About Our Name

Ic²
Information • Consciousness • Computation
I

Information

The fundamental substrate of reality. Matter and energy emerge from information, not the other way around.

c

Consciousness

The observer that collapses quantum states. Consciousness drives and interprets information processing.

Computation

The mechanism by which information evolves — reality operates as a self-updating computational process.

About the visual similarity to E=mc²: The resemblance honors physics while redefining fundamentals. The "c" here does not reference the speed of light.

Instead, it encodes the three pillars — Information, Consciousness, Computation — combined into a unified representation of our theoretical foundation.

By invoking physics' most famous formula, we emphasize a paradigm as deep: information as the ground state of reality.

Our Mission

Ic² Research Institute advances open, transparent research into the fundamental nature of reality through information theory, consciousness studies, and computational frameworks.

We value free collaboration and data transparency — no paywalls, no gatekeeping, no hidden failures. Our ethos is open inquiry for the common understanding of existence.

Core Values

Open Science

Open Science

All data, hypotheses, and results are fully public — including failures and iterations.

Radical Transparency

Radical Transparency

Documented predictions and open financial records. Every step visible to the world.

Community-Driven

Community-Driven

Collaboration transcends credentials — contributions are valued on merit and insight.

Testable Predictions

Testable Predictions

Every theoretical claim must be falsifiable through observable prediction.

Intellectual Honesty

Intellectual Honesty

Acknowledging limitations and reporting all outcomes with clarity and fairness.

No Gatekeeping

No Gatekeeping

Knowledge belongs to everyone. No closed peer review, no artificial barriers.

The Team

Ic² Research Institute is an independent, community-driven entity that ensures complete scientific freedom.

Founder & Principal Researcher: Michael K. Baines

We deliberately avoid traditional hierarchies to encourage interdisciplinary exploration and collaboration.

Want to contribute? Visit our Contributions page to get started.