A consortium of physicists from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy has provided mathematical evidence indicating that our cosmos is constructed upon a framework of comprehension that transcends the capabilities of any computational algorithm.
Faizal et al. demonstrate that the intrinsic nature of existence operates in a fashion that is fundamentally beyond the capacity of any computer to replicate. Image courtesy of Gemini AI.
“The hypothesis that the cosmos could be a simulated construct has been posited,” remarked Dr. Mir Faizal, a physicist affiliated with the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
“Should such a simulation be feasible, the resultant simulated Universe might foster the emergence of life, which, in turn, could potentially generate its own simulated realities.”
“This potential for recursive replication renders it highly improbable that our Universe represents the primordial entity, rather than being a simulation nested within another sophisticated simulation.”
“Historically, this concept was considered to be beyond the purview of empirical investigation.”
“Nevertheless, our recent scholarly pursuits have substantiated that this notion may, in fact, be subjected to scientific scrutiny.”
“The bedrock of our research lies in a particularly intriguing characteristic inherent to reality itself.”
“Contemporary physics has progressed significantly beyond the rudimentary notion of Newton’s tangible ‘matter’ interacting in spatial arenas. Einstein’s relativistic framework supplanted Newtonian mechanics, and subsequently, quantum mechanics profoundly reshaped our comprehension once more.”
Current avant-garde theoretical physics, specifically quantum gravity, posits that even the fabric of space and time are not foundational elements. Instead, they are perceived as emergent properties arising from a more profound substratum: pure information.
“This informational substrate resides within what physicists term a Platonic realm—an abstract mathematical foundation that possesses a greater degree of reality than the physical Universe we perceive. It is from this originating realm that space and time themselves manifest.”
The researchers adduced evidence demonstrating that even this information-centric foundation is incapable of fully encapsulating reality solely through computational means.
Employing potent mathematical theorems, including Gödel’s seminal incompleteness theorems, they established that a comprehensive and consistent depiction of all existence necessitates what they term non-algorithmic comprehension.
“Consider it in this manner. A computational device meticulously adheres to a set of instructions, executing them sequentially, irrespective of their complexity. However, certain fundamental truths can only be apprehended through a mode of understanding that is non-algorithmic—a comprehension that does not derive from any defined sequence of logical operations,” they elaborated.
“These Gödelian truths are demonstrably real, yet they remain inherently unprovable through purely computational processes.”
“To illustrate with a fundamental example, let us examine the proposition: ‘This true statement is not provable.’”
“If this statement were provable, it would logically follow that it must be false, thereby rendering logic inconsistent. Conversely, if it is not provable, then it stands as true; however, this implies that any system attempting its proof would be incomplete. In either scenario, a purely computational approach proves inadequate.”
“We have definitively demonstrated the impossibility of encompassing all facets of physical reality through a computational paradigm applied to quantum gravity,” stated Dr. Faizal.
“Consequently, no physically complete and logically consistent theory of everything can be derived exclusively from computational principles.”
“Rather, it intrinsically requires a form of non-algorithmic comprehension, which is more fundamental than the computational laws governing quantum gravity and, by extension, more fundamental than spacetime itself.”
“Given that the computational rules within the Platonic realm could, in principle, mirror those of a computer simulation, could not that realm itself be subject to simulation?”
“The answer is no. However, our findings illuminate a more profound truth.”
“By drawing upon mathematical theorems associated with incompleteness and indefinability, we have conclusively shown that a fully coherent and exhaustive description of reality cannot be achieved solely through computational mechanisms.”
“It necessitates a non-algorithmic form of understanding, which, by its very definition, lies beyond the scope of algorithmic computation and consequently cannot be simulated. Therefore, our Universe cannot possibly be a simulation.”
According to the research team, these conclusions carry significant ramifications.
“The fundamental principles governing physics cannot be intrinsically contained within the confines of space and time, as these principles are, in fact, generative of them,” observed Dr. Lawrence M. Krauss, a researcher at the Origin Project Foundation.
“It had long been a prevailing hope, however, that a truly foundational theory of everything could eventually elucidate all physical phenomena through computations grounded in these fundamental laws.”
“Yet, we have now demonstrated the inherent impossibility of this endeavor. A complete and consistent portrayal of reality mandates something more profound—a mode of apprehension referred to as non-algorithmic understanding.”
“Any simulation is inherently algorithmic in its nature; it must invariably adhere to pre-programmed directives,” Dr. Faizal explained.
“But because the fundamental stratum of reality is predicated upon non-algorithmic comprehension, the Universe not only cannot be a simulation but never could have been.”
This investigative work was featured in the June 2025 edition of the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics, accessible via the following link: study.
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Mir Faizal et al. 2025. Consequences of Undecidability in Physics on the Theory of Everything. Journal of Holography Applications in Physics 5 (2): 10-21; doi: 10.22128/jhap.2025.1024.1118
