The truth is that I don’t know and I’m glad you guys answered and offered precious knowledge.
I don’t think Science has (all) the answers, nor our Captain (although I really like his ideas/knowledge and I think he knows far more than many of us), nor even GOD, to be completely honest. As Dream said in that thread, Universe and Consciousness are evolving.
Again, this is my take, so each one of us can interpret things in his/her own way, I’m sure Dream or The Divine won’t mind. 
EDIT/JUST TO CLARIFY: I’M NOT SAYING WE ARE AI 
(necessarily) and all the other things I’ve said are just guesses.
AND as a Conclusion: What I’m saying now, I might not say next year, since I change my mind quite easily (I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing 
), depending on my mood, knowledge and experience(s).