This idea is way older. Various mystics already envisioned the metaphysical structure of the world in such way (i.e. creation of reality through symbolic transformation - computational idea similar to Markov's algorithms).

See for example Taam Eytzo by R. Pinchas Eliyahu Horowitz of Vilna (18th century philosopher and mystic): http://www.hebrewbooks.org/21931

There are a few papers published on this subject:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01445340.2010.506...

http://aleph.nli.org.il/F?func=find-b&request=000509568&...