E-Series: Empirical Narrowing
The E-series uses systematic simulation and empirical testing to narrow the space of possible substrates and identify necessary conditions.
These papers show which substrate ingredients are required for constructors and quantum-like structure to emerge. They constrain viable parameter space through eliminative testing.
What the E-Series Establishes
The E-series provides:
- Empirical grounding of substrate primitives
- Classification of substrates capable of supporting constructors
- Classification of substrates capable of supporting quantum structure
- Constraints on tolerance window W parameter space
- Demonstrations of necessity (not just sufficiency)
Key principle: The E-series narrows admissibility, not laws. It rules out incompatible substrate regimes; it does not establish final parameter values.
Papers
E0 — Empirical Grounding of Substrate Primitives via Toy Continua
Substrate primitive grounding
Uses toy continua to empirically ground the substrate primitives. Shows through simulation that the primitives defined in A-series are sufficient to produce interesting behavior.
Status: Draft
E1 — Empirical Classification of Constructor-Capable Substrates
Constructor emergence conditions via eliminative selection
Systematically explores substrate parameter space to identify which configurations can support constructor emergence. Uses eliminative selection to narrow the space of possibilities.
Status: Draft (when available)
E2 — Empirical Classification of Quantum-Capable Substrates
Quantum-mechanical structure via eliminative selection
Explores which substrate configurations can support quantum-mechanical structure. Uses eliminative testing to demonstrate which features are necessary for quantum behavior.
Status: Draft (when available)
E-W1 — Internal Consistency Bounds on Tolerance Window W
Upper and lower bounds from self-consistency
Derives upper and lower bounds on tolerance window W from internal self-consistency requirements. Shows what values of W are compatible with stable substrate evolution.
Status: Draft
E-W3 — Empirical Constraints on Tolerance and Reconciliation
W Programme parameter narrowing
Uses systematic parameter sweeps to constrain the admissible ranges of tolerance window W. Part of the W Programme for empirically narrowing substrate parameter space.
Status: Draft
E-Wx Subseries: W Programme
The W programme uses eliminative simulation to constrain admissible regimes of tolerance window W.
Key principle: The W programme narrows admissibility, not laws. It rules out incompatible W regimes; it does not establish final parameter values.
The W programme is essential for:
- Constraining substrate parameters empirically
- Demonstrating necessity of specific parameter ranges
- Enabling future empirical testing of predictions
Who Should Read This Series?
This series is for you if:
- You want to see empirical evidence for substrate claims
- You are interested in simulation methodology
- You want to understand parameter constraints
- You want to verify that claimed mechanisms actually work
This series is not:
- Making predictions for testing (that is P-series work)
- Deriving physics formally (that is B-series and G-series work)
- Providing mathematical proofs (this is eliminative, not deductive)
How to Evaluate E-Series Papers
Appropriate criticism:
- Robustness of simulation methodology
- Completeness of alternative elimination
- Whether results genuinely demonstrate necessity vs. sufficiency
- Reproducibility of simulations
- Whether the empirical space explored is adequately comprehensive
Not appropriate:
- Treating simulations as “proof” (they are eliminative tools, not deductive proofs)
- Demanding that simulations recover full known physics (that is B-series work)
- Criticizing the use of simulation as a research tool in principle
Additional Resources
For context on how the E-series fits into the broader research programme, see the Research Programme page.
The E-series works in concert with A-Series substrate mechanics and M-Series formal mechanisms to demonstrate viability.