Quantum mind

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The quantum mind theory is founded on the premise that quantum theory is necessary to fully understand the mind and brain, particularly concerning an explanation of consciousness. This is considered a minority opinion in science, although it does have the support of the well-known mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose. Other proponents include Stuart Hameroff, Karl Pribram and Henry Stapp.

1 Introduction
- 1.1 Ongoing Debate
2 See also
3 References
4 Additional sources
5 External links

[edit] Introduction

A key argument underlying the quantum mind thesis is that classical mechanics cannot fully explain consciousness. Proponents have suggested that quantum mechanical phenomena, such as quantum entanglement and superposition, may play an important part in the brain's function, and could form the basis of an explanation of consciousness.

The quantum mind thesis does not as yet have any evidence to confirm its validity, but some role of quantum processes in consciousness has not been completely ruled out. Sufficient understanding of the operation of the brain could prove the proposition false.

[edit] Ongoing Debate

The main argument against the quantum mind proposition is that the structures of the brain are much too large for quantum effects to be important. It is impossible for coherent quantum states to form for very long in the brain and impossible for them to exist at scales on the order of the size of neurons.

This does not imply that classical mechanics can explain consciousness, but that quantum effects including superposition and entanglement are insignificant. Quantum chemistry is required to understand the actions of neurotransmitters, for example.

However, this does not preclude the possible existence of mechanisms by which quantum effects could influence the state of larger structures.

One well-known critic of the quantum mind is Max Tegmark. Based on his calculations, Tegmark concluded that quantum systems in the brain decohere quickly and cannot control brain function, "This conclusion disagrees with suggestions by Penrose and others that the brain acts as a quantum computer, and that quantum coherence is related to consciousness in a fundamental way"^[1].

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Importance of quantum decoherence in brain processes by Max Tegmark in Phys. Rev. E (2000) Volume 61, pages 4194 - 4206.

Wikibooks Consciousness studies has more about this subject:

[edit] Additional sources

Bennett, Charles H., Shor, Peter W., Smolin, John A. and Thapliyal, Ashish V. Entanglement-Assisted Classical Capacity of Noisy Quantum Channels, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 3081–3084 (1999). [1]
Conte, Elio, Todarello, Orlando, Federici, Antonio, Vitiello, Francesco, Lopane, Michele, Khrennikov, Andrei and Joseph P. Zbilut: Some remarks on an experiment suggesting quantum-like behavior of cognitive entities and formulation of an abstract quantum mechanical formalism to describe cognitive entity and its dynamics. Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 31 (2007) 1076-1088 [2]
Flanagan, Brian. Are Perceptual Fields Quantum Fields? [3]
Hodgson, David. The Mind Matters. Oxford University Press, 1993.
Koch, C. and Hepp, K., Quantum mechanics in the brain, Nature 440, 611 (30 March 2006)
Litt et al., Is the Brain a Quantum Computer?, Cognitive Science (2006) [4]
Lockwood, Michael. Mind, Brain and the Quantum. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell Ltd., 1989.
Schrodinger, Erwin. Mind and Matter. Cambridge University Press, 1959.
Weyl, Hermann. Mind and Nature, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1934.
Wigner, Eugene. "Physics and the Explanation of Life," in Foundations of Physics, vol. 1, 1970, pp. 34-45.