perturbation patterns and establishing a positive feedback
loop that locks the brain complex in the DHT space_
IVrl I d K I C f J L T ■
■

The

the

“ The u n iu e rs e i s in fo r m a tio n and we are

^ s t a t io n a r y in i t .

n o t t h r e e - r l i mensi nn mmmmammmmmmmmmmmmmmm
space
or time.
The Code generates the [Hyper]Grid, which instantiates the
information from which all emerges in this reality:
I
euerything is a manifestation of the
conplexification of information.H

In our e ffo r t to understand the nature of the r e a lity w ith in which we

are embedded, we are now ready to s tr ip away that la s t layer of con­
ce p tu a lisa tio n to a rriv e at the true sructure of the H yper[G rid]: pure
d ig it a l inform ation generated by the Code. When discussing the G rid, we
have used c e llu la r automata as exem plifying i t s e sse n tia l features: a
d ig it a l universe of connected C ells updating th e ir sta te w ith each c lic k
of time, based on the states of C ells in th e ir neighbourhood. Further, we
have always assumed, a lb e it im p lic itly , the s p a tia l nature of a c e llu la r
automaton g rid , whether in two, three, or higher, dimensions. For exam­
p le, Conway’ s Game of L ife is a 2-dimensional d ig it a l ‘ universe’ in which
the i n f in it e s p a tia l extent of the g rid seems to be fundamental to the
s tru ctu re of the automaton: each c e ll has a p a rtic u la r s p a tia l extent - a
square area of the g rid that i t occupies - and complex structures emerge
on th is g rid extending i n f in it e ly in the fo u r d ire c tio n s of the plane.
There is a very s p e c ific reason fo r v is u a lis in g the Game of L ife as a
2D square g rid : the sta te of each c e ll updates depending on the states
of the eight c e lls in it s neighbourhood, making a square g rid the most
natural way to represent the re la tio n s h ip s between the c e lls . However,
there is nothing in the construction of the Game of L ife that requires i t
to be visu a lise d in such a way. An a lte rn a tiv e , and much more fle x ib le ,
way of representing a c e llu la r automaton is to use a network of NODES
connected by EDGES instead of square c e lls connected side by side. A node
performs the exact same ro le as a c e ll (in fa c t, they are fundamentally
the same) and can e x is t in a f i n it e number of states - two in the case
of the Game of L ife - w ith the edges in d ic a tin g the c o n n e c tiv ity . The
Von Neumann neighbourhood, fo r example, is a 1:4 pattern of c o n n e c tiv ity
- the ce n tra l c e ll is connected to fo u r surrounding c e lls - whereas the
Moore neighbourhood is 1:8.

The standard grid representation of a cellular automaton doesn’t

indicate the neighbourhood used in the transition rules, whereas this
is made explicit in the eguiualent network representation_
Standard grid I
re p re s e n ^ ^ ^ o r^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ l

ode representation

EUorWjeunanrw^hoo^^

in n T r a iH iT T T l^ ^ M M

1S3
 Although certa in ways of representing a c e llu la r automaton might be pre­
ferred over others, there is a c tu a lly no requirement fo r the automaton
to be visualised at a l l - that is purely fo r our enjoyment. Each c e ll of
the Game of L ife , fo r example, is not a c tu a lly a square area of a g rid ,
but simply a piece of information in s ta n tia te d by some abstract ELEMENT
that can switch between one of two sta te s . In most cases, th is element is
a component of the computer chip responsible fo r sto ring the states of
a l l the c e lls as the game runs. But coins, checkers pieces, or squares of
coloured paper - or any things that can e x is t in p recisely two states and
thus each in s ta n tia te a single b it of information - are equally v a lid ,
a lb e it rather im p ractical, substitutes fo r the in te rn a l states of a com­
puter microprocessor. The m aterial used to represent the states of the
c e lls is completely independent of the patterns of information generated
by L ife as i t runs.

Chess is another game played on a square g rid : the pieces on a chessboard

might be elab o rately carved from exotic hardwoods and are given fancy
monikers lik e knight, bishop, or queen. Or, a modern game of chess might
be played e n tir e ly on an ele c tro n ic device. Advanced players might even
play out an e n tire game without ever looking at a board, but simply by
recording th e ir moves in algebraic chess notation. At it s most stripped
down le v e l, the game of chess seems to be something much more abstract
and fundamental than knights, bishops, and wooden boards - the game of
chess is a MATHEMATICAL STRUCTURE, which we can d efin e, in fo rm a lly , as:

a set of elements w ith c e rta in defined p ro p e rtie s arid

The term element is d e lib e ra te ly ab stract, in being a mathematical object

with no physical or other types of c h a ra c te ris tic s other than those spe­
c i f i c a l l y given to i t . Think of an element as an imaginary hook upon which
we can hang whatever features we want or req u ire. Each piece in a game of
chess is an element upon which ce rta in c h a ra c te ris tic s are defined: how
does the element move around the space defined by the board? How does the
element in te ra c t with other elements? Once the s p e c ific c h a ra c te ris tic s
of each element are defined, we can play chess on a board, a computer, or
by mailing our moves scribbled in chess notation back and fo rth across
the world.The game, at it s most fundamental, is independent of how we
choose to represent i t .

1S4
S im ilarly, at its most fundamental le v e l, the Game of L ife is a math­
ematical structure consisting of a large number of elements together
with a set of defined relatio n sh ip s between them. Each element is given
two d iscrete states, only one of which can be occupied at any tim e, and
the a b ilit y to receive information about the states of a w ell-defined
selection of other elements - the neighbourhood - and nothing wore, fls
Life runs, information is generated as every element updates it s state
in p a r a lle l, selecting from the two possible states based on it s current
state and those of it s neighbours. For ease of v is u a lis a tio n , we have
used square c e lls to represent the elements and th e ir s ta te s , but

any set of o b je c ts - whether concrete or p u re ly a b s tra c t - th a t

preserves the re la tio n s h ip s between the elements is a p e rfe c tly

So, c e lls on a square grid are no more a fundamental component of the Game
of L ife than bishops hand-carved from Indian rosewood are a fundamental
component of the game of chess. Our choice of representing the Game of
L ife is Just th a t: a representation of something more abstract and fun­
damental. The essen tial features of the Game of L ife are the possible
states of each element, the way these elements are connected (1 :8 ), and
the update ru les. None of these features require any sort of g rid at a l l ,
as long as the defined relatio n sh ip s between the elements are maintained.

We think of the Game of L ife , in it s o rig in a l form, as being 2-dimensional

because of the way i t is usually visualised using a 2-dimensional square
g rid . However, of course, L ife can be run on a computer without ever
p lo ttin g the output as a g rid , network, or any other representation. In
fa c t, we can choose to output the information generated by the Game of
L ife as binary code, as patterns of lig h t or sound, or not at a l l . How
we choose to represent the information generated by L ife has no bearing
on the information i t s e l f , other than perhaps making i t easier fo r us to
in terp ret th is information: by observing patterns on a g rid ra th e r than
tryin g to make sense of a s trin g of binary d ig its . This n a tu ra lly raises
the question as to whether the Game of L ife remains a 2-dimensional c e l­
lu la r automaton even i f it s output is n ’ t visualised on a 2-dimensional
g rid , i f at a l l . To answer th is question, we need to think a l i t t l e more
deeply about what we mean by ‘ space’ and the varying dim ensionalities
that i t can possess.

185
 The awareness of a 3-dimensional s p a tia l world is one the most funda­
mental features of our existence, established from the e a rlie s t stages
of our liv e s as we explored our environment and each developed our own
unique phenomenal model of the world. Space seems absolutely fundamen­
t a l to our existence and i t fe e ls n atu ral to assume that the ground of
r e a lit y must have a s p a tia l aspect. We in tu itiv e ly think about space
in terms of the relatio n sh ip s between objects w ith in space ra th e r than
try in g to envisage space i t s e l f . Space appears to be an empty container
w ithin which objects can be placed. However, space it s e lf has a structure
that emerges from something more fundamental. Like a l l things, barring
the Code i t s e l f , space is emergent. Mathematically, space is defined as
a set of POINTS together with a set of relatio n sh ip s between the points
known as a TOPOLOGY.

Most of us are fa m ilia r with what is known as the EUCLIDEAN or STANDARD

TOPOLOGY which, in it s l-dimensional form - 1-space - is a simple lin e
formed from an in f in it e number of points, lik e beads on a thread each
with precisely two neighbours (as with a c e llu la r automaton, the points
surrounding a point form it s neighbourhood):

1-space

Generating 2-dimensional space - 2-space - is as straightforw ard as ex­

tending the 1-dimensional lin e by adding a second, orthogonal, lin e :

2-space

1S6
And, adding a th ird lin e generates the 3-dimensional space that fe e ls
so natu ral and obvious when we think of space. Using the l-dimensional
standard topology to build increasingly higher dimensional topologies is
a common way of building such spaces in mathematics, and there is noth­
ing stopping us adding a fo u rth , f i f t h , or even more dimensions to the
fa m ilia r standard 3-space, by adding more and more orthogonal ID lin e s .
Although such dim ensionality is d if f ic u lt to v is u a lis e , there is nothing
mathematically unusual about extending Euclidean space in th is way. The
dimensionality of a space simply corresponds to the number of independent
coordinates required to specify the position of a point in that space.
The topology of a space describes the connectivity between those points
or, eq u ivalen tly, the topology defines the shape of the space.

The standard topology is the easiest to v is u a lis e , extending i n f i n i t e ­

ly and uniformly along each of it s dimensions. But an in f in it e range of
s p a tia l topologies can be constructed, from the fa m ilia r to the exo tic,
unexpected, or unimaglnabie. For example, one can take a f i n i t e square
of the standard 2-space topology - a simple 2D plane - r o l l i t in to a
cylinder and then bend the c ylin der round to Join end-to-end. This c re ­
ates a torus, or doughnut, which defines a 2-dimensional topology in many
ways s im ila r to the standard 2-space topology, except the relatio n sh ip s
between the points on the topology are d iffe re n t: In the standard to p o l­
ogy, the points extend in f in it e ly in each of the two dimensions but, on
a torus, moving along e ith e r dimension w i ll eventually bring you back to
where you s ta rte d . The same can be said fo r the surface of a sphere, an­
other very fa m ilia r 2D topology. Topologies can be defined in any f i n i t e ,
or in f in it e , dimensional space, but many of these can only be grasped
in complete abstraction. The important idea is th at the relatio n sh ip s
between the points of a space, whatever it s dim ensionality, are defined
mathematically and can be encoded. You don’ t need a doughnut to define a
doughnut topology. And, of course, a c e llu la r automaton is simply a set
of elements - or points - together with the set of defined relatio n sh ip s
between them. In other words, a c e llu la r automaton defines a topology,
a space. The dim ensionality of an automaton’ s topology is not dependent
on how i t is represented, on a grid or not at a l l , but is in tr in s ic a lly
defined by it s co nn ectivity. So, the Game of L ife is 2-dimensional because
of the connectivity of it s encoded elements (c e lls /n o d e s ), not because of
the conventional choice to represent i t on a square g rid .
Each cell of this 4x4 grid can be fully represented by three integer^
The first two represent its position on the grid [one for each
dinension], and thus its relationship to its neighbours, and the third
represents its state [O or 1]_

The entire grid can thus be represented as a string of 48 integers:

110120131140211220231240
310321331340410420430440

11012113014021022 0231241
310321331340410420430440

110120131140210220230241
31O321331341410420430440

11012 013 0140210221230241

310320331341410420431440

Only the grid representation clearly reueals a dynamic pattern of

information we know as a glider. However, both representations are
entirely eguioalent and contain the same information_
The proper-ties and information patterns generated by the Game of L ife ,
inciuding the dim ensionality and topology of it s space, are completely
independent of houi, or whether, we might choose to display th is informa­
tion: as a 2D g rid , network of nodes, or as a binary s trin g . A 2D grid
is merely a convenient way fo r us to v is u a lis e the information generat­
ed by L ife from the outside. I t ’ s important th at we don’ t erroneously
think of the s p a tia l topology of L ife as somehow being a representation
of space, in the way th at an a rc h ite c t’ s computer model of a house is a
representation of it s 3-dimensional stru c tu re . In a c e llu la r automaton,
the topology encoded by the relatio n sh ip s between it s c e lls is the actual
space. To appreciate th is , we can reposition ourselves, not as outside
observers, but as complex c r itte r s that emerge inside the Game of L ife .

Assuming that conscious beings

vsfiTr^frn3<F 3nT ^

cunscious b rin g s

gi.might e v e n tu a lly emerge in a c e llu la r

automaton running on a computer, as one of these emergent c r i t t e r s you
would experience a r e a l it y w ith a

d im e n s io n a lity commensurate w ith the topology d efined by the automaton:

The dimensionality and s p a tia l q u a lity of your phenomenal world would be

determined by the connectivity of the c e lls as the game runs. Or equiv­
a le n tly , the connectivity of the c e lls would define a topology that you
would experience as your space, in the same way we experience our usual
3-dimensional world outside of the game. Looking around, you would notice
that each point in the space was connected to eight other points and
that tr a v e llin g between points required you to cross a s p e c ific number of
other points. Whether o r not the output of the automaton was displayed
on a convenient screen fo r the viewing pleasure of humans outside the
game would be e n tir e ly irre le v a n t to your experience as a conscious being
inside the game.

1S9
 Of course, th is also applies to automata of higher dim ensionality:

a conscious c r i t t e r that emerges inside a 9-dimensional c e llu ia r

automaton would experience a type of 9-dimensional space that we
would have no way of ever comprehending without entering i t .

find, likew is e , th is applies to our r e a lit y : although the discrete points

th at comprise our r e a lit y - the Grid - are too small fo r us to observe
d ir e c tly , we appreciate and experience the gross features and q u a litie s
of our 3-dimensional s p a tia l topology. Some of these features we can
point out and measure, such as the three orthogonal d irectio n s of space
and the distances between objects. However, our experience of 3-dimen­
sional space is la rg e ly in e ffa b le , lik e the q u a lity of the colour red,
and can only be understood by being experienced. This is why, no matter
how in te lle c tu a lly or mathematically prepared one might be, tumbling into
DMT hyperspace space is thoroughly confounding - there is no way to an­
tic ip a te the q u a lity of a such a space before one enters i t . Nor indeed
is i t easy to render the space in the memory once one returns, other than
perhaps as a 3-dimensional projection or approximation, which perhaps
p a rtly explains the fru s tra tio n commonly experienced in try in g to re c a ll
d e ta ils of the DMT s ta te .

So, the Code is a structure of unknown (and irre le v a n t) dimensionality

that encodes the f i n i t e states of the discrete ELEMENTS/NODES/CELLS of
the Grid, together with the connectivity between them, in much the same
manner that the binary code inside a computer generates, stores, and up­
dates the states of the c e lls in the Game of L ife . There is no fundamental
s p a tia l aspect to the Grid: the connectivity between the elements/nodes/
c e lls Is encoded by the fundamental ru le set and defines the dimension­
a l i t y and topology o f the space that emerges as the Code generates the
Grid and, u ltim a te ly , defines the q u a lity of the space experienced by
s e lf - r e f le d Iv e conscious organisms that eventually emerge w ithin the
Grid, Including ourselves.

Since an a lie n h yperin telligen ce was responsible fo r generating the Code,

and since the Code generates the [Hyper]Grid, i t is tempting to conclude
th at we are the products of some kind of in te llig e n t design. But th is is
not the case, fo r the Code doesn’ t only generate the Grid upon which we
fin d ourselves, but a l l possible Grids.

1 190
C h a p te r_ltu_

wkmum Hr ■

m i

U i K . t |
f l

HSl ■ ■

UPV X V
 Our Universe is a lower dimensional s lic e - ihe Grid - of a higher dimen­
sio n a l system - the HyperGrid, which is generated by a fundamental Code.
Although the Code was generated by an a lie n h y p e rin te llig e n ce outside the
HyperGrid, we were not designed. When John Conway o r ig in a lly encoded the
Game of L ife , he had no idea that the program, when run, would e x h ib it
such ric h complexity - he happened to stumble upon one of the few ru le
sets th a t spawn a c e llu la r automaton w ith in te re s tin g behaviour. For any
p a rtic u la r type of automaton, there is a f i n it e - a lb e it p o te n tia lly ex­
tremely large - number of possible ru le sets, which form the ru le space.
Every ru le set w ith in the ru le space w i ll display behaviour somewhere
along the continuum from Type I homogeneity to Type I I I chaos, w ith ju s t
a few s it t in g in that narrow - Type IV - band between order and chaos,
where complex, stable stru ctu re s emerge.

So, how does one go about fin d in g a c e llu la r automaton withJcomplex,

open-ended, behaviour that might eventually harbour liv in g organisms?
There seems to be no simple way of knowing whether any p a rtic u la r ru le
set w i ll engender the type of stru ctu re s w ith the p o te n tia l to complex­
i f y towards conscious l i f e : running the program is the only sure te s t.
B uilding a universe w ith in which complex l i f e w i ll emerge is as easy as
fin d in g the r ig h t ru le set. And as hard.

C e llu la r automata exemplify the idea that simple code, when executed, can
generate behaviour th a t is s ta r t lin g ly complex and thoroughly unp re dict­
able. This is the Game of L ife w ritte n in the u ltra -c o n c is e APL language:

life«-Tl 0V.a3 4=+/, 1 0 l° .e 1 0

W riting the code to enumerate a l l possible ru le sets - to generate

every ru le set w ith in a ru le space -r ~for~a~^elTular” automaton is f a i r l y
stra ig h tfo rw a rd . I f we take a 1-dimensional elementary c e llu la r automa-
ton, fo r example, there are p re cise ly 256 ru le sets to ite ra te through.
As the size of the neighbourhood and dim ensionality of the automaton in ­
creases, the size of the ru le space expands ra p id ly . But, c r u c ia lly , how­
ever large i t may grow, i t w i l l always remain f i n it e and, w ith s u ffic ie n t
computing power, the e n tire ru le space can be explored exhaustively, even
fo r the type of system that forms the basis of our Universe (G rid ).

192
ft larger ru le space doesn’ t mean that more complex code Is required to
enumerate through i t , only th at the output and the time and re q u is ite
computational resources w i ll be much la rg e r. C ru c ia lly , i t w i ll always be
easier, and computationally cheaper, to run every possible automaton -
every possible Grid - than to attempt to determine a p r io r i the ru le sets
that w i ll produce the type of behaviour one hopes w i ll emerge1.

However, i t is n ’ t necessary to run every ru le set u n t il i t e ith e r does

or doesn’ t y ie ld liv in g organisms. Experience w ill in d icate th at certain
patterns of behaviour in an e a rly Grid - universe - tend to augur the
eventual emergence of complex l i f e , whereas other patterns preclude i t .
Grids with such p o te n tia l can be selected, w hilst those that f a i l to
display such behaviour are h alted . GAME OVER. N a tu ra lly , a great deal of
in te llig e n c e and experience w i ll be required to distinguish Grids with
such p o te n tia l from those destined fo r e ith e r endless homogeneity or a
ceaseless tumult of structureless chaos. However, the decision to e ith e r
keep a Grid running or to h a lt i t can usually be made e a rly .

Once a universe emerges with apparently in te llig e n t , conscious l i f e , i t ’ s

natural to wonder what one might do with such a universe or indeed with
the conscious in tellig e n c e s emergent w ithin i t . Broadly, there are two
options:

leave the universe alone, do not intervene or in te rfe re in any

way, or;
intervene in or in te ra c t with the universe in some way towards
some end.

I f the former approach is taken, the in te llig e n c e s w ithin the universe

w i ll presumably forever remain ignorant of th e ir status as part of an
encoded, emergent, r e a lit y . However, i t ’ s possible that a s u ffic ie n tly
advanced in te llig e n c e might eventually reach a le v e l of cognitive and
s c ie n tific sophistication such that th e ir status is suspected and, po­
t e n t ia lly , tested. Indeed, w ithin our c iv ilis a tio n there already exists
a clutch of plucky philosophers and physicists that have proposed ways of
testin g whether or not we liv e in a 'simulated r e a l i t y T h i s term inol­
ogy is avoided here, since i t presumes that a r e a lit y constructed from
d ig it a l information must be simulated, whereas, in fa c t, our Universe is
an In s ta n tia tio n of a r e a lit y rather than a sim ulation of one.

193
 In the case of our G rid, i t s u ltim a te purpose is the Game, which in ­
volves conscious in te llig e n c e s in te ra c tin g w ith - in te rfa c in g w ith - the
HyperGrid. He w i l l deal w ith the d e ta ile d nature of the Game, and how
we can play i t , in the f in a l chapter. For now, having developed a deep
understanding of the stru ctu re of our r e a lity - the Grid - and hoy, i t was
generated from the Code, together with what we have learned about how the
f l o w of in fo r m a t i o n b e tw een d i m e n s i o n s of the HyperGrid is c o n tro lle d ,
we can be gi n to u n d e r s t a n d h o w and why DM T has the sp ecial property of
ga ti ng in f o r m a t i o n f l o w f r o m the H y p e r G r i d ’s normally hidden dimensions
into the hu ma n brain.

Al t h o u g h th er e are c e r t a i n un iv e r s a l fe a t u r e s of conscious s e lf - r e f le c ­
tive i n f o rma ti on c o m p l e x e s - br ai ns - that emerge on our G rid, there
is no si m p l e way to ‘p l u g ’ such a c o m p l e x intjj the HyperGrid. Imagine
p r o g r a m m i n g and r u nn ing a s i m u l a t e d wo rl d on a computer s it t in g on your
desk. To your asto nis hm en t, co mp l e x living forfts begin to emerge w ith ­
in the d i gi tal world, living be i n g s that, e ventually, begin disp laying
signs of c o n s c i o u s intelligence. After some ti(ne, you decide i t ’ s time
to try and c o m m u n i c a t e with these beings, pe rh a p s even attempt to connect
t h e m to our 3D wo rl d so they can e x p e r i e n c e oup r e a lity . How would you
go about th is ?

This is not a tr iv i a l problem, since th ei r lojuer-dimensional world is

co m p l e t e l y a l i e n to our hi gh er d i m e n s i o n a l c o n ta in e r r e a l it y . You might,
perhaps, try and i d en tif y their br ai n c o mn 1 e >iT a B P ?
-But T—even i f you—wece-^successf iii__ixu-I n j ect i ng—in f ormat ion in to ., th e ir
br ai n complex, i t ’s c e r t a i n that it wo ul d m a ke no sense to them whatsoev­
er. Unlike such a computer sim u latio n, the s tru c tu re of the Grid is such
that i t is set up, from i t s inception, to receive"™ orm a 1 1on trom tne
higher-dim ensional r e a lity . Being a dimensional s lic e of the HyperGrid,
it is already fundamentally connected to i t in the same way that a 2D
slice is connected to a 3D cubic c e llu la r automaton. However, the Grid
is in fo rm a tio n a lly iso la te d from the HyperGrid, since it s C ell states
are in s e n s itiv e to dimensions beyond the three dimensions of the s lic e .

0011 0011 01 11 1 0 1 1 1 081 0011 61101 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0

II 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 6 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1

|XS4
 Although, from our perspective, the Grid is iso la te d from the HyperGrid,
in that no inform ation flows from the HyperGrid to the Grid, a l l of the
inform ation generated by the Grid - and indeed the HyperGrid - is a v a il­
able to the

a lie n h yp e rin te llig e n ce

th a t generated

the Code.

This means the Grid can be analysed fo r the c h a ra c te ris tic a lly complex
p a tte rn s of inform ation generated at the le v e l of the Grid by emergent
b ra in complexes: n a tiv e b ra in p a tte rn s (see chapter 11). Once these p a t­
te rn s , and thus p o te n tia lly conscious in te llig e n c e s , are id e n tifie d , the
task i s to generate the p a tte r n - r u le mappings th a t w i l l gate the flow of
in fo rm a tio n from the HyperGrid in to the b ra in . However, as explained in
chapter 11, n a tiv e b ra in p a tte rn s are not used fo r these mappings, since
they would r e s u l t in hyperdimensional inform ation flo od in g the b rain at
a l l times. Rather, modified patterns of a c tiv it y - p e rtu rb a tio n b ra in
p a tte rn s - are employed. These are h ig h ly s p e c ific patterns of informa­
tio n th a t r e s u i t from the modulation of brain a c tiv it y by a very p a rtic u ­
l a r e x te rn a l inform ation complex which, in our case, takes the form of_

Hhen DMT floods the b rain , the patterns of information i t generates are
dram atically altere d and, as th is modified information flows downwards
to the l e v e l of the Grid, i t i s the a lte r e d Cell/Node p a tte rn s th a t are
mapped to the ru le set th at allows 4 ( + ) - i states to emerge, thus gating
the flow of information from the HyperGrid in to the brain.

10000O01100001801OO000O1101101 Oil 80801 Oil Oil 1001101001011001180110010181110811 Bill 01008

110110111101101101 011100000110110001100101 0111100001101001 01100110011010010110001101108
1000011 00001 0111 01 00011 01 001 011 01111 011 0111 0001 00000011 01111 011 0011 0001 00000011 01 001 011
I11 0111 0001 0 0 0000 11 01111 011 0011 0001 00 00 0 0 1 1 01 001 011 0111 0011 0011 0011 01111 0111 001 0011 011

1000011010010110111001100110011011110111001001101101011000010111010001101001 0110111101

195
 I t is n a tu ra l to wonder why DMT - and DMT only - has th is special ro le as
the inform ation gatekeeper, and th is w i ll become cle a r when we discuss
the nature of the Game in d e ta il in the fin a l chapter, fit th is p o in t,
i t is s u ffic ie n t to understand that DMT is , in a sense, an in te llig e n c e
te s t: w h ils t i t would be stra ig h tfo rw a rd fo r the author of the Code to
map our native brain patterns to the appropriate ru le s and plug us in to
the HyperGrid at w i ll , i t is an important part of the Game that we plug
ourselves in to DMT is the plug, the channel switch, that
must not only be id e n tifie d as such, but must be also be iso la te d - or
synthesised - in a reasonably pure form and the most e ffe c tiv e mode of
a dm in istratio n found. This requires considerable in te llig e n c e and could
not be achieved by a creature w ith only a p rim itiv e in t e lle c t. No, under­
standing and using DMT as a technology - and a technology i t is - requires
a le v e l of co g n itive s o p h is tic a tio n that has, so fa r , found an E arthly
expression only in humans. Elephants, monkeys, and other beasts might
w ell chew upon psychoactive leaves or munch w in d -fa lle n and suri-ferment-
ed b e rrie s, but only humans possess the in te llig e n c e , and the technical
acumen, to use DMT.

On Earth at le a s t, so fa r, only the human can pass the te s t.

196
 The C o d e

Implementation
T of the Code

G(a) G(b) G(c)

HyperGrid

I
u n n in g th e Code g e n e r a t e s th e h i g h e r - d i m e n s i o n a l H y p e r G r id an d a o a s t

lum b er o f lo w e r d im e n s io n a l G r id s lic e s ( o n ly 3 a re s h o w n ), w ith in one

i f w h ic h we f i n d o u r s e lu e s e m e rg e n t_ __________________________________________
Before discussing the nature of the Game and its resolution

discussed so far. The preceding chapters were uery nuch a

is prerequisite:

We liv e in a r e a lity constructed from d ig it a l inform ation in s ta n tia te d

by a Code programmed by an a lie n h yp e rln te lllg e n ce [the O ther]_

The Code programs the stru c tu re of our r e a lity as a d ig it a l object

constructed as one of a vast number of louier-dimensional s lic e s -
Grids - of a stru ctu re known as the HyperGrid_

The Grid - and the HyperGrid - is encoded as a network of fundamental

Cells/Nodes connected according to a ru le se t. This c o n n e c tiv ity allows
inform ation to flo w between Cells/Nodes and throughout the [Hyper]Grid.
However, the flow of inform ation between the Grid and the HyperGrid
.is normally re s tric te d using 3 - i Cell/Node states in s e n s itiv e to the
orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid.

The Cells/Nodes, w ith th e ir c o n n e c tiv ity , form a s p a tia l topology that

determines the dim ensionality of the space that emerges as the Grid
runs. Being w ith in a lower dimensional s lic e of the HyperGrid, emergent
organisms, such as ourselves, experience a space w ith a commensurately
lower dim ensionality than beings emergent in the HyperGrid.

Even the most complex stru ctu re s that appear in our world (and others)
can be seen to emerge through many layers of h ie ra rc h ic a l complexity,
from the [Hyper]Grid to the subatomic to the organismic le v e l. This
includes the brain complex, which is b u ilt from inform ation and is an
extremely complex inform ation generator. Everything is a m anifestation
of the com plexificaton of inform ation.
in detail, it makes sense to review the main concepts

preparation for the following, and their understanding

Inform ation is dynamic and flows through the HyperGrid, both w ith in
org an isatio na l layers and between them. The upwards and downwards
flo w of inform ation is c ru c ia l fo r the s e lf-o rg a n is a tio n of complex,
inclu ding liv in g , systems._______ _________ _________________________

As brain complexes emerge and evolve, they eventually construct a model

of r e a lity experienced as a phenomenal world. This su bjective world
is b u ilt from vast amounts of inform ation, which the brain generates
by se le ctin g T -states from an astronomical number of p o te n tia l states
(and thus ru lin g out extremely large numbers of s ta te s ).

.Psychedelic molecules modify the inform ation generated by a bra in ,

modifying the stru ctu re and dynamics of i t s phenomenal world.

The key requirement fo r transport to an a lte rn a te orthogonal dimension

of the HyperGrid is the tra n s fe r of inform ation from normally hidden
dimensions in to the brain complex. This is achieved using p a tte r n - r u le
mappings th a t map the p e rtu rb a tio n p a tte rn s generated by the brain
in the presence of DMT to ru le s th a t engender the emergence of C e ll/
Node states s e n sitive to these higher dimensions th a t gate the flow
of inform ation from the HyperGrid in to the b ra in . __

Once inform ation begins flow ing from orthogonal dimensions of the
HyperGrid in to the b rain complex, upwards and downwards inform ation
flo w establishes a feedback loop that locks the brain complex in the
higher dimensional s ta te , b u ild in g hyperspace, u n t il DMT is removed.

199
" M a y b e t h i s is n o t a c t u a l l y
a r e a l i t y . W e 're t r a p p e d .
k n o rl T rln«

k n o w if y o u ' r e t r a p p e d ,
b u t w e ' r e in s o m e k i n d o f
p i e c e of fiction. It's like
a P h i l i p K. D i c k deal,
w e ' r e in s o m e k i n d o f
simulacrum."

Terence McKenna

Chapter 16:

> > THE G A M E------

The -task of the Game is to re a lis e the nature of our imprisonment in the
Grid and to fin d our way out. But a game i t is .

The Game has six le v e ls , the f in a l being reso lu tio n which involves the
tra n s c rip tio n of the brain complex and permanent - irre v e rs ib le - tra n s ­
ference in to the HyperGrid:

> > Level I: Information

> > Level II: Emergence

> > Level III: Transmission

> > Level IV: Immersion

> > Level V: Realisation

>>Level VI: Resolution

(transcription)

Leve l s I a n d II -
Information and Emergence

These f i r s t two levels are simply the process by which the Grid engenders
conscious in te llig e n c e s : the Code generates countless v ariatio n s of the
Grid, only a handful of which w i ll re s u lt in the emergence of complex,
in te llig e n t beings. These Grids evolve independently of the HyperGrid
according to th e ir own p a rtic u la r variant of the fundamental ru le set
d ictated by the Code, of a l l these Grid v arian ts, most e ith e r grind down
to endless homogeneity or convulse towards a maelstrom of ceaseless cha­
os. A few, however, self-com plexify towards the emergence of complex,
liv in g organisms and, u ltim a te ly , to conscious in te llig e n c e s . However,
no matter how complex an organism might become, without in te rv e n tio n , i t
w i ll always remain independent of the HyperGrid, embedded in it s isolated
dimensional s lic e : the Grid upon which i t emerged.
The emergence of conscious in te llig e n c e s uiithin a Grid can be detected
by the s p e c ific , highly complex, patterns of inform ation generated by
brain complexes. However, such patterns do not estab lish the le v e l of
in te llig e n c e required fo r transference in to the HyperGrid. Once poten­
t i a l conscious in te llig e n c e s are detected - and selected as p o te n tia l
candidates fo r the Game - a technology must be embedded in the Grid that
w i l l , not only, gate the flow of information from the HyperGrid in to the
brain complex, but w i l l also provide a te s t of sophisticated, h ig h -le v e l,
in te llig e n c e . This technology is DMT.

Level III - T r a n s m i s s i o n
The primary ro le of the DMT technology is to e l i c i t highly c h a ra c te ris tic
patterns of brain a c tiv ity th at w i l l cause the adoption of s p e c ific C e ll/
Node patterns at the le v e l of the Grid. These p erturbation brain patterns
can be used to generate the p a tte rn -ru le mappings th at w i ll engender the
emergence of 4 ( + ) - i Cell/Node states inside the brain complex and thus
gate the flow of information from orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid
into the brain . However, th is interdim ensional information flow in to the
brain complex is not s u ffic ie n t fo r entry in to hyperspace. Recall that
switching from consensus r e a lit y to the DMT r e a lit y requires, not only,
the gating of information from those orthogonal dimensions, but also that
th is information is matched to the ongoing in tr in s ic information being
generated by the b rain . So, DMT trig g e rs the i n i t i a l change in brain
a c tiv ity that gates transdimensional information flow , but th is modi­
fie d a c tiv ity must be structured such that i t can be fu rth e r modulated
by the information received from these orthogonal dimensions. And, as
with sensory information received via the usual sensory apparatus, it
is the connectivity of the brain which must be sculpted to absorb the
extra-dimensional information as i t flows upwards from the le v e l of the
HyperGrid. In other words, ju st as with the consensus world, the brain
must learn to build a model of the HyperGrid, such th a t, in the presence
of DMT, the a c tiv ity of the thalam ocortical system matches the informa­
tio n being received from the HyperGrid and the brain builds a model of
it s structure experienced as hyperspace. This is achieved using a tra n s ­
mission ‘prim ing’ phase of the Game, which moulds the connectivity of
the thalam ocortical system and, without which, the lock phase of the DMT
breakthrough process (see chapter 13) could never be achieved.

203
 During th is transmission phase, high levels of DMT are present in the
brain , which receives a stream of information from the HyperGrid and
e s s e n tia lly learns to construct a model of it s structure (see chapter 7
fo r d e ta ils on the mechanism). Unless th is priming transmission phase is
completed, even though information might be gated into the brain complex
in the presence of DMT - owing to the encoded p attern ru le mappings - the
higher-dimensional information w i ll f a i l to modulate c o rtic a l a c tiv ity
to achieve the lock phase of the DMT breakthrough process. You can also
think of th is as a kind of tuning phase: the i n i t i a l p a tte rn -ru le map­
pings gate information into the brain complex whenever DMT is present,
but th is stream of information from the HyperGrid gradually modifies the
connectivity of the thalam ocortical system, fu rth e r enhancing the b ra in ’ s
a b ilit y to absorb information from the orthogonal dimensions. In chapter
5, we described th is as an increase in the mutual information between the
brain and the environment, and the same applies in the presence of DMT,
except the increase in mutual information is between the brain and the
orthogonal dimensions of the HyperGrid.

The transmission phase occurs in the p renatal brain , as the foetus is

developing inside the womb: DMT levels are markedly and consistency high
in the fo e ta l b rain , but begin to f a l l at b irth u n t il, only a few months
in to the postnatal l i f e , DMT levels drop to trace le v e ls 1. Although ex­
p l i c i t memories aren’ t la id down during th is tim e, the sense of deja vu
that accompanies many DMT tr ip s is lik e ly a re s u lt of these prenatal so­
journs in hyperspace. This is also why the elves often welcome the t r i p ­
per back with great celebratory uproar and, indeed, there is cause fo r
celeb ratio n , since the next te n ta tiv e step towards the reso lu tio n phase
has been taken. Many DMT users are struck by the unshakeable fe e lin g that
th e ir DMT tr ip s carry them back to where they resided before they were
born. And, indeed, soon a fte r the development of the brain inside the
womb, DMT lev e ls ris e and the transmission phase begins. So, the prenatal
brain complex begins receiving information from the orthogonal dimen­
sions of the HyperGrid throughout prenatal development. I t is only a fte r
b irth that DMT le v e ls in the brain begin to wane, serotonin regains f u l l
co n tro l, and the c h ild becomes f u lly immersed in the consensus world, r e ­
ceiving information only from the dim ensionally-lim ited Grid. So, newborn
children are fe r rie d from a prenatal hyperspace to the lower-dimensional
life they w i ll gradually become immersed w ith in , to lose any e x p lic it
memory of the luminal realms from whence they came.

204
 e v e l IV Immersion

The immersion phase, lik e the subsequent re a lis a tio n phase, can be seen
to occur at both the in d iv id u a l le v e l over a life tim e , from b irth un­
t i l death [or re s o lu tio n ], and at the s o c ie ta l le v e l, over evolutionary
epochs. U n til a species reaches a le v e l of cognitive and technological
advancement such th at the DMT technology is discovered and developed -
the phase we are in now - a l l humans are destined fo r f u l l immersion in
the Grid from b irth u n t il death. This is an important phase, since i t
allows the brain complex to evolve and mature, and fo r the re q u is ite
in te lle c tu a l and technical capacities to f u lly develop before r e a lis a ­
tio n is possible. I t should also be pointed out that these phases run
somewhat in p a r a lle l: the transmission phase is s t i l l occurring during
the immersion phase, whereas the former occurs on the prenatal side of
life , and the la t t e r only a fte r b ir th , fit the species le v e l, immersion
can be seen simply as the gradual evolution of the human brain complex
over many m illenn ia, embedded - immersed - in the Grid, isolated from
the HyperGrid. In a sense, a l l beings with some le v e l of in te llig e n c e
and conscious self-awareness are in an immersion phase, in that they are
immersed in the Grid, but the vast m ajority w ill never progress beyond
it. find, although humans separated from other apes a few tens of m il­
lennia ago, we have only very recen tly transcended the in v is ib le lin e
separating those ever-destined to wriggle in the dust from those with a
shot at hyperspace.

Level V - R e a l i s a t i o n

The DMT technology only takes up it s ro le as an ‘ in te llig e n c e t e s t ’ at

Level V - re a lis a tio n - at which point i t r e lie s on human in te llig e n c e
fo r it s adm inistration. R ealisation is both a process of re a lis in g the
nature of the Game and of find ing a way out of i t , using the embedded
DMT technology. I t is a fundamentally re q u is ite feature of the technolo­
gy th at it s adm inistration cannot be accidental or the re s u lt of normal
feeding or exploration of the environment. Rather, i t must be sought,
id e n tifie d , and a proper technique fo r it s usage developed - requiring
of a highly sophisticated in te llig e n c e .
 As with the previous phase, the re a lis a tio n phase occurs at both the in d i­
vidual and s o c ie to -c u ltu ra l le v e l since, w hilst the in d iv id u a l is capable
of achieving re a lis a tio n of his nature as being imprisoned in the Grid,
the process of discovering and u tilis in g the technology fo r transcending
i t occurs over generational timescales. We can observe th is process in
our c iv ilis a tio n : from the discovery of DMT as the a c tive component of
indigenous Amazonian medicines, to it s synthesis and p u rific a tio n and,
most recen tly , through the range of techniques fo r it s e ffic ie n t adminis­
tra tio n that have been developed, la rg e ly by a s p irite d and enterprising
clandestine psychedelic chemistry community. However, re a lis a tio n also
occurs in the in d iv id u a l, often w ithin seconds of the fir s t- e v e r DMT h it ,
as an earth -s h a tte rin g kensho-like experience of epochal proportions,
both inexpressible and undeniable, often ir re tr ie v a b le but almost always
irre v e rs ib le . In terms of the re q u is ite in te llig e n c e , the g ulf between
the casual consumption of a n atu ral psychedelic - such as Psilocybe mush­
rooms - during feeding and the d elib e ra te adm inistration, using s p e c ia l­
ised techniques, of highly p u rifie d DMT is vast and can only be traversed
by an in te llig e n c e of prodigious dimensions and depth. Of course, as
bearers of such in te llig e n c e , i t ’ s somewhat d if f ic u lt to appreciate Just
how remarkable is the gelatinous structure that has emerged w ithin th is
p a rtic u la r hominid’ s s k u ll.

The human species has undoubtedly progressed to th is re a lis a tio n phase,

within which we continue to advance, a lb e it in f i t s and s ta rts , and sup­
pressed by a powerful but ignorant and benighted few. The psychedelic
e ffe c ts of DMT were discovered in 1956, synthesised by Hungarian physi­
cian and chemist, Stephen Szara, who was seeking support fo r his hypoth­
esis that DMT, and not bufotenine, was responsible fo r the psychoactive
e ffe c ts of the Amazonian cohoba snuff2. I t wasn’ t u n t il the invention
of chromatography at the beginning of the 28th century that is o la tio n
and p u rific a tio n of DMT from plant m aterials became possible. Synthetic
organic chemistry was s im ila rly in it s infancy at th is time, and the
f i r s t synthesis of DMT wasn’ t published u n til 1931. Although a v a rie ty of
modern synthetic routes to DMT have since been developed, including the
Speeter-Anthony synthesis used by Szara, the very f i r s t was invented less
than a century ago. Whether extracted from cohoba seeds or synthesised
from simpler precursors, before the dawn of the 28th century, humans were
lite r a lly incapable of progressing beyond the immersion phase of the
Game, demonstrating the le v e l of in te llig e n c e required.

206
Having synthesised ten grams of DMT t a r tr a te , Szara’ s i n i t i a l experiments
ingesting the drug o ra lly were unsuccessful: he swallowed increasing dos­
es of the drug over several days, up to around three quarters of a gram
- a massive dose - but with no e ffe c ts whatsoever. Ready to give up on his
ostensibly flawed hypothesis, a colleague suggested he tr y in je c tin g i t :

“ In A p ril of 1956, I tested three doses intram uscularly,

paced at least two days apart to allow the drug to
clear my body. The f i r s t dose (30 mg, around 0.4 mg/
kg) e lic ite d some mild symptoms - d ila tio n of the
pupils and some coloured geometric forms with closed
eyes were already recognizable. Encouraged by these
re s u lts , I decided to take a larger dose (75 mg, around
1.0 mg/kg), also intram uscularly. Within three minutes
the symptoms s ta rte d , both the autonomic (tin g lin g ,
trembling, s lig h t nausea, increased blood pressure
and pulse ra te ) and the perceptual symptoms, such
as b r i l l i a n t l y coloured o rie n ta l motifs and, la te r ,
wonderful scenes a lte rin g very ra p id ly .”3

Szara had discovered the secret, not only to the cohoba s n u ff’ s magic,
but also - unbeknownst to him at the time - the secret to e x itin g the
Game he didn’ t even know he was playing. Szara also unw ittin g ly took
the f i r s t step in developing DMT as a technology: recognising that DMT
is in active when ingested o ra lly , but must be injected or, as would be
discovered in the follow ing decade, vaporised to unmask it s extraordinary
e ffe c ts on consciousness. Owing to it s s im p lic ity , vaporisation of fre e -
base DMT, usually extracted from the root bark of the B ra zilia n perennial
shrub Jurema Preta - Mimosa h o s tllls - remains the most popular mode of
adm inistration. For many, there is an a ttra c tiv e romanticism attached to
the hand-blown glass pipe, hand-woven rugs, incense, and the other accou­
trements of the modern psychonaut. But vaporisation is merely a means of
pushing open the doorway, peering through, and gasping at the frig htenin g
other beyond the threshold before the door is sharply pressed shut again.
Developing DMT as a technology fo r playing the Game demands we bring our
best tools to the ta b le .
 Unlike the other classic psychedelics - psilocybin, LSD, mescaline - and
th e ir synthetic d e riv a tiv e s , DMT is unique in possessing a number of
pharmacological p e c u lia ritie s that mark i t out as being sp ecial. Most
notably, of course, is the extremely rapid onset and b re v ity of it s e f ­
fects: following intravenous in je c tio n of the drug - the most e ffic ie n t
mode of adm inistration - the e ffe c ts are noted almost immediately and
f u l l breakthrough into the DMT hyperspace occurs w ithin 60 seconds. The
voyager w ill then remain in th is space fo r around fiv e minutes before
being Jolted back into the consensus world with only residu al e ffe c ts .
20-30 m in u te s 'la te r, the e ffe c ts are f u ll y resolved. Many are fru s tra te d
by th is b re v ity ,
complaining of being
draggec^Jj
back from
hyperspace
ju st when the maelstrom was beginning to s ta b ilis e and the e n titie s be­
ginning to speak, although, fo r most, fiv e minutes is quite long enough.
But, fo r those wanting to return to the DMT worlds in short order, DMT
has an ad d itio n a l unique c h a ra c te ris tic : lack of subjective tolerance.
Again, unlike the other classic psychedelics, which display diminishing
e ffe c ts with closely spaced doses, DMT can be injected repeatedly without
any loss of subjective potency". Regular LSD users ty p ic a lly abstain from
the drug fo r at least a couple of weeks follow ing a t r i p . Whilst th is is
p a rtly as a means of allowing in teg ratio n of the experience and avoiding
negative a ft e r -e ffe c ts , attempting a repeat t r ip the follow ing day is
lik e ly to f a l l : LSD ex h ib its rapid and sustained subjective tolerance.
Of course, since LSD binds tig h tly to the 5HT2A receptor, the experience
i t s e lf lasts fo r several hours and the ‘ comedown’ phase is sustained.
With DMT, in stark contrast, the entry and e x it from the DMT hyperspace
is clean and rapid and, as soon as the trip p e r returns, re -e n try is as
simple as in je c tin g a repeat dose.

The aim of the DMT technology - and required fo r the reso lu tio n phase to
be completed - is not to provide a b r ie f , J o ltin g , sojourn in hyperspace.
Rather, the goal is to establish extended and stable entry into the DMT
space: a s ta b ilis e d lock phase of the DMT breakthrough process. The
unique pharmacological c h a ra c te ris tic s of DMT - rapid onset and c le a r­
ance, b rie f e ffe c t, and lack of tolerance - mean th at the hyperspatial
v is ita tio n needn’ t be so abruptly cut short.

20S
T arget-controlled Intravenous infusion represents the pinnacle of modern
psychoactive drug adm inistration technologies: a continuous but variable
infusion of a drug into the blood, delivered by a programmable infusion
device, with the goal of a tta in in g and maintaining a s p e c ific concentra­
tio n of drug w ithin the brain - the target - over an extended period of
tim e. Although a continuous infusion of DMT seems lik e a simple idea,
the p r a c tic a litie s are complex. As soon as the drug is introduced into
the body by intravenous in je c tio n , i t is ra p id ly d ilu te d and d is trib u te d
by the blood. Although i t reaches the e ffe c t s it e - the brain - w ithin
seconds, i t also e q u ilib ra te s to varying degrees with muscles, fa ts , and
other so ft tissues.

The elim inatio n of the drug from the body also begins immediately, by a
combination of enzymatic transformation and excretion through the kidneys
and b ilia r y system. A mathematical model that takes in to account a l l of
these factors must be developed to regulate the infusion5. The i n i t i a l in ­
fusion ra te must be high to overcome the brisk d ilu tio n and d is trib u tio n
of the drug in the c irc u la to ry system and tissues, allowing the brain DMT
concentration to surpass the threshold fo r breakthrough in to hyperspace.
However, th is i n i t i a l l y high rate must then be gradually reduced to main­
ta in a stable brain DMT concentration. If such a high i n i t i a l rate is
maintained, the concentration of DMT in the brain w i ll continue to ris e
to extreme levels and, eventually, the user w ill black out. Conversely,
if the ra te is reduced too much, brain DMT levels w i ll f a l l below the
threshold, resu ltin g in an early e x it from hyperspace.

To enter and maintain a stable state w ithin the space, brain DMT levels
must be held w ithin th is narrow concentration window at a l l times - th is
is a d if f ic u lt task requiring a d etailed and deep understanding of human
physiology, pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, and drug d is trib u tio n , as
w ell as in d ivid u al id iosyn cratic factors that can a ffe c t the behaviour
of DMT inside the c irc u la to ry system and brain . However, once the tech­
nology is mastered, an in d iv id u a l can be brought in to the DMT space and
held there fo r an in d e fin ite length of time. Then, and only then, can the
reso lu tio n - Level VI - phase be attempted.
Level VI Resolution
Resolution is the la s t phase of the Game,

the f in a l task,

the completion of the Great Work of any in te llig e n t species emergent in

the Grid.

The culmination of th is process is the reconstruction of your hyperdi­

mensional brain complex w ithin the HyperGrid: tra n s c rip tio n . The in fo r ­
mational structure of your brain complex - and thus your consciousness
- is transm itted in to and re b u ilt inside the HyperGrid and is no longer
dependent on the presence of DMT:

the temporary hyperdimensional brain complex becomes permanent.

For resolution to be achieved, a Resolution Protocol must be mastered:

th is involves a continuous infusion of DMT, maintaining a stable break­
through DMT brain concentration, perhaps over several days or even longer.
During th is tim e, the hyperdimensional brain complex w i ll be f u lly and
stably established, allowing it s tra n s c rip tio n in the HyperGrid to be
r e lia b ly executed.

Once tra n s c rip tio n is completed - by a s p e c ific set of in te llig e n c e s

w ithin the HyperGrid - your o rig in a l brain complex w i ll lik e ly be d is ­
solved. This means, to anyone observing you from outside the DMT space
- from the consensus world, the Grid - you w i ll appear to have died.
But, in r e a lit y , you w i ll continue to e xist as a hyperdimensional e n tity
inside the HyperGrid.

find, when DMT voyagers from the Grid burst in to your marvellous
hyperdimensional domain, you w i ll be amongst the thronging e lf in crowds
cheering and welcoming them home.
lis t e n : there ' s a h e ll
of a good universe next door; le t 's go

e.e. cummings

ON

OFF

2111
 Further Reading

The books and a r tic le s below are by no means exhaustive, but selected
to provide fu rth e r d e ta ils about the ideas discussed in the relevant
chapters. Where s p e c ific s c ie n tific points or quotes are made in the
te x t, these are numbered w ithin the text and can be found below.

The page facing the contents contains a section of Java code

implementing Conway's Game of L ife , published at https://www.algosome.
com /articles/conw ay-gam e-of-life-2d.htm l (Accessed: 31 January 2019)

Chapter 1
Gallimore, A. R. and Luke, D. P. (2015) DMT research from 1956 to the
edge of time in King, D., Luke, D., Sessa, B., Adams, C. and Tollan, A.
(Ed), Neurotransmissions - An Anthology of Essays on Psychedelics from
Breaking Convention, Strange A ttra c to r Press.

Chapter 2
1. Tegmark, M. (2014) Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest fo r the
Ultim ate Nature of R e a lity , Knopf Publishers.

2. wheeler, J. A. (1990) Inform ation, physics, quantum: The search fo r

lin ks in Zurek, W. H. (E d )., Complexity, Entropy, and the Physics of
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Chapter 4
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The R ealizatio n of the L iving , Springer Netherlands.

2. Capra, F. (2016). The Systems View of L ife : A Unifying Vision,

Cambridge U niversity Press.

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A rtific ia l L ife 10, 309-326.

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computational properties of the universe, Complexity, 10( 2) , 11-15.

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(Basel) 1, 34-4B.

Langton, C.G. (1986) Studying a r t ific ia l l i f e with c e llu la r automata.

Physlca D-Nonlinear Phenomena 22, 120-149.

Langton, C.G. (1990) Computation at the edge of chaos - phase-

tra n s itio n s and emergent computation. Physica D 42, 12-37.

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i t increasing? In Complexity and the Arrow of Time (pp. 3 -1 6 ).Cambridge
U niversity Press

Walker, s.I. & Davies, P .c. (2013) The algorithm ic o rig in s of l i f e . J R

Soc In te rfa c e 10, 20120B69.

Chapter 5
1. Teilhard-de-Chardin, P. (2008) The Phenomenon of Man, Harper Perennial

2. Edelman, G. M. (1993). Neural Darwinism: Selection and re -e n tra n t

s ig n a llin g in higher brain function. Neuron, 10, 115-125.

Gallimore, A. R. (2014) DMT and the topology of r e a lit y , PsyPress UK

Journal, 3.

Chapter 6
1. Tsunoda, K., Yamane, Y ., N ish izaki, M. & T a n ifu ji, M. (2001) Complex
objects are represented in macaque inferotemporal cortex by the
combination of feature columns. Nature Neuroscience 4, 832-838.

2. Revonsuo, A. (1999). Binding and the phenomenal unity of

conscsiousness. Consciousness and Cognition, 8, 173-185.

3. L linas, R ., Ribary, U ., Contreras, D. and Pedroarena, C. (1998) ‘ The

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Royal Society of London Series B -B lological Sciences, 353(1377), 1841-
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4. Ward, L.M. (2011) The thalamic dynamic core theory of conscious

experience. Consciousness and Cognition 20, 464-486.

5. Buzsaki, G. (2006) Rhythms of the Brain, Oxford U niversity Press,

Oxford.

6. Tononi, G., Edelman, G. M. and Sporns, 0. (1998) ‘ Complexity and

coherency: in teg ratin g information in the b ra in ’ , Trends in Cognitive
Sciences, 2 (1 2 ), 474-484.

7. Edelman, G.M. ( 2000) . 8 Universe of Consciousness: How matter

becomes imagination, Basic Books.

8. Tononi, G., Sporns, 0 ., Edelman, G.M. (1996). 8 complexity measure

fo r selective matching of signals by the brain . Proceedings of the
National 8cademy of Sciences US8, 93, 3422-3427.

9. Gallimore, 8. R. (2013) Building R lien Worlds - The

Neuropsychological and Evolutionary Im plications of the astonishing
Psychoactive Effects of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), Journal of
S c ie n tific Exploration, 2 7 (3 ), 455-503. (More d e ta ile d references fo r
chapters 6-8 can be found in th is paper)

10. Behrendt, R. P. (2003) ‘ H allucinations: Synchronisation of

thalam ocortical gamma o s c illa tio n s underconstrained by sensory in p u t’ ,
Consciousness and Cognition, 1 2 (3 ), 413-451.

Tononi, G., Edelman, G.M. (2000). Schizophrenia and the mechanisms of

conscious in teg ratio n , Brain Research Reviews, 31, 391- 400.

Chapter 7
1. Sporns, 0. (2011) . Networks of the Brain. MIT Press.

2. Edelman, G. M. (1993) Neural darwinism - selection and reentrant

signaling in higher b ra in -fu n c tio n , Neuron, 10(2) , 115-125.
 3. L lin as, R ., Pare, D. (1991) Of dreaming and wakefulness,
Neuroscience, 4 4 (3 ), 521-535.

Goekoop, R ., & L o o lje s tijn , J. (2011) A Network Model of

H allu cinatio n s. In H allucinations: Research and P ractice by J. D. D.
Blom, & I . E. c. Sommer, Springer.

Mark, J . T . , Marion, B .B ., & Hoffman, D.D. ( 2010) Natural selection and

v e rid ic a l perceptions. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 266, 504-515.

Chapter 8
1. Nichols, D.E. (2016) Psychedelics. Pharmacological Reviews 68, 264-
355.

2. Glennon, R .A ., T ite le r , M., McKenney, J.D. (1984) Evidence fo r 5-HT2

involvement in the mechanism of action of hallucinogenic agents. L ife
Sciences, 35, 2505-2511.

3. Vollenweider, F .X ., Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen, M .F .I., Babler,

A ., Vogel, H ., H e ll, D. (1998) Psilocybin induces schizophrenia­
lik e psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action. Cognitive
Neuroscience, 9 (1 7 ), 3897-3902.

4. Araneda, R ., Andrade, R. (1991) 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 and

5-hydroxytryptamine 1A receptors mediate opposing responses on membrane
e x c it a b ility in ra t association cortex. Neuroscience, 40, 399-412.

5. Puig, M.V., Hatakabe, A ., Ushimaru, M., Yamamori, T . , Kawaguchi, Y.

(2010) Serotonin modulates fa s t-s p ik in g interneuron and synchronous
a c tiv ity in the ra t p re fro n ta l cortex through 5-HT1A and 5HT2A
receptors. The Journal of Neuroscience, 3 0 (6 ), 2211-2222.

6. Behrendt, R. P. (2003) ‘ H allucinations: Synchronisation of

thalam ocortical gamma o s c illa tio n s underconstrained by sensory in p u t’ ,
Consciousness and Cognition, 1 2 (3 ), 413-451.

7. Tagliazucchi, E ., C arh art-H arris, R ., Leech, R ., N utt, D. & Chialvo,

D.R. (2014) Enhanced Repertoire of Brain Dynamical States During the
Psychedelic Experience. Human Brain Mapping 35, 5442-5456.

^ 2 1 6
8. Roseman, L ., Leech, R ., F e ild in g , A ., N utt, D.J. & C arh art-H arris,
R.L. (2014) The effects of psilocybin and MDMA on between-network
nesting state fu n ctio n al connectivity in healthy volunteers. Frontiers
in human neuroscience 8, 204.

9. C arh art-H arris, R .L ., Leech, R., Tagliazucchi, E ., H e lly e r, P .J .,

Chialvo, D.R ., F eild in g , A., N utt, D. (2014) The entropic brain: A
theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with
psychedelic drugs. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 8 (2 0 ).

C arh art-H arris, R., Kaelen, M. & N utt, D. (2014) How do hallucinogens
work on the brain? Psychologist 27, 662-665.

C arh art-H arris, R .L ., et a l. (2016) Neural co rrelates of the LSD

experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 113, 4853-
4858.

Gallimore, A.R. (2015) Restructuring consciousness the psychedelic

state in lig h t of integrated information theory. Fro ntiers in Human
Neuroscience 9, 16.

Hoffman, D.D. (2011) The Construction of Visual R e a lity . In

H allucinations: Research and P ractice by J. D. D. Blom, & I . E. C.
Sommer, New York: Springer.

Chapter 9
1. Hancock, G. (2006) Supernatural: Meetings with the Ancient Teachers
of Mankind, Arrow.

2. Luke, D. (2011) Discarnate e n titie s and dimethyltryptamine (DMT) :

Psychopharmacology, phenomenology and ontology. Journal of the Society
fo r Psychical Research, 75, 26-42.

3. Anon. (2000) The People Behind the Curtain [o n lin e ], a v a ila b le :

[h ttp s ://h ttp ://w w w .e ro w id . org/experiences/exp. php?ID=52797] [accessed
31/10/2015].
 Meyer, P. and Pup (2005) 340 DMT T rip Reports [o n lin e ], a v a ila b le :
http://w iuuj.serendiplty.li/dm t/340_dm t_trip_reports.htin [accessed 1st
October 2014]._

strassman, R. J. (2001) DMT: The S p irit Molecule. Park Street Press.

Chapter 10
1. C o llie r, J.D. (1999) in Causation is the Transfer of Inform ation,
in Causation and Laws of Nature (ed. H. Sankey) 215-245, Springer
Netherlands, Dordrecht.

2. Walker, S .I . (2014) Top-Down Causation and the Rise of Information

in the Emergence of L ife , inform ation, 5, 424-439.

3. A uletta, G., E ll is , G.F. & Jaeger, L. (200B) Top-down causation

by information control: from a philosophical problem to a s c ie n tific
research programme. J R Soc In terface 5, 1159-1172.

4. E llis , G.F.R. (2009) Top-Down Causation and the Human Brain, in

Downward Causation and the Neurobiology of Free H i l l , N. Murphy, G.F.R.
E llis & T. O’ Connor (Ed), 63-81, Springer B erlin Heidelberg.

E llis , G.F. (2012) Top-down causation and emergence: some comments on

mechanisms. In te rfa c e Focus 2, 126-140.

Chapter 11
1. P avlic, T ., Adams, A., Davies, P. & Walker, S. (2014) S e lf-
Referencing C e llu la r Automata: A Model of the Evolution of Information
Control in B io lo g ical Systems. The 2018 Conference on A rtific ia l L ife :
A Hybrid of the European Conference on A rtific ia l L ife (ECAL) and the
In te rn a tio n a l Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living
Systems (ALIFE), 522-529.

2. Sipper, M. (1994) Non-Uniform C e llu la r Automata: Evolution in Rule

Space and Formation of Complex Structures, in A rtific a l L ife IV, Brooks
R.A. & Maes, P (E d), MIT Press.

Chapter 14
Crossley, M.D. ( 2010) ‘ Essential Topology’ , Springer.

21S
W illa rd , S. (2004) ‘ General Topology’ , Dover P ublications.

Chapter 15
1. Schmidhuber, J. (2012) The Fastest Way of Computing Fill Universes,
in Z e n il, H ., Ed. ft Computable Universe 381-398.

2a. Bostrom, N. (2003) fire we liv in g in a computer simulation?,

Philosophical Q uarterly, 53(211), 243-255.

2b. Gallimore, fl.R. (2015) Building human worlds - DMT and the
simulated Universe, PsyPress UK Journal, 6.

Schmidhuber, J. (1997) ft computer s c ie n tis t’ s view of l i f e , the

universe, and everything, in Foundations of Computer Science: P o ten tial
- Theory - Cognition, C. Freksa, M. Jantzen & R. Valk (Ed), 201- 208,
Springer B erlin Heidelberg.

Chapter 16
1. Beaton, J.M ., and Morris, P.E. (1984) Ontogeny of N,N-
dimethyltryptamine and re la te d indolealkylamine lev e ls in neonatal
ra ts . Mechanisms of ftgeing and Development 25, 343-347.

2. Sai-Halasz, ft., Brunecker, G. and Szara, S. (1958)

Dimethyltryptamine: a new psycho-active drug (unpublished English
tra n s la tio n ), Psychiatria et neurologia, 1 3 5(4 -5), 285-301.

3. Gallimore, A.R. & Luke, D.P. (2015) DMT Research from 1956 to
the Edge of Time, in Neurotransmissions - ftn Anthology of Essays on
Psychedelics from Breaking Convention, Strange A ttra c to r Press.

4. Strassman, R. J ., Qualls, C. R. and Berg, L. M. (1996) D ifferen tial

tolerance to b io lo g ic a l and subjective effects of four closely spaced
doses of N,N-dimethyltryptamine in humans, B io lo g ical Psychiatry,
3 9 (9 ), 784-795.

5. Gallimore, A.R. & Strassman, R.J. (2016) A Model fo r the Application

of Target-Controlled Intravenous Infusion fo r a Prolonged Immersive DMT
psychedelic Experience. Frontiers in Pharmacology 7, 11.

219
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