It is a matter of perspective Jim.
I'll go one step farther and suggest that the "free will" aspect of this cosmic program, mirrors what quantum
physics tells us about the observer effect. We only need to start observing, with some kind of intent, and the
universe unfolds for us. Prior to that, I suspect it stays in a fuzzy or granular state. Quantum foam if you will,
waiting for one of the participants to form and intent to look.

I've toyed with this idea historically and often wondered if at one time the world was really flat!

I think the modifications to this reality take place for us even without understanding. Even children impact it. I must be simple or it most likely isn't true.
I was reading a book by Mellen-Thomas Benedict, where he speaks about a Near Death Experience, and some of what he was saying linked up with
this reality where we know physical life and how we impact the universe around us. It is not understanding as much as it is faith without doubt, or
enlightenment. Children often have faith without doubt, and manage to make the simple universe around them conform to their needs.

Like any program, if you put conflicting statements into the executable code, it will return and error message. They can exist, but nothing happens.
This is more the norm than the exception. IMO.

Thanks for the warm welcome.
I'm of the opinion that any intellectual exercise in observing the past is flawed by the very nature of time itself. Especially if Time is a side effect of this created reality. There is a very strong aspect of falseness to the very concept of time.