The Mandela Effect and the Hypothesis That We Live in a Copy of the Original Universe
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: THE MANDELA EFFECT AND THE HYPOTHESIS THAT WE LIVE IN A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL UNIVERSE An Investigation into Divergent Collective Memory, Parallel-Universe Hypotheses and Residual Structural Memory Author: Cláudio Vicente da SilvaIndependent Researcher — Londrina, Paraná, BrazilPublication date: November 9, 2026 Description This article investigates the relationship between the Mandela Effect, hypotheses concerning parallel universes, and the possible persistence of structural information associated with previous configurations of reality. It develops a theoretical approach that brings together divergent collective memory, systemic transformation, continuity, and residual memory within the framework of Relational Architecture and the Theory of Transduction. The investigation begins with the Mandela Effect, a phenomenon characterized by shared recollections that differ from available historical records. It examines representative examples, including memories associated with Nelson Mandela, the Fruit of the Loom logo, the Monopoly mascot, the Star Wars dialogue, and the Berenstain Bears. The article subsequently examines the hypothesis attributed to Max Laughlin, according to which humanity may have transitioned from an original universe into a parallel configuration following a hypothetical catastrophic transformation associated with high-energy particle experiments at CERN. This narrative is reconstructed through its principal conceptual stages: the original universe, the presumed destructive event, the transition between realities, the emergence of a new configuration, and the persistence of memories associated with the preceding reality. The study places this hypothesis in dialogue with established theoretical discussions concerning multiple universes, particularly Hugh Everett's Many-Worlds Interpretation, Alan Guth's theory of cosmic inflation, and Max Tegmark's classification of multiverse models. These frameworks provide a broader theoretical context for examining the multiplicity of possible realities and the relationship between distinct configurations of the universe. The central contribution of the article consists in reformulating the problem through Relational Architecture and Transduction, shifting the investigation from the isolated phenomenon of divergent memory toward a broader question concerning the continuity of information across transformations of reality. The proposed conceptual architecture is organized around four fundamental elements: Initial State (Sᵢ): the original configuration of a system. Transduction (T): the operation through which one configuration passes into another. Final State (S𝒇): the configuration resulting from the transformation. Relational Memory (M): the structural information associated with previous states and their relations. The transductive relationship is represented by: [S_f=T(S_i)] The systemic organization incorporating memory is represented by: [\Sigma=(S,M)] These expressions establish the conceptual foundation for investigating whether a transformation can produce a new systemic configuration while preserving relational information associated with a preceding state. A particularly important dimension of the proposal is the concept of Residual Structural Memory. This concept introduces the possibility that information associated with a previous configuration may remain represented within the organization of a subsequent configuration, even when the original arrangement no longer exists. The investigation develops three fundamental research questions: Does the continuity of reality require the permanence of its original configuration? Can the memory of a system conserve information associated with states that no longer exist? Can a transduction produce a new configuration without eliminating all relations inherited from the preceding configuration? These questions establish a conceptual connection between transformation, structural identity, memory, and systemic continuity. The article does not present the destruction of the original universe or the transfer of humanity into a parallel universe as established empirical events. Instead, it uses these propositions as a speculative context for developing a broader theoretical investigation into the possible conservation of relational information through transformations of reality. Main Theoretical Contributions Integration of the Mandela Effect and parallel-universe hypotheses into a framework of relational investigation. Introduction of Residual Structural Memory as a conceptual possibility for the continuity of information associated with previous configurations. Application of the Theory of Transduction to the relationship between initial and subsequent systemic states. Integration of systemic configuration and structural memory through the expression (\Sigma=(S,M)). Formulation of the relationship between transformation, identity, and the conservation of relational information. Establishment of three research questions concerning the continuity of information across systemic transformations. Expansion of Relational Architecture toward the investigation of possible structural continuities between distinct configurations of reality. Theoretical Scope The article contributes to the development of Relational Architecture and the Theory of Transduction by extending their conceptual application to questions involving collective memory, parallel realities, systemic transformation, and the continuity of structural information. Its interdisciplinary scope encompasses Philosophy, Ontology, Philosophy of Science, Theoretical Physics, Cosmology, Cognitive Studies, Memory Studies, and Systems Theory. The central theoretical proposition is that the transformation of a configuration and the continuity of information associated with that configuration constitute distinct but potentially related dimensions of systemic organization. This perspective opens a field of investigation into the relationship between previous states, subsequent configurations, and the possible persistence of relational structures across transformations. Keywords Mandela Effect; Parallel Universes; Max Laughlin; Residual Structural Memory; Relational Architecture; Transduction; Collective Memory; CERN; Many-Worlds Interpretation; Systemic Transformation; Structural Continuity; Systemic States; Multiverse; Relational Information; Reality. Author Cláudio Vicente da Silva is an independent researcher based in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. His academic background includes Philosophy (State University of Londrina, 1997), History and Philosophy of Science (State University of Londrina, 2007), and Methodology of Higher Education (UNOPAR). His research focuses on Relational Architecture, Transduction, structures of relation, processes of transformation, models of knowledge, experience, abstraction, and the organization of systems. His work develops conceptual investigations across Philosophy, History and Philosophy of Science, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Computing, and Artificial Intelligence.
Author: Vicente da Silva, Cláudio
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225741185
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