[Question] What are examples of simpler universes that have been described in order to explain a concept from our more complex universe?

https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SsNvhSqRMapbzjLBF/what-are-examples-of-simpler-universes-that-have-been

Sometimes there’s a concept that can be difficult to understand when entangle with everything else that needs to be understood about our physics. If you isolate that concept in a simpler universe, it makes it easier to explain how the concept works. What are such examples? (I feel like I asked a similar question somewhere at some point, but can’t find it)

Comment

https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SsNvhSqRMapbzjLBF/what-are-examples-of-simpler-universes-that-have-been?commentId=pdicdJ324eLk6gxzQ

Euclidean geometry (which is 2500 years old), Newtonian physics and the special theory of relativity immediately come to mind.

https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SsNvhSqRMapbzjLBF/what-are-examples-of-simpler-universes-that-have-been?commentId=h3tExMBtk2h8NPzFs

Finally We May Have a Path to the Fundamental Theory of Physics…and It’s Beautiful explains some concepts from our universe in simpler universes

Comment

  • id
    mLv9dmoYLsxWKKyRW
  • authors
    Viliam
  • score
    2
  • omega_karma
  • votes
    1
  • date_published
    2020-09-18T21:38
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SsNvhSqRMapbzjLBF/what-are-examples-of-simpler-universes-that-have-been?commentId=mLv9dmoYLsxWKKyRW

Relevant comment here:

I think Wolfram’s "theory" is complete gibberish. Reading through "some relativistic and gravitational properties of the Wolfram model" I haven’t encountered a single claim that was simultaneously novel, correct and non-trivial...

Comment

  • id
    AoY6KrL9qmLqLoTHz
  • authors
    Mati_Roy
  • score
    1
  • omega_karma
  • votes
    1
  • date_published
    2020-09-19T00:32

My question is definitely not limited to novel models. By all means, do let me know if you’re aware of other toy models that have (and so can explain) relativistic-like properties, or share other interesting properties with out universe

https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/SsNvhSqRMapbzjLBF/what-are-examples-of-simpler-universes-that-have-been?commentId=jBiethRoLWyYasFYW

Where Physics Meets Experience, and it’s sequel Where Experience Confuses Physicists tackles questions about consciousness and quantum physics, but instead the minds split in a spatial dimension which makes it easier to grapple with.