Notes from the existential underground: the universe as a complex emergent system

As academics navigate the existential tangle between speculation and experimental fact, the prospect of synergy between complex emergent systems wisdom and useful aspects of physics has never been better. One way to stimulate a new phase is to look outside of academia. The complementarity and contributions of two underground theories, one cosmological and one metaphysical, are discussed herein, with a focus on conceptual barriers to their comprehensive assessment and adoption. KEYWORDS: Complexity; Theoretical physics; Cosmology; Metaphysics; Falsifiability; Causation; Possibility; Teleology; Logic; Crisis; Meaning