Conway's Game of Life

TL;DR: I'm not very good at math. I don't study AI. I'm just a creative guy.

I learned of Conway's Game of Life a few weeks ago, while listening to Joscha Bach give a lecture concerning cognitive AI. I then spent the following 4 hours learning how to use Golly (the game platform). Once I found my bearings, I got creative. (example shown below)

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I appreciate the game for what it is — a creative endeavor (imho). Infinite creativity facilitated by an efficient algorithm. An effective algorithm embodied through striking productions. To a pattern seeking mind, this is life. A game of chaos & order, black & white.

Despite my laymen understanding of the game & its true purpose, I have a few (unfounded?) questions:

Is this a study of the macro or micro?
Is this a pure or applied science?
How many dimensions can be simulated?
Am I looking at bits of data, or bits of reality?
What distinguishes the player, the game, & the observer?
Suppose (basic) quantum mechanics are written into the game's rules. What happens?
Two prime elements are present in the game: on & off (1 & 0). Can you introduce a third?
Can other maths be represented (in) & applied to the game? (e.g. physics, irrational numbers, encryption, etc.)