Introduction 

Who are we? This question is complex and multifaceted, leading into a branching labyrinth of existential thoughts. While this early draft of a short essay will certainly not address the full spectrum of 'who we are', it aspires to shed light on a small but fundamental segment of it. 

Specifically, we'll explore a simplified model of what we are, focusing on our essence as an aggregation of information. 

But first, let's look into our roots by asking a slightly different question - Where do we come from?

Origins of Life

Our lineage stretches back to our parents, their parents, and so forth, reaching the first humans, the first vertebrates, the first cells, and even further to the inception of the universe. 

In this continuum, we represent branches sprouted from an enormous tree of life, carrying information and matter that has evolved since the beginning of time.

Life as Information

Think about life from a different perspective - as a playful twist on a popular song lyric, "What is life? Baby, don't delete me." 

Recent scientific investigations into the nature of life are blurring the boundary between living and non-living entities. A fallen leaf and a car, despite being products of life, are not alive themselves. However, both harbor an immense amount of information, something that is highly unlikely to be found in a world devoid of life. Similarly, a dead bird, while no longer living, remains a product of life. The commonality among these examples lies in their distinctive status as rare or unlikely matter structures, produced by living processes. These processes convert matter into organized structures. However, these examples lack the ability to perpetuate their organization into the future, a defining characteristic of life.

From this perspective, life can be characterized as information that not only maintains its organization but also perpetuates and evolves over time.

The Shape of Life

Imagine visualizing life as information flowing through time, with each gene or meme (self-replicating unit of cultural information) clustering based on similarity, like colored threads in a grand cosmic tapestry. The brightest and strongest threads are those that adapted best, increasing their chances of perpetuating into the future. 

This visualization reflects the relentless process of natural selection driving the evolution and complexity of life. If we were to simplify, it looks somewhat like the river delta at the top of the page or like this image below. 

We are a tiny branch connected to this grand kaleidoscopic tree of life.

Who Are We Then?

We are information in motion. We embody genetic material, adopt and spread memes, create perceptions in the minds of other conscious beings, and influence the future with our actions - these shape our identities, and the informational paths that our lives tread. 

In essence, we are part of an unbroken chain of information that has navigated spacetime to manifest our unique existence, or as I prefer, our soul. From this perspective, we realize our profound interconnectedness with all life forms and comprehend that life is living through us.

Concepts of Rebirth and Original Sin

We are the next generation in line, an updated model carrying information from our ancestors. Their choices, circumstances, actions - even their moral character - have impacted our lives. This realization lends credence to concepts like rebirth and original sin. 

For instance, just as a child may inherit a parent's eye color (a genetic trait), they may also adopt certain behaviors or predispositions (memetic traits), as well as the environmental and socioeconomic situation, carrying forward the informational legacy. 

Heaven and Hell

An interesting aphorism captures the essence of life's journey: "Heaven on the right, hell left behind the angel of death." 

It's a phrase that encapsulates the notion of life as a journey through a landscape filled with potential bliss and peril. 

Every living entity faces two possible outcomes - continued existence, growth, and evolution, or cessation, decay, and death, symbolic representations of heaven and hell. We are constantly navigating between these states, flourishing or perishing based on our environmental fitness.

Conclusion

Although I am not religious, ancient insights can make sense within a scientific framework when viewed metaphorically. These age-old beliefs provide valuable mental models to understand deep aspects of reality, enhancing our grasp on what we have found to be true about life and existence. 

Seeing our existence - our "soul" - in this light adds depth to our understanding of life and our role in it. It suggests that we are not isolated physical beings; we are intricate tapestries of information, connected to all life, constantly weaving our threads into the future.