Sarah Walker

And so that sounds very abstract, but you can just think of a chemical reaction can't happen if there's not a catalyst, for example, or a baby can't be born if there wasn't a parent. So there's a lot of causal contingency that's necessary for certain things to happen. So- You think about this sort of unconstrained, random system. There's nothing that reinforces the existence of other things.

And so that sounds very abstract, but you can just think of a chemical reaction can't happen if there's not a catalyst, for example, or a baby can't be born if there wasn't a parent. So there's a lot of causal contingency that's necessary for certain things to happen. So- You think about this sort of unconstrained, random system. There's nothing that reinforces the existence of other things.

So the sort of resources just get washed out in all of these different structures, and none of them exist again. Or they just, you know, they're not very complicated if they're in high abundance. And some random events allow some things to start reinforcing the existence of a small subset of objects.

So the sort of resources just get washed out in all of these different structures, and none of them exist again. Or they just, you know, they're not very complicated if they're in high abundance. And some random events allow some things to start reinforcing the existence of a small subset of objects.

So the sort of resources just get washed out in all of these different structures, and none of them exist again. Or they just, you know, they're not very complicated if they're in high abundance. And some random events allow some things to start reinforcing the existence of a small subset of objects.

And if they can do that, you know, like just molecules basically recognizing each other and being able to catalyze certain reactions, there's this kind of transition point that happens where,

And if they can do that, you know, like just molecules basically recognizing each other and being able to catalyze certain reactions, there's this kind of transition point that happens where,

And if they can do that, you know, like just molecules basically recognizing each other and being able to catalyze certain reactions, there's this kind of transition point that happens where,

where unless you get a self-reinforcing structure, something that can maintain its own existence, it actually can't cross this boundary to make any objects in high abundance without having this sort of past history that it's carrying with us and maintaining the existence of that past history.

where unless you get a self-reinforcing structure, something that can maintain its own existence, it actually can't cross this boundary to make any objects in high abundance without having this sort of past history that it's carrying with us and maintaining the existence of that past history.

where unless you get a self-reinforcing structure, something that can maintain its own existence, it actually can't cross this boundary to make any objects in high abundance without having this sort of past history that it's carrying with us and maintaining the existence of that past history.

And that boundary point where objects can't exist unless they have the selection and history in them is what we call the original life. And pretty much everything beyond that boundary is holding on for dear life to all of the causation and causal structure that's basically put it there. And it's carving its way through this possibility space into generating more and more structure.

And that boundary point where objects can't exist unless they have the selection and history in them is what we call the original life. And pretty much everything beyond that boundary is holding on for dear life to all of the causation and causal structure that's basically put it there. And it's carving its way through this possibility space into generating more and more structure.

And that boundary point where objects can't exist unless they have the selection and history in them is what we call the original life. And pretty much everything beyond that boundary is holding on for dear life to all of the causation and causal structure that's basically put it there. And it's carving its way through this possibility space into generating more and more structure.

And that's when you get the open-ended cascade of evolution. But that boundary point is really hard to cross. And then what happens when you cross that boundary point and the way objects come into existence is also like really fascinating dynamics because, you know, like as things become more complex, the assembly index increases. I can explain all these things.

And that's when you get the open-ended cascade of evolution. But that boundary point is really hard to cross. And then what happens when you cross that boundary point and the way objects come into existence is also like really fascinating dynamics because, you know, like as things become more complex, the assembly index increases. I can explain all these things.

And that's when you get the open-ended cascade of evolution. But that boundary point is really hard to cross. And then what happens when you cross that boundary point and the way objects come into existence is also like really fascinating dynamics because, you know, like as things become more complex, the assembly index increases. I can explain all these things.

Sorry, you can tell me what you want to explain. I mean, explain what people will want to hear. Sorry, I have like a very vivid visual in my brain and it's really hard to articulate it.

Sorry, you can tell me what you want to explain. I mean, explain what people will want to hear. Sorry, I have like a very vivid visual in my brain and it's really hard to articulate it.

Sorry, you can tell me what you want to explain. I mean, explain what people will want to hear. Sorry, I have like a very vivid visual in my brain and it's really hard to articulate it.