Cuil Theory

About

Cuil Theory is a theoretical form of measurement resulting in an interesting form of pseudoscience.

Origin

Cuil Theory is derived from a post on Reddit on November 14th, 2008 (shown below).^[1] At the time, the search engine Cuil had been in the news for not attaining its position as the 'Google-Killer'.

Discussions on the internet about the quantum search results garnered from using Cuil were a staple of most social sites. One such discussion created a small mathematical and philosophical theory about how the search capabilities within Cuil could be used to represent a framework for analyzing small scale variations from consensus reality.

Due to Cuil's relatively inaccurate level of search quality compared to Google, Reddit users came to agree upon the "Cuil" becoming a new hypothetical unit of measurement representing one layer of abstraction from true reality. Reddit user RedDyeNumber4 presented a full list of hamburger-based scenarios in the epic thread.

To quote from the Cuil Theory Wikidot page:^[2]

The popular conception of the Cuil is heavily informed by the thought of Immanuel Kant. In The Critique of Pure Reason, Kant lays out what he describes as his "Copernican Revolution". He insists that the world we experience is informed by the world as it truly is and the restraints of our own consciousness. Thus, we can never really know what's happening in the world as it truly exists except that it has a role in shaping the world that we experience. Kant believed this realization was similar to realizing that the sun, not earth, is at the center of the solar system.

Cuil Philosophers believe that as the study of Cuil advances, we'll approach an understanding that will show that the Cuil level of a situation is equivalent to the number of sets of limits of consciousness are being superimposed over the world as it really is.

For example, a 2 Cuil abstraction occurs when the world as it truly is informs a world of experience in conjunction with one set of consciousness constraints, and that the world of experience would then inform a second world of experience in conjunction with a second set of consciousness constraints.

More in-depth information about this philosophy can be found on the Cuil Theory Wiki.^[3]

Spread

After an audio post was made, Cuil Theory started circulating around Tumblr.

The phrase "I give you a hamburger" caught on as a result.

Search Interest

External References