Download Self-Observing Quantum Systems

PART I: ADVANCES OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
Consciousness in Physics and Philosophy
A Brief Review
Alex Hankey PhD Budapest Conference on Consciousness 20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
HUNGARY & HUNGARIAN PHYSICISTS
Tribute to their Fundamental Contributions
Eugene Wigner
– Consciousness in Psi Collapse
Jon Von Neumann
– Quantum Theory of Measurment
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 1
PRINCIPLE THRUSTS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
* Progress from the Perspective of Physics
– Nature of Reality: Non-Objective hence Psi !!!
– Mind-Body Connection, Quantum Coherence
* Requirements from the Perspective of Philosophy
– Physics and Philosophy: Holistic, Non-Reductive
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 2
ADVANCES OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
* Identifying Advantages of Quantum Theory
* Establishing Necessary Conditions for
Theories of Consciousness
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 3
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
PHYSICISTS:
D'Espagnat, Bell , Aspect
Domash, Hagelin, Penrose, Hameroff
Stapp, Wheeler, Zeilinger
PHILOSOPHERS:
Jon Shear, David Chalmers,
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 4
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
D'Espagnat – Quantum Correlations mena that
neither the microscopic nor macroscopic worlds are
Objectively Real
Bell's Theorem – we can distinguish between quantum
reality and hidden variable theories
Aspect et al – Quantum Reality holds: quantum
correlations hold over macroscopic distances
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 5
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
Larry Domash
Pure Consciousness is a State of Least Excitation
Consciousness & Macroscopic Quantum Coherence
Sir Roger Penrose
Also supports Macroscopic Quantum Coherence
Consciousness involves non-computational physics
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 6
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
Sir Roger Penrose / Stuart Hameroff
Specific Model of MIND-BODY CONNECTION
Involving subtle biology: information bearing
potential of proteins in each Cell's Cytoskeleton
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 7
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
John Hagelin – Unified Field & Consciousness
Because: Consciousness is Holistic
Qualities of Pure Consciousness
Field of All Possibilites / Infinite Creativity
Infinite Dynamism Infinite Silence Infinite Intelligence
Approach of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 8
MAIN THRUST OF PHYSICAL REALITY
John A. Wheeler - IT from BIT
Anton Zeilinger - Information is Fundamental
Myself at Previous Budapest Conference
– Manifest Reality, Quantum Virtual Reality
Roy Frieden – 'Physics from Fisher Information'
Structure of All Lagrangians show that
All Physics arise from Information Production
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 9
FACING UP TO THE CHALLENGE
PHYSICS of the MIND BODY Connection
– This must be based on Holistic Physics
– Connect to my Theory of the Life Force
– Show that the Quantized Fluctuations
represent Systems with Self-Knowledge
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHYSICS AND CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 10
POSSIBLE IDEE FIXE
CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE UNIFIED FIELD
Hence: PHYSICS of the MIND BODY Connection
may lie in Extensions of Unified Field Physics
I hope to show you why this is unlikely to be true
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHILOSOPHY& CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 1
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
Jon Shear – Pure Conciousness is Basic, Fundamental
David Chalmers – Awareness must be posited in Itself
– Reductive Theories have failed, therefore
– Any Physical Theory must be Non-Reductive
– Any Information Space to indicate Self-Awareness
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
CONSCIOUSNESS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS
A Brief Review of the Advances in the
Physics and Philosophy of Consciousness
PHILOSOPHY& CONSCIOUSNESS SUMMARY 2
MAIN CONTRIBUTORS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS
Jonathan Shear – The Inner Dimension.
Philosophy and the Experience of Consciousness
Explaining Consciousness: The Hard Problem
(w. the late Francisco Varela) The View from Within:
First Person Approaches to the Study of Consciousness
David Chalmers – The Conscious Mind
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
PART II: SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
Alex Hankey PhD Budapest Conference on Consciousness 20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS:
Systems containing Self-Knowledge
MEETING THE CHALLENGES FACING
THEORIES OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 1
a. An Infinitesimal Feedback Loop attached to a
Point in a Field makes that Point Self-Observing
b. At a Feedback Instability, Feedback Loops of
certain Field Systems become Infinitesimal
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 2
c. At its Feedback Instability, a System of
Quantum Fields can become
Self Observing
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 2
c. At its Feedback Instability, a Quantum System
becomes a
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEM
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 3
d. A SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEM
inherently possesses
SELF-KNOWLEDGE
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 4
e. SELF-KNOWLEDGE
Constitutes a Defining Attribute
of
CONSCIOUSNESS
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 5
e. CONSCIOUSNESS can Couple to Matter
using
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
as its
Material Substrate
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 6
CONCLUSION I:
Feedback Instabilities in Quantum Systems
offer Appropriate Conditions where
“Consciousness Couples to Matter”
i.e. 'Mind-Matter' Coupling Occurs
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION 7
CONCLUSION II:
Quantized Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
offer a possible model for
'MIND'
i.e. That Aspect of Consciousness Coupling to Matter
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
The Physics underlying Self Observing Quantum Systems
SOQS's as Substrates for CONSCIOUSNES
SELF KNOWLEDGE
Quantum Fluctuations
Critical Fluctuations
SELF OBSERVING
QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Critical Phenomena
Feedback Instabilities
Quantum Fields as
Knowledge of the
Observed Quanta
Quantum Theory
of Observation
Infinitesimal
Feedback Loops
Feedback
Quantum Theory
Fundamental Physics & Physics Concepts
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: Main Topics
* Self-Awareness: the Characteristic of Experience
* Are there Physical Systems with Self-Knowledge?
* Classical Physics versus Quantum Physics
* Knowledge in Quantum Systems
* Feedback as the Essence of Intelligent Function
* Instability in Physical Systems
* Quantum Systems at Feedback Instabilities
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: Main Concepts
* Experience – Awareness – States of Mind
* Self-Knowledge – Conscious Experience
* Physics: Classical / Quantum & Stable / Unstable
* Atomic / Subatomic Systems : Quantum Systems
* Systems with Feedback
* Instability in Physical Systems
* Instability in Systems with Feedback
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: MIND Main Concepts
* We will discuss 'Mind' as the means for experience
* We are not concerned with how the Mind may work
* It is common sense that we all have experience
* We can all talk about 'our experiences'
* We all identify experiences as 'our own'
* This depends of memory, on remembering them
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: MIND Main Concepts
Self-Awareness: the Characteristic of Experience
* Awareness – Consciousness – Intelligence
* We need not define them if we know how they relate
Awareness underlies all Conscious experience: Sense etc
Consciousness: Continuity of Awareness, Knowingness
Intelligence is Interactive: Based on Feeling & Thought
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: MIND Main Concepts
Awareness – Consciousness – Intelligence
Awareness underlies all Conscious experience:
Sensory, Thought, Feeling, Ego, Being
Conscious Experience has Major Characteristics:
Self-Awareness: Continuity of Awareness
Self-Knowledge: Identity Memory
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: MIND Main Concepts
Awareness – Consciousness – Intelligence
Because (1) Continuity of Awareness and (2) Identity
Memory underly all our Conscious experience:
We can identify all our experiences as 'our own'
These two constitute fundamental mechanisms by
which Self-Knowledge underlies All Experience
Sensory, Thought, Feeling, Ego, Being
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: MIND Main Concepts
Intelligence
We are Conscious of Being Ourselves:
Our Intelligence
Knows What it FEELS like to Be Ourselves
It may Try to Identify what it Thinks We May Be
Intelligence mediates our Feeling for Who We Are
(Ego) with the Worlds of Thought and Sense
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: BODY Detailed Topics
* Feedback and Feedback Loops
* Information Flow in Feedback Loops
* Information in Quantum Systems
* Quantum Excitations of Feedback Instabilities
* Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
* Quantum Feedback Instability Fluctuations
* Self-Observing Quantum Systems: Self-Knowledge
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
OVERVIEW: BODY Detailed Topics
Self-Observing Quantum Systems
These enable the Physiology to support
Information Systems with Self-Knowledge
* Self-Knowledge: the Definition of Consciousness
* They can mediate between Body and Mind
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
PHYSICS: Areas of Physics
* There are many kinds of System treated by Physics
* Macroscopic Systems treated by 'Classical Physics'
* Microscopic Systems treated by 'Quantum Physics'
* Normally, Physical Systems are Stable
* Physical Systems may become Unstable
* This only happens under special physical conditions
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
PHYSICS: Particular Area of Physics
* Physics: Divide into Four Areas According to
Classical or Quantum
Stable or Unstable
* Only 3 out of the 4 Areas have been treated
* Classical: both kinds – Stable and Unstable
* Stable – Classical and Quantum
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
The FORGOTTEN QUADRANT of Physics
Areas of Physics
Classical
Stable
Unstable
Quantum
Normal
Classical Physics
All Quantum
Physics
Physics of
Critical Points
Empty
Quarter
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
The FORGOTTEN QUADRANT of Physics
* Microscopic Quantum Systems can become unstable
* Unstable Quantum Systems are still Untreated
Here, in this Neglected Area of Physics Lies
* The possibility of Body-Mind connection
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
PHYSICS: Physics of Feedback
* Physics of Feedback discovered by Norbert Wiener
* Feedback Loops produce Cycles of Information
* Feedback can make a System Unstable
* Systems become unstable at Feedback Instabilities
* Feedback exists in Microscopic Quantum Systems
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
PHYSICS: The Meaning of Feedback
* Information flows round a Feedback Loop
* Feedback occurs Far-From-Equilibrium
* Information flows from Transmitter to Receiver
* An Observer is a Receiver of Observation
* Several Transmitter-Receivers may be in a Loop
* e.g. Loudspeaker – Microphone – Amplifier
* The Interpretation of a single T-R Loop
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
PHYSICS: Single Stage Feedback Loops
* In a Feedback Loop with only One Stage
* The Receiver of Information is the Transmitter
* Transmitter and Receiver are Identical
* The Receiver is still an Observer
* A Single Stage Loop results in Self-Observation
* Such a System is a Self-Observing System
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
PHYSICS: Feedback Loops at an Instability
* Feedback Loops become Infinitesimally Small
* An Infinitesimal Feedback Loop has One Stage
* The Receiver of Information is the Transmitter
* The Infinitesimal Loop results in Self-Observation
* Can this apply to Quantum Systems ?
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
Effect of Feedback at the Feedback Instability
of a Quantum System
The Infinitesimally Small Feedback Loops
* Have only One Stage
* Are attached to every point in the Field
* Mean that Self-Observation is Occuring
* At Every Point in the Quantum System !
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
Effect of Observation on a Quantum System
* Normally Observation 'Collapses a Quantum Field'
* In Self-Observation something Similar must occur
At a Feedback Instability:
* The Normal Mode Quantum Field is Destabilized
* The Entire Quantum Field Disappears ('Collapses')
* That is Consistent with 'Self-Observation' Occuring
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
Effect of Self-Observation on a Quantum Field
At a Feedback Instability:
* Normal Mode Quantum Fields Destabilize
* They are Replaced by Quantum Fluctuation Fields
CONCLUSIONS
* Ordinary Quantum Fields cannot be Self-Observing
* Quantum Fluctuation Fields Uniquely Constitute
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
The Connection to Consciousness
* Quantum Fields do NOT Refer to the Quantum
* They Refer to the Observer's Knowledge of it
HENCE, there is a valid sense in which:
* A Self-Observing Quantum System Represents a
System with Self Knowledge
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
BUT 'Self-Knowledge' is a definition of Consciousness
CONCLUSION
* Self-Observing Quantum Systems are more validly
concerned with Consciousness than the ordinary
Quantum Fields usually proposed for the purpose.
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF CAM
SELF OBSERVING
QUANTUM
SYSTEMS
PART 3: Consciousness
Solution toSelf-Observing
the Mind Matter
&
Mind
Body
Problems?
Quantum Systems
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities and
CONSCIOUSNESS
QUESTION
* Can Quantum Fluctuations represent Information?
i.e. Information Content of Conscious Awareness
Because Inherent Self-Knowledge is Attached?
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities and
CONSCIOUSNESS
REQUIREMENT
* To represent Information a Set of 'Letters' forming
An 'Information Space' is Required
* Otherwise 'Information' can not be represented
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities and
CONSCIOUSNESS
POINT: Because of their Mathematical Structure
* All Quantum Systems are 'Information Spaces'
* Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities are
Information Spaces with Inherent Self-Knowledge
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities and
CONSCIOUSNESS
CONCLUSION
* Quantum Fluctuations uniquely form Information
Spaces with Inherent Self-Knowledge, so they can
support the Information Content of Consciousness
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities and
CONSCIOUSNESS
FROM PART 2:
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
* Contain v. High Macroscopic Quantum Coherence
* Are therefore also Holistic
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities and
CONSCIOUSNESS
POINTS:
* Macroscopic Quantum Coherence is a hypothesized
Property of Consciousness (by Domash & Penrose)
* Being 'Holistic' is a normally accepted requirement
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
CONCLUSIONS:
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities can
represent the Information Content of Consciousnesss
because they satisfy 4 Recognized Requirements :
* Information Spaces
* High Quantum Coherence
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
* Self-Knowledge
* Holistic
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
AND THE 'MIND-BODY' PROBLEM
BONUS FROM PART 2:
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
* Are able to detach from their Physical Subtrate
* Seem to Exist Independently of the Physiology
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
AND THE 'MIND-BODY' PROBLEM
ADDITIONAL CONCLUSION:
Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
* May explain how 'Mind' can 'Couple' to 'Body'
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND THE MIND-BODY PROBLEM
All this suggests that, for the above reasons,
Self-Observing Quantum Systems,
i.e. Quantum Fluctuations at Feedback Instabilities
CAN VALIDLY REPRESENT 'MIND'
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND THE MIND-BODY PROBLEM
In his book 'The Conscious Mind' (Oxford 1999),
David Chalmers states:
* A Theory of Consciousness must be Non-Reductive
* It must Carry a Self-Referral Component so as to
Satisfy the need for Self-Awareness
The proposed Theory possesses Both these Properties
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND THE MIND-MATTER PROBLEM 1
In the Proposed Model of the Content of Mind
* Ordinary Quantum Fields Represent Matter
* Quantum Fluctuation Fields are utterly different
* 'Mind' is completely distinct from Matter
* The Model appears to be strongly Cartesian
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND THE MIND-MATTER PROBLEM 2
However, in the Proposed Model :
* Quantum Fluctuation Fields fl can be expressed in
terms of the Ordinary Quantum Fields  by:
fl = (2 - ||2)(1 + a) / ||(1 + 2a)
* Though distinct, 'Mind' and 'Matter' are related
* Though seemingly Cartesian, the Model is Unitive!
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND THE MIND-MATTER PROBLEM 3
Because of the Proposed Model's Equation :
fl = (2 - ||2)(1 + a) / ||(1 + 2a)
* Every Quantum Field  , every particle of 'Matter'
has an associated aspect of 'Mind' fl
* This was predicted by Alfred North Whitehead
* The Model is 'Whiteheadian' (c.f. Abner Shimony)
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
AND THE MIND-MATTER PROBLEM 4
SUMMARY
* The Quantize Fluctuation Model explains the
difference between Mind & Matter a la Descartes
* It implies that, Ultimately, Mind and Matter have a
Common Source – a greater kind of Quantum Field
* In this it is in accordance with Advaita Vedanta
* It agrees with Alfred North Whitehead
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM
The Panpsychism problem concerns Two Questions
which arise if 'Mind' is an Aspect of Everything:
* Can / do 'Minds' exist in things other than bodies?
* If so, what form does 'Mind' take in each thing?
i.e. in what sense is 'Mind' present in each object ?
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM 1
Self Observing Quantum Field Models of Mind offer
definite Answers to the Panpsychism problem
* Mind only couples Stably to Matter at Feedback
Instabilities Obeying 'Self-Organized Criticality'
* Feedback Instabilities Require Conditions that are
Far-From-Thermodynamic-Equilibrium
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM 2
IMPLICATIONS for the Panpsychism problem :
* Only living organisms offer the possibilities of being
both Far-From-Thermodynamic-Equilibrium and
under the control of 'Self-Organized Criticality'
CONCLUSION: 'MIND' as we know it,
* Couples exclusively to Living Organisms
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM 3
CONSIDERATION: Feedback Instabilities are found
in Organism Specific Patterns
* in Epigenetic Regulation of Genomes
* In Neural Network Regulation Processes
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM 4
CONCLUSION :
* Each Kind of Living Organisms offers Particular
Patterns of Genomic Regulation and Neural
Network Instabilities for Mind to Couple to.
* Each Organism couples to its own Kind of 'Mind'
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM 5
CONCLUSIONS :
* The Complexity of Biological Matter is such that its
Structure can couple to a specific kind of Soul !!!
* There should be a Specific 'Structure of Soul' for
each Organism
* This sounds like the 'Great Chain of Being'
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
THE PANPSYCHISM PROBLEM 1
SUMMARY
The Panpsychism problem concerns 2 questions
which arise if 'Mind' is an aspect of everything:
* Can / do 'Minds' exist in things other than bodies?
* If so, what form does 'Mind' take in each thing?
i.e. in what sense is 'Mind' present in each object ?
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Solution to the Mind Matter & Mind Body Problems?
SELF OBSERVING QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Systems with Self-Knowledge
SUMMARY
SOQS's: Are Non-Reductive & Holistic
Exhibit Macroscopic Quantum Coherence
Have Inherent Self Referral for Awareness
Exhibit Basic Intelligence
Connect to the Physiology Satisfactorily
Alex Hankey PhD
Budapest
20 May 2008
Thank you
Alex Hankey
20 May 2008
Budapest Conference on Consciousness