Meta: Beyond, Behind, and Between Everything

Metacognition, Metaphysics, Metaverse, Simulation Hypothesis, The Greatest Discovery

Meta is a prefix of Greek origin that means “going beyond,” “existing behind,” or “among, between.” It describes phenomena that operate beyond, behind, and between our limited comprehension.

I.

Metacognition

meta- (beyond, on top of) + cognition (mental act, process of knowing)

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics

Cognition is synonymous with “thinking.” It refers to the processes of the rational mind, which allow us to solve problems, store information, and draw upon past experiences. However, the rational mind also houses learned coping mechanisms, detrimental habits, and addictions. These unfavorable cognitive patterns (and their subsequent behaviors) can sometimes override one’s own desire to use the mind in a constructive manner. In such instances, we release our authority and mastery over the mind, allowing it to take control.

Conversely, metacognition can be paraphrased as “thinking beyond thinking.” It involves understanding how the mind operates so that one can maintain control over it rather than defaulting to conditioned behaviors. Metacognition necessitates recognizing that the mind is merely a tool we utilize to navigate the world. Undesirable mental patterns are within our control; they’ve simply been rehearsed so frequently that the rational mind automatically defaults to them without our consent. But we possess authority from a place beyond the mind; the mind can only govern us if we permit it to do so.

To adopt a metacognitive perspective, it’s helpful to conceptualize the mind as separate from oneself. Doing so presents a considerable challenge, particularly for those accustomed to operating on autopilot, where the mind makes decisions in lieu of one’s conscious will. Understanding how we think is a necessary initial step toward breaking old patterns, forging new ones, and employing the mind in a deliberate and purposeful manner. If you believe that the mind dictates your actions, or worse, you identify solely with the mind and relinquish your agency over its actions, how will you ever change? How will you ever become the person you’re meant to be? 

Metacognition is about understanding what’s beyond the mind. What’s beyond is you. 

II.

Metaphysics 

meta- (beyond, existing behind) + physics (natural science, the study of physical matter and properties)

All men by nature desire to know.

Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book I

The laws of physics – Newton’s laws, the Laws of Thermodynamics, Maxwell’s equations, and so forth – offer us insights into what is (and isn’t) possible in the physical world. Innovators rely on these physical laws to pioneer new technologies and push the boundaries of what is possible. Over the past quarter-of-a-million-or-so years, humans (more specifically, Homo sapiens) have amassed a profound understanding of the physical world and its properties, as the physical realm has been our primary habitat.

But what if the physical world isn’t all there is? What if our physical bodies, homes, and Earth itself represent only a fraction of what the universe is all about? What if there is more to life than just physical stuff? “Metaphysical” implies an existence beyond, behind, or between what meets the eye. It’s sometimes used synonymously with the word “spiritual,” which concerns the immaterial.

Despite the elusiveness of the metaphysical, we engage with it daily. In dreams, we navigate alternate realities that can rival the vividness of waking life. Similarly, intuition appears to arise from intangible origins, guiding us in inexplicable ways. Phenomena such as the subconscious mind, flow states, mystical encounters, near-death experiences, altered states of consciousness, transcendental meditation, the creative muse, religious epiphanies, Big Ideas, and moments of profound joy, awe, and grace all offer glimpses into the metaphysical realm.

Pondering the metaphysical can evoke both trepidation and serenity. While we may never fully comprehend what lies beyond the physical until we depart from it, we intuitively know that there’s something beyond. 

III.   

Metaverse

Portmanteau of meta- (among, behind, beyond) + universe (the whole cosmos, the totality of all existence)

Besides the realm of dreams, we also inhabit another metaphysical macrocosm, one of our own creation: the world behind screens. The digital world provides a space where humans can play games, seek entertainment, harness their creativity, make money, connect with others, and temporarily escape their problems in the “real world.” While precise data is lacking, it’s believed that Millennials and Gen Zrs typically spend between six to nine hours daily engaged in screens. Consider remote workers, for instance, who dedicate at least forty hours each week to productivity in the digital world just to make a living in the real world. Those forty working hours exclude any personal screen time devoted to streaming, social media, gaming, communication, or web browsing.

The digital universe has rapidly become a legitimate rival to the physical one. It’s astounding to reflect on the fact that screens, starting with early TV sets, made their commercial debut in the mid-1930s. And now, less than a century later, individuals are dedicating more waking hours to the digital world than to the real one. To a capitalist, this widespread shift in attention poses an invaluable commercial opportunity. As technology advances, making the digital world more like (or, depending on who you ask, better than) the real world, economic opportunities will follow. People can exchange their hard-earned money on virtual assets, new avatar features, and shiny badges to impress others in the digital world. This shift marks the beginning of a new kind of universe – the metaverse.

The word “metaverse” was first introduced in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, authored by the linguistically gifted Neal Stephenson. In it, Stephenson depicts the metaverse as a futuristic progression of the Internet into a unified virtual realm (i.e., a new kind of universe) that humans can enter using virtual reality/augmented reality headsets. This ‘90s sci-fi portrayal closely resembles the contemporary efforts of technology companies such as Meta Platforms and Microsoft, who are dedicated to commercializing an entire world contained behind screens. Whether this artificial realm – the metaverse – proves beneficial or detrimental to human evolution remains uncertain, though opinions abound.

While we cannot stop the manifestation of the metaverse (as it is well underway), one unforeseen blessing of our digital advancement is the recognition of depth beyond the physical realm. Entire worlds – full of energy, productivity, and intangible stuff – flourish digitally. Today, humans live a dual existence in the digital and physical worlds. Could it be that there are even more worlds we have yet to discover?

IV.   

Simulation Hypothesis 

If ordinary people can create a digital dimension within our physical universe, who’s to say that this universe we inhabit isn’t itself a metaverse, potentially one constructed by a technological creator? This kind of inquiry forms the basis of the simulation hypothesis, which suggests that “reality” is actually a computer-generated simulation.

In one of the most-viewed podcast episodes ever, Elon Musk tells Joe Rogan, “If you assume any rate of improvement at all, games will eventually be indistinguishable from reality… We’re most likely in a simulation.” Even Neil deGrasse Tyson gives the simulation hypothesis “better than 50-50 odds,” saying, “I wish I could summon a strong argument against it, but I can find none.”

Would you consider the idea that we exist in some kind of well-engineered technological simulation? Just as the digital world is coded using programming languages (e.g., JavaScript and Python), living organisms are coded by genetic languages (e.g., DNA and RNA), and the laws of the physical universe can be simplified into physics equations (e.g., E=mc² and ΔU=Q−W). 

I’m not opposed to the idea that this life is some sort of simulation or game. (Mainly because that implies there’s something beyond the simulation). But if life is indeed a game, what’s the point of it? I reckon that the point of life is to evolve into the best version of oneself, whatever that character looks like. I suppose that life is about being fully engaged, working hard, and giving it your best shot. I think the Game of Life is about becoming an active player, not just an NPC. 

Perhaps life is a game, and perhaps its creator is a highly intelligent God-like figure. And maybe, just maybe, our existence beyond the Game of Life depends on the progress and impact we make while we’re still in it. 

Perhaps. Maybe.

V.   

The Greatest Discovery

The following excerpt comes from a footnote in Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi. The quoted passage is credited to Charles P. Steinmetz (1865 - 1923), a prominent figure in the expansion of America’s electric power industry during the late 1800s/early 1900s. Steinmetz was nicknamed the “Forger of Thunderbolts” and celebrated for his contributions to alternating current (AC) systems theory.

The following statement is thought to be made at a crucial juncture in history – coinciding with the widespread adoption of electric power, a potent physical force. Here's the passage:

Charles P. Steinmetz, the great electrical engineer, was once asked by Mr. Roger W. Babson: “What line of research will see the greatest development during the next fifty years?”

“I think the greatest discovery will be made along spiritual lines,” Steinmetz replied. “Here is a force which history clearly teaches has been the greatest power in the development of men. Yet we have merely been playing with it and have never seriously studied it as we have the physical forces. Someday people will learn that material things do not bring happiness and are of little use in making men and women creative and powerful. Then the scientists of the world will turn their laboratories over to the study of God and prayer and the spiritual forces which as yet have hardly been scratched. When this day comes, the world will see more advancement in one generation than it has seen in the past four.”

Source: Autobiography of a Yogi, page 497 footnote 19

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