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arXiv:1806.01421

Towards Quantum Integrated Information Theory

Paolo Zanardi A, Michael Tomka, Lorenzo Campos Venuti

Published Jun 4, 2018• 7 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Integrated Information Theory (IIT) has emerged as one of the leading research lines in computational neuroscience to provide a mechanistic and mathematically well-defined description of the neural correlates of consciousness. Integrated Information ($Φ$) quantifies how much the integrated cause/effect structure of the global neural network fails to be accounted for by any partitioned version of it. The holistic IIT approach is in principle applicable to any information-processing dynamical network regardless of its interpretation in the context of consciousness. In this paper we take the first steps towards a formulation of a general and consistent version of IIT for interacting networks of quantum systems. A variety of different phases, from the dis-integrated ($Φ=0$) to the holistic one (extensive $\logΦ$), can be identified and their cross-overs studied.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1806.01421

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Integrated Information Theory (IIT) has emerged as one of the leading research lines in computational neuroscience to provide a mechanistic and mathematically well-defined description of the neural correlates of consciousness. Integrated Information ($\Phi$) quantifies how much the integrated cause/effect structure of the global neural network fails to be accounted for by any partitioned version of it. The holistic IIT approach is in principle applicable to any information-processing dynamical network regardless of its interpretation in the context of consciousness. In this paper we take the first steps towards a formulation of a general and consistent version of IIT for interacting networks of quantum systems. A variety of different phases, from the dis-integrated ($\Phi=0$) to the holistic one (extensive $\log\Phi$), can be identified and their cross-overs studied.

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Integrated Information Theory (IIT) has emerged as one of the leading research lines in computational neuroscience to provide a mechanistic and mathematically well-defined description of the neural correlates of consciousness. Integrated Information (ΦΦΦ) quantifies how much the integrated cause/effect structure of the global neural network fails to be accounted for by any partitioned version of it. The holistic IIT approach is in principle applicable to any information-processing dynamical network regardless of its interpretation in the context of consciousness. In this paper we take the first steps towards a formulation of a general and consistent version of IIT for interacting networks of quantum systems. A variety of different phases, from the dis-integrated (Φ=0Φ=0Φ=0) to the holistic one (extensive log⁡Φ\logΦlogΦ), can be identified and their cross-overs studied.
Integrated Information Theory (IIT) has emerged as one of the leading research lines in computational neuroscience to provide a mechanistic and mathematically well-defined description of the neural correlates of consciousness. Integrated Information (Φ\PhiΦ) quantifies how much the integrated cause/effect structure of the global neural network fails to be accounted for by any partitioned version of it. The holistic IIT approach is in principle applicable to any information-processing dynamical network regardless of its interpretation in the context of consciousness. In this paper we take the first steps towards a formulation of a general and consistent version of IIT for interacting networks of quantum systems. A variety of different phases, from the dis-integrated (Φ=0\Phi=0Φ=0) to the holistic one (extensive log⁡Φ\log\PhilogΦ), can be identified and their cross-overs studied.
Could there be quantum superpositions of conscious states, as suggested by the Wigner's friend thought experiment? Mathematical theories of consciousness, notably integrated information theory (IIT), make this question more precise by associating physical systems with both quantitative amounts of consciousness and structural characterizations of conscious states. Motivated by a recent proposal that ties wave-function collapse to integrated information, we construct a simple quantum circuit that would, on that proposal, place a minimal system-a feedback dyad-into a superposition of states that differ in their associated conscious states. This "Schrödinger's dyad" provides a controlled setting for evaluating a central desideratum of consciousness-based collapse models: that collapse rates depend on how different the experiences in the superposition are. We prove a structural constraint on collapse dynamics of a standard (Lindblad) type: if collapse is governed by too few collapse operators, collapse rates cannot in general be made to depend solely on qualitative differences between conscious states. Avoiding this limitation requires introducing many commuting operators, leading to a rapid proliferation of collapse terms even for very simple systems. This proliferation bears directly on claims that IIT-based collapse theories may be especially experimentally tractable, since the required dynamics becomes highly complex. More generally, the difficulty is not specific to IIT: any Wigner-style collapse theory that distinguishes experiences using rich internal organization (such as neural connectivity in addition to neural state) will face a comparable explosion in dynamical complexity.
Originally conceived as a theory of consciousness, integrated information theory (IIT) provides a theoretical framework intended to characterize the compositional causal information that a system, in its current state, specifies about itself. However, it remains to be determined whether IIT as a theory of consciousness is compatible with quantum mechanics as a theory of microphysics. Here, we present an extension of IIT's latest formalism to evaluate the mechanism integrated information (φ) of a system subset to discrete, finite-dimensional quantum systems (e.g., quantum logic gates). To that end, we translate a recently developed, unique measure of intrinsic information into a density matrix formulation and extend the notion of conditional independence to accommodate quantum entanglement. The compositional nature of the IIT analysis might shed some light on the internal structure of composite quantum states and operators that cannot be obtained using standard information-theoretical analysis. Finally, our results should inform theoretical arguments about the link between consciousness, causation, and physics from the classical to the quantum.
Integrated information theory (IIT) is a powerful tool that provides a framework for evaluating consciousness, whether in the human brain or in other systems. In Computing the Integrated Information of a Quantum Mechanism, the authors extend IIT from digital gates to a quantum CNOT logic gate, and while they explicitly distinguish the analysis from quantum theories of consciousness, they nonetheless provide an analytical road map for extending IIT not only to other quantum mechanisms but also to hybrid computing structures like the brain. This comment provides additional information relating to an adiabatic quantum mechanical energy routing mechanism that is part of a hybrid biological computer that provides an action selection mechanism, which has been hypothesized to exist in the human brain and for which predicted evidence has been subsequently observed, and it hopes to motivate the further evaluation and extension of IIT not only to that hypothesized mechanism but also to other hybrid biological computers.
Background: The relationship between consciousness and physical reality remains one of the most profound unsolved problems in science. While quantum mechanics suggests observer-dependent reality and Integrated Information Theory (IIT) provides a mathematical framework for consciousness, no empirical bridge between these domains has been established. Hypothesis: We propose that conscious states, characterized by high integrated information (Φ\PhiΦ), can modulate the decoherence time of proximal quantum systems. Methods: We outline an experimental protocol combining electroencephalography (EEG) measurements with quantum coherence measurements in superconducting qubits. Predictions: We predict statistically significant correlation between Φ\PhiΦ values and decoherence times (r≈0.75r\approx0.75r≈0.75, p<0.001p<0.001p<0.001), longer coherence during high-attention states, and reproducible effects across subjects and quantum platforms. Significance: Confirmation would establish consciousness as a physical variable with measurable effects on quantum systems.
This paper proposes a novel framework for a unified field theory, tentatively termed "Self-Referential Field Theory" (SRFT), that integrates quantum mechanics and consciousness. We argue that the brain's neural network, viewed as a system of 'self-referential' fields, offers a compelling pathway to understanding the emergence of complex patterns and potentially, consciousness. This theory posits that the fundamental principles governing neural activity are intrinsically linked to quantum phenomena, creating a feedback loop that drives the emergence of subjective experience. We introduce a mathematical model, utilizing the concept of 'quantum coherence' within the context of field dynamics, to explore potential mechanisms for generating emergent consciousness. This work addresses a significant gap in current theoretical understanding by explicitly modeling the interplay between quantum mechanics and consciousness, potentially offering a more complete and consistent description of the mind.