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The Last Theory

The Last Theory

Written by: Mark Jeffery
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The Last Theory is an easy-to-follow exploration of what might be the last theory of physics. In 2020, Stephen Wolfram launched the Wolfram Physics Project to find the elusive fundamental theory that explains everything. On The Last Theory podcast, I investigate the implications of Wolfram's ideas and dig into the details of how his universe works. Join me for fresh insights into Wolfram Physics every other week.© Kootenay Village Ventures Inc. 2022 Physics Science
Episodes
  • Think like an alien with Stephen Wolfram
    Jan 2 2026

    Different observers, from different regions of the ruliad, experience the universe in different ways.

    To what extent can these different observers communicate their different experiences?

    Can dogs, with their olefactory ways of mapping their worlds through scent, truly understand humans, with our one-dimensional ways of mapping our world through language?

    Can humans, with our one-dimensional streams of language, truly understand AI image generators, with their parallel diffusion models?

    If we ever met aliens, would we be able to communicate with them?

    How might it be to think like an alien?

    Stephen Wolfram explores some of the mind-bending implications of different regions of the ruliad giving rise to different experiences of the universe.

    Stephen Wolfram

    • Stephen Wolfram
    • The Wolfram Physics Project
    • Wolfram Institute
    • Wolfram Institute Community Discord

    References

    • Ruliad definition
    • Ruliad article

    The Last Theory is hosted by Mark Jeffery founder of Open Web Mind

    I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here.

    Kootenay Village Ventures Inc.

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    9 mins
  • Ruliad + observer = physics ... also aliens
    Dec 18 2025

    The ruliad is every possible computation. What could you possibly say about such an enormous, all-encompassing object?

    Well, that’s where we come in.

    Particular observers sample the ruliad in particular ways.

    Observers like us sample the ruliad in ways that give rise to physics as weknow it.

    Ruliad + observer = physics.

    In this excerpt from my conversation with Stephen Wolfram, he explores how physics, mathematics and biology all arise from this same enormous, all-encompassing object, the ruliad.

    He gets to aliens, too, asking such provocative questions as how far from us in rulial space are the nearest aliens?

    Stephen Wolfram

    • Stephen Wolfram
    • The Wolfram Physics Project
    • Wolfram Institute
    • Wolfram Institute Community Discord

    References

    • Ruliad definition
    • Ruliad article
    • Second Law of Thermodynamics article
    • Second Law of Thermodynamics history
    • Metamathematics article
    • Metamathematics book
    • Biological evolution article
    • Biological evolution follow-up
    • Computational irreducibility

    The Last Theory is hosted by Mark Jeffery founder of Open Web Mind

    I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here.

    Kootenay Village Ventures Inc.

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    13 mins
  • How to simplify the causal graph
    Dec 11 2025

    The hypergraphs generated by Wolfram Physics are complex and chaotic.

    The multiway graphs that trace every possible evolution of these hypergraphs become extremely complex and extremely chaotic after only a few iterations.

    The causal graphs that plot which of the events in these multiway graphs has to happen before which of the other events look like spaghetti.

    If we’re going to find mass/energy or momentum in Wolfram Physics – or special relativity or general relativity or quantum mechanics – then the causal graph is the place to look.

    But if we’re going to have to find all of physics in a causal graph that looks like spaghetti, then I give up.

    If we’re going to find all of physics in the causal graph, then we’re going to have to simplify.

    How to simplify the causal graph?

    Two ways:

    • use a simpler rule; and
    • collapse multiple nodes representing the same event into a singlenode.

    Don’t worry, by the time we’re done, that’ll all make sense!

    This is the pivotal episode in my exploration of Wolfram Physics. It establishes a firm foundation what comes next. From here on, we’ll be able to make serious progress... towards mass/energy, momentum, special relativity, general relativity and quantum mechanics.

    The Last Theory is hosted by Mark Jeffery founder of Open Web Mind

    I release The Last Theory as a video too! Watch here.

    The full article is here.

    Kootenay Village Ventures Inc.

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    36 mins
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