Consciousness and the Quantum
arXiv Preprint Archive February 25, 2011 via arXiv
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractSensible Quantum Mechanics (also called Mindless Sensationalism) is a framework that connects conscious experience to a quantum universe by assigning each perception a measure equal to the expectation value of a corresponding quantum "awareness operator" in a fixed universal quantum state. These measures act like probabilities for a vast set of perceptions that all exist with varying degrees of reality, making detailed theories testable. The framework is deterministic—there are no propensities or indeterministic actualizations—and thus no incompatibilistic free will. Conscious perceptions are epiphenomena, determined by the awareness operators and the quantum state. Unlike "many-minds" interpretations, each perception is an entire conscious experience with no direct contact with others, making this a "many-perceptions" variant of Everett's many-worlds framework.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Quant-ph Gr-qc Consciousness Quantum-mechanics Neuroscience |
| Key finding | Sensible Quantum Mechanics provides a deterministic, epiphenomenal account of conscious perceptions as measures derived from quantum awareness operators in a fixed universal state, forming a many-perceptions framework without indeterminism or incompatibilistic free will. |
Abstract
Sensible Quantum Mechanics or Mindless Sensationalism is a framework for relating consciousness to a quantum universe. It states that each conscious perception has a measure that is given by the expectation value of a corresponding quantum "awareness operator" in a fixed quantum state of the universe. The measures can be interpreted as frequency-type probabilities for a large set of perceptions that all actually exist with varying degrees of reality, so detailed theories within this framework are testable. The measures are not propensities for potentialities to be actualized, so there is nothing indeterministic in this framework, and no free will in the incompatibilistic sense. As conscious perceptions are determined by the awareness operators and the quantum state, they are epiphenomena. No fundamental relation is postulated between different perceptions (each being the entirety of a single conscious experience and thus not in direct contact with any other), so SQM or MS, a variant of Everett's "many-worlds" framework, is a "many-perceptions" framework but not a "many-minds" framework.