Wolfram Physics Q&A

Computational irreducibility means that it may be irreducibly difficult to determine any particular consequence of a rule. However, there is reason to hope that certain properties will be identifiable. If the rule is simple, then it is to be expected that just getting a few specifics of our universe exactly correct will be sufficient to determine the particular rule. For example, knowing that the universe has (at least roughly) three spatial dimensions, or knowing local gauge symmetry groups, will presumably already go far in homing in on the correct rule. Finding specific masses and properties of elementary particles will be a critical validation for any particular rule.