I was recently asked about introductory material to the computational paradigm and its intersections with related fields of ideas. Here's a bit of a brainstorm...

Perhaps this article is a good place to start: God Is the Machine – Article on Wired

Wikipedia has a nice article on Digital Physics with many links.

These essays by Brian Whitworth are clearly expressed:

• The emergence of the physical world from information processing

• The Physical World as a Virtual Reality

• Simulating space and time

• The Light of Existence

This essay by Yasuhiko Genku Kimura addresses important foundational philosophical and epistemological issues:

Consciousness, Space, and the Foundation of New Science

For a really detailed analysis see:

Stephen Wolfram: A New Kind of Science

“This long-awaited work from one of the world's most respected scientists presents a series of dramatic discoveries never before made public. Starting from a collection of simple computer experiments--illustrated in the book by striking computer graphics--Stephen Wolfram shows how their unexpected results force a whole new way of looking at the operation of our universe. Wolfram uses his approach to tackle a remarkable array of fundamental problems in science, from the origins of apparent randomness in physical systems, to the development of complexity in biology, the ultimate scope and limitations of mathematics, the possibility of a truly fundamental theory of physics, the interplay between free will and determinism, and the character of intelligence in the universe. In this book he advances the hypothesis that the universe and everything is being computed by a simple program. “

Here's LOTS of links to many and varied works and ideas. Such as:

The books The Field, Piercing Time and Space and The Akashic Field;

The people Ross Rhodes, Edwin Fredkin, Process Physics, Thomas Campbell, Zuse, Jürgen Schmidhuber, John Wheeler, Anton Zeilinger, Nick Bostrom, Henry Stapp, David Chalmers, C.M. Langan, etc.

Note: that listing is a few years old (2009) so it doesn't cover more recent material.

From my own writings, I could suggest some of these:

• Contexts of Understanding

• The Scientific Case Against Materialism

• Signs of an Emerging Paradigm Shift

• Overview of information system metaphysics

• Metaphysics of Virtual Reality

• Virtual Reality Analogy Alongside Science and Mysticism (lots of great quotes)

• Computational Paradigm

• General Introduction (to my work)

• The Scientific Basis of this Work

• Technological applications of the work

• Thoughts on the Outline of a Unified Science

• Unification of Science

• Consciousness, Self, World, Virtual Reality and Liberation

• What is consciousness?

• Correspondences with other Metaphysical Paradigms

• Various short essays

• Long essays:

  • The Red Pill eBook: Systems Analysis of Mind, Knowledge, 'the World' and Holistic Science. Attempt at a detailed introduction in “simple terms”.

  • System Science of Virtual Reality: Toward the Unification of Empirical and Subjective Science (a comprehensive summary of the core of my work, its a bit more advanced, with lots of maths).

• The Mathematical Analysis

Furthermore, there are so many different ways to approach the underlying topic (the nature of reality). To use a metaphor, there is one underground reservoir of water, whilst there are many wells. Each one brings a different perspective on the deeper issue that they are all digging towards.

For convenience, here's a list of some different ways to conceptualise the same general subject area:

• Consciousness studies

• Information physics / digital physics / simulated reality

• Cybernetic interpretation of quantum mechanics

• System theoretic interpretation of quantum mechanics

• Epistemological foundations of paradigms and paradigm shift

• Computational paradigm

• Consciousness paradigm

• Mystic paradigm / perennial philosophy / sanatana dharma / gnana

• Unification of deep science and deep spirituality

• Integration of scientific and contemplative methodologies (e.g. meditation)

• General systems theory and general system simulation

• Complex self-organising systems

• Akashic field

• Self-realisation

• Overcoming naïve realism

• The technological manifestation of the transcendent process within the empirical context, i.e. simulating sub-universes (creating worlds within worlds). Some early examples of such technology are literature, movies, Internet, VR, etc. At the extreme point of this trend, realistic worlds could be simulated by quantum computers and we could teleport into them and experience them just as tangibly as we experience our current universe. That would be a powerful 'proof' of the computational paradigm – when people can *fully* experience virtual worlds for themselves.

• The intuitive, imaginative and intellectual manifestation of the transcendent process within one's mind. Thus clarify the perceptual process by shedding light on unconscious assumptions and thereby shifting the mind onto a more realistic conceptual foundation. In the extreme, this results in a radical re-structuring of one's world-view, self-image and life-story, as well as qualitative changes to the stream of present moment awareness. This increased clarity and presence leads to a deeper relation with reality and way of participating in the world.

Anyway, that's a quick brainstorm on the topic of intro material to the paradigm. Although I'll keep contemplating it...