Good Morning Friends !
I have recently read a scientific paper written by David Deutsch on Constructor Theory which helped me to think about existing physics theories in a new way. I hope you will find this theory useful too.
During past week, three things have inspired me:
Quote
"The central task of physics should be to characterize the set of all physically possible transformations, and to discover what transformations are impossible and why."
~ David Deutsch
Idea
Imagine a fresh way to think about the rules of the universe, one that doesn’t just predict how things move, like a ball flying through the air, but asks what’s possible or impossible. That’s the big idea behind Constructor Theory, proposed by physicist David Deutsch. Instead of tracking particles journeys based on given initial conditions , as traditional physics does, this theory describes transformations like turning metal into cars or water into gold into “possible” (can happen) or “impossible” (can’t happen, like a machine running forever without fuel).
David Deutsch introduces constructors (like factories, cells, or computers) that make these changes happen repeatedly, working on substrates (the stuff they transform, like metal or chemicals). This is done by focusing on tasks specific changes from inputs to outputs and whether they’re allowed by nature’s laws, constructor theory aims to explain why things work the way they do, from stars to human inventions.
Constructor theory could bridge gaps in traditional physics, which struggles with questions like why chemical reactions need catalysts, why we can’t unscramble an egg, or how the universe began.
David Deutsch suggests it can unify sciences like physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science by seeing everything as transformations. For example, a cell dividing, a computer calculating, or DNA passing on instructions are all tasks with constructors.
The theory also makes “impossible” things, like perpetual motion central in explaining why they’re forbidden by laws like energy conservation. This theory also includes human knowledge like blueprints or DNA as constructors hence connecting creativity to physics.
David Deutsch even proposes the universe’s starting state might emerge from what tasks are possible, flipping the idea that it’s a fixed mystery. There is another connecting key idea called the composition principle which says chains of possible tasks are possible too thereby letting us build complex things from simple steps.
This bold theory is still new and abstract, needing tests to prove it can solve real problems, like predicting experiments or linking to quantum mechanics. David Deutsch admits ideas like combining tasks might need tweaking, and big claims like unifying all sciences or building a “universal constructor” (a super-machine for any task) require evidence.
Challenges include turning abstract “possible/impossible” ideas into concrete math and showing it beats traditional physics. Yet, the potential is huge: it could explain tricky concepts like heat flow, quantum realities, or why computers work, and technologies like nanotechnology. Constructor theory invites us to see the universe as a map of possibilities, connecting rockets, plants, and human ideas to one set of rules, making physics feel alive and full of potential.
Book/Paper
You can read about David Deutsch’s Constructor Theory, a 40-page paper published in September 2012 (updated in December 2012) from the Centre for Quantum Computation and Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford in the following link.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1210.7439
Have a Wonderful Week !