Brain Interpretation: Quantum Mechanics; Mind/Matter Relation; and Consciousness

Sultan Tarlacı

Over the past decade, discussions of the roles that quantum mechanics might or might not play in the theory of consciousness/mind have become increasingly sharp. One side of this debate stand conventional neuroscientists who assert that brain science must look to the neuron for understanding, and on the other side are certain physicists, suggesting that the rules of quantum theory might influence the dynamics of consciousness/mind. However, consciousness and mind are not separate from matter. Submicroscopic world of the human brain give rise to consciousness, mind. We are never able to make a sharp separation between mind and matter. Thus ultimately there is no “mind” that can be separated from “matter” and no “matter” that can be separated from “mind”. The brain as a mixed physical system composed of the macroscopic neuron system and an additional microscopic system. The former consists of pathway conduction of neural impulses. The latter is assumed to be a quantum mechanical many-body system interacting with the macroscopic neuron system.

John Nwanegbo-Ben

Sultan TarlacÄ

Over the past decade, discussions of the roles that quantum mechanics might or might not play in the theory of consciousness/mind have become increasingly sharp. One side of this debate stand conventional neuroscientists who assert that brain science must look to the neuron for understanding, and on the other side are certain physicists, suggesting that the rules of quantum theory might influence the dynamics of consciousness/mind. However, consciousness and mind are not separate from matter. Submicroscopic world of the human brain give rise to consciousness, mind. We are never able to make a sharp separation between mind and matter. Thus ultimately there is no “mind” that can be separated from “matter” and no “matter” that can be separated from “mind”. The brain as a mixed physical system composed of the macroscopic neuron system and an additional microscopic system. The former consists of pathway conduction of neural impulses. The latter is assumed to be a quantum mechanical many-body system interacting with the macroscopic neuron system.

В. Киричук, М. Филатов, С. В. Григорьева +2 more

Tony Leggett

It is possible that discussion of the perennial mind-body problem has been vitiated by a misunderstanding, not of the philosophy or psychology involved, but of the physics? Michael Lockwood thinks so. 'In the preface to mind, Brain and the Quantum he writes' 'In reflecting on the relation of consciousness to the matter of the brain, philosophers have been apt to take matter for granted, assuming that it is mind rather than matter that is philosophicallly problematic.' However,(p178) 'quantum mechanics is not to be regarded as just another scientific theory... it demands a complete revolution in our way of looking at the world.' His thesis, then, is that a proper re-orientation of our view of the physical world in the light of quantum mechanics (or, more precisely, of his preferred view of the interpretation of the quantum formalism) will go at least a long way towards resolving the problem of the nature of 'mental' phenomena and processes.

Richard A. Mould