Branching Realities: Agency in the Multiverse

We've established the fundamental principles of the Physics of Agency:

• Agency is real.

• Agency is costly.

• Agency is limited.

Now we place this framework within the broader context of the ultimate backdrop:

The multiverse.

Specifically, we consider the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, where every quantum event splits reality into diverging branches, and every possible outcome is realized somewhere.

The Challenge of Meaning in the Multiverse

If all possible outcomes occur, does your agency matter?

Yes. Absolutely.

Not because you select one exclusive future, but because your actions influence the measure of outcomes across multiple branches.

You don't eliminate futures; you guide how prominently "you" inhabit them.

Measure: The Weight of Worlds

In MWI:

• Each branch of the multiverse carries a measure—analogous to a "weight" or "thickness"—determined by the squared amplitude of its quantum wavefunction component.

• A higher measure implies a greater presence of observers experiencing that branch.

Your agency influences how measure is distributed among preferred and less preferred futures:

• Intentional, model-driven actions increase the measure of certain outcomes.

• Passive drift or reflexive actions spread measure thinly and randomly.

How Agency Shapes Measure

When you:

• Create internal predictive models,

• Anticipate possible outcomes,

• Act intentionally to favor certain outcomes,

you actively engage with environmental variables in ways that shape branching measure.

Your intentional efforts (kybits) don't remove possibilities; they redistribute measure among them.

You guide the unfolding of the multiverse by selectively amplifying certain branches.

Why This Matters

In a deterministic multiverse where every outcome exists:

• Meaning is found in measure.

• Agency is about influencing the flow toward particular futures.

You don't control what exists; you control which outcomes flourish.

Agency matters because your intentional actions selectively amplify certain futures, shaping the landscape of your existence across the multiverse.

Where We're Headed

In the next post, we'll explore broader philosophical implications:

Meaning, ethics, and evolution within a framework where agency is costly, and influencing measure across branches is tangible and real.

We'll explore in depth what it means to live intentionally, ethically, and purposefully within the Physics of Agency.

Reflective Question

Does acknowledging that every possible future is realized somewhere diminish or enhance your sense of agency, and why?

(Please share your thoughts and visions in the comments.)

Next post: "Meaning, Ethics, and Evolution Under the Physics of Agency"