Opinions and dark energy: A mechanism of long-range repulsion in a toy opinion particle model

TL;DR

This paper introduces a toy opinion particle model that uses Bayesian-inspired opinion dynamics to simulate long-range repulsion effects akin to dark energy, providing a novel perspective on physical phenomena through opinion interactions.

Contribution

It presents a new opinion particle model that demonstrates how Bayesian opinion dynamics can produce long-range repulsive effects similar to dark energy in cosmology.

Findings

Distant particles are repelled in the model, mimicking dark energy effects.

Continuous-time opinion dynamics relate to low-trust interactions.

A local distance measure enables the simulation of cosmological-like repulsion.

Abstract

The concept of opinion particles can be introduced by studying time-continuous versions of Bayesian-inspired opinion dynamics methods. Here, we use opinion particles to further explore how information and Bayesian methods can contribute new ideas to physical problems. Continuous-time limits are shown to correspond to the case with little trust between the original agents, and a synchronous version of the model is studied. The interaction between two particles is defined as attractive. However, space and distances are not well represented in the model. We define a local measure of distances based on the parameters. That allows distant particles to be repelled in the natural coordinates of any central particle, similar to the observed cosmological effects identified as dark energy. Keywords: Opinion dynamics, Opinion particles, Dark energy, Bayesian methods, CODA