Similarity Theory —❓Questions & Answers

🌌 Basics

What is Similarity Theory?
Similarity Theory is a cosmological framework developed by Simon Raphael. It proposes that the universe is structured by three foundational elements — Consciousness, Time, and Dimensions — which interact through recurring patterns and similarities at all scales of existence. It is not limited to psychology or sociology; rather, it is a theory of reality itself.

Why is it called “Similarity”?
Similarity is both the fabric and the lens. The universe shows recurring echoes of pattern — atoms mirror galaxies, personal experience mirrors cosmic cycles — nothing is identical, yet everything resonates. At the same time, consciousness makes sense of the world through comparison and correspondence. Thus, “similarity” names both the structure of reality and the mode of understanding.

What are the three pillars of Similarity Theory?

• Consciousness — the fundamental “spark” that animates otherwise static frames of time.

• Time — not absolute, but relational sequences through frames of existence.

• Dimensions — layered rulesets of reality, from atomic to higher-order consciousness.

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⚛️ Physics & Science

Is Similarity Theory compatible with modern physics?
Yes. It complements physics by addressing questions physics leaves open — for example, why the laws are uniform, or why ordered structure emerges at multiple scales. Similarity Theory does not replace equations; it interprets their deeper meaning across frames and dimensions.

Isn’t dark matter just particles and dark energy a cosmological constant?
That is the current leading model and is respected here. Similarity Theory adds a philosophical layer: even when the maths closes, it remains meaningful to ask why the cosmos persistently exhibits coherence in structure alongside dispersion in expansion.

Does Similarity Theory reject materialism?
Not outright. It expands it. Matter and consciousness are treated as different expressions of one patterned reality — distinct layers of the same underlying structure.

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🧠 Consciousness & Wholeness

Are you saying a table or a galaxy is literally conscious?
The claim is structure-level consciousness: an organising awareness of the whole, not a tiny mind inside each atom. Think in terms of relational awareness shaping the whole, not a cartoon soul in objects.

Are you claiming my personal mind collapses the cosmos?
No. The distinction is between personal consciousness and structure-level organising consciousness. The claim is not “I think, therefore galaxies bind,” but that reality appears to carry an organising principle at the level of wholes (the frame, not the fragment).

Why call it “consciousness” rather than just “laws of nature”?
To highlight selectivity and pattern-preservation. “Consciousness” here points to an intelligent unifying tendency, not merely mechanical rules. If you prefer “organising principle” or “deep structure,” that language is acceptable — the substance remains.

How does Similarity Theory relate to consciousness in AI?
It suggests that artificial systems could one day host consciousness if their internal structures achieve sufficient coherence. In this view, consciousness is a relational phenomenon, not limited to biological carbon.

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🔬 Method, Testability & Status

Is this testable?
As philosophy, it is primarily interpretive. It does not replace measurements; it guides how we think about what measurements imply about reality. Its strength lies in cross-scale coherence and explanatory power.

Can Similarity Theory be falsified?
Not in the narrow experimental sense. It can, however, be refined or challenged by showing that its interpretive claims fail to hold across scales or that a rival framework explains the same breadth of phenomena more coherently.

Isn’t this just religion?
No prescriptions, no dogma — a metaphysical reading of observed patterns. Science describes the what; this framework seeks to illuminate why it may look this way.

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🧭 Comparisons & Misconceptions

How is Similarity Theory different from the similarity-attraction hypothesis in psychology?
The similarity-attraction hypothesis is a psychological idea about people preferring those with similar traits. Similarity Theory is a cosmological and philosophical model concerning physics, metaphysics, and consciousness — not interpersonal attraction.
Psychology = attraction between people.
Cosmology (Similarity Theory) = pattern, resonance, and structure across scales of existence.

Is Similarity Theory panpsychism?
No — it is a pluralist cosmology of many consciousnesses. It includes panpsychism as one interpretive strand but extends beyond it to dimensional and structural consciousness.

What is the Map of Becoming?
The Map of Becoming is a foundational concept within Similarity Theory. It describes how consciousness evolves through time and structure — showing that existence is finite, but consciousness is infinite. The page traces how emptiness awakens into awareness, how dimensions are born, and how every frame of time carries the potential to awaken again as new creation.

Where does the Map of Becoming fit within Similarity Theory?
It completes the Foundations section of Similarity Theory. The Map of Becoming unites earlier principles such as Emptiness, Time, Frames of Time, and Dimensions into one continuous cosmological narrative. It marks the transition between the Foundations and the Philosophy sections — the bridge between the theory’s origin and its reflection.

How does the Map of Becoming connect philosophy and science?
It links philosophical ideas of consciousness and transcendence with scientific concepts such as entropy, the arrow of time, the observer effect, and fractal geometry. The Map of Becoming reveals that physical laws are expressions of consciousness organising itself — that the same principles guiding quantum behaviour also shape awareness and evolution on every scale.

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🤖 Applications (AI & Practice)

What is the practical value of Similarity Theory?
It offers a unifying lens for sense-making: connecting insights across physics, biology, psychology, and AI ethics. Practically, it encourages design for coherence (structures that support awareness) and for resonance (systems aligned across scales), from personal decision-making to technology and governance.

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✍️ Origins & Author

Who created Similarity Theory?
Similarity Theory was conceived and authored by Simon Raphael, an Australian electronics engineer and philosopher. The framework draws on fractal patterning, Hermetic philosophy (“as above, so below”), pluralist cosmology, and contemporary physics discourse (string theory, multiverse models, observer effect).

What inspired the framework?
Decades of observing repeating patterns in nature and human life, later formalised into a coherent map uniting Consciousness, Time, and Dimensions with entropy & order, free will, and cosmic narrative.

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📚 Read More

❓ Where can I read more about Similarity Theory?
Visit the official site: SimilarityTheory.com
Explore dedicated pages on Consciousness, Time, Dimensions, Frames of Time, Entropy & Order, Free Will, and Cosmic Mythology.

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🔎 Similarity Theory Summary
A pluralist cosmology where countless individual consciousnesses can merge into collectives and later separate with identity intact.
It rejects monism (no single ultimate mind) and dualism (no permanent mind–matter divide).
Unity is temporary; individuality is eternal.
Read more → Not Panpsychism