Wave function collapse, traditionally viewed as a physical shift from quantum superposition to a definite state, may instead reflect information gain. This opinion piece proposes that collapse reduces uncertainty, quantifiable through Shannon and Von Neumann entropy, aligning with quantum information theory. Gy¨orgy Kampis’ referential information frames collapse as a relational, systems-based event. Experimental hints from single-photon and delayed-choice tests support this view, while philosophical connections to process philosophy and consciousness suggest reality is an informational process. This perspective challenges quantum ontologies and offers potential applications in biology and adaptive technologies, redefining how we understand complex systems.
Wave function collapse, traditionally viewed as a physical shift from quantum superposition to a definite state, may instead reflect information gain. This opinion piece proposes that collapse reduces uncertainty, quantifiable through Shannon and Von Neumann entropy, aligning with quantum information theory. Gy¨orgy Kampis’ referential information frames collapse as a relational, systems-based event. Experimental hints from single-photon and delayed-choice tests support this view, while philosophical connections to process philosophy and consciousness suggest reality is an informational process. This perspective challenges quantum ontologies and offers potential applications in biology and adaptive technologies, redefining how we understand complex systems.
An analysis has been performed of the theories and postulates advanced by von Neumann, London and Bauer, and Wigner, concerning the role that consciousness might play in the collapse of the wave function, which has become known as the measurement problem. This reveals that an error may have been made by them in the area of biology and its interface with quantum mechanics, when they called for the reduction of any superposition states in the brain through the mind or consciousness. Many years later Wigner changed his mind to reflect a simpler and more realistic objective position, expanded upon by Shimony, which appears to offer a way to resolve this issue. The argument is therefore made that the wave function of any superposed photon state or states is always objectively changed within the complex architecture of the eye in a continuous linear process initially for most of the superposed photons, followed by a discontinuous nonlinear collapse process later for any remaining superposed photons, thereby guaranteeing that only final, measured information is presented to the brain, mind or consciousness. An experiment to be conducted in the near future may enable us to simultaneously resolve the measurement problem and also determine if the linear nature of quantum mechanics is violated by the perceptual process.
ABSTRACT Because the validity of mathematics is premised on self‐reference avoidance, the validity or authenticity of the physical world must also be based on self‐reference avoidance. Based on this belief, this article explores the fundamental question of whether the collapse of the wave function is triggered by consciousness from the perspective of self‐reference avoidance. This article analyzes and points out that the real physical world (i.e., quantum systems) is self‐referential, and it contains uncomputable mathematical prohibitions, which are the essence of superposition. To avoid the paradox brought by self‐reference, quantum systems collapse from the superposition state to a definite state, which is the wave function collapse. In other words, the wave function collapse is essentially the spontaneous avoidance of self‐reference by the quantum system. Although this is related to the observer's consciousness, it is not directly triggered by consciousness, because, as part of an inseparable quantum system, the observer and the quantum system are inherently entangled. When the observer identifies themselves from the quantum system in an instant, they subconsciously avoid self‐reference, thereby gaining certainty.
This is the first single volume about the collapse theories of quantum mechanics, which is becoming a very active field of research in both physics and philosophy. In standard quantum mechanics, it is postulated that when the wave function of a quantum system is measured, it no longer follows the Schrödinger equation, but instantaneously and randomly collapses to one of the wave functions that correspond to definite measurement results. However, why and how a definite measurement result appears is unknown. A promising solution to this problem are collapse theories in which the collapse of the wave function is spontaneous and dynamical. Chapters written by distinguished physicists and philosophers of physics discuss the origin and implications of wave-function collapse, the controversies around collapse models and their ontologies, and new arguments for the reality of wave function collapse. This is an invaluable resource for students and researchers interested in the philosophy of physics and foundations of quantum mechanics.
Abstract Does consciousness collapse the quantum wave function? This idea was taken seriously by John von Neumann and Eugene Wigner but is now widely dismissed. We develop the idea by combining a mathematical theory of consciousness (integrated information theory) with an account of quantum collapse dynamics (continuous spontaneous localization). Simple versions of the theory are falsified by the quantum Zeno effect, but more complex views remain compatible with empirical evidence. In principle, versions of the theory can be tested by experiments with quantum computers. The upshot is not that consciousness-collapse interpretations are clearly correct, but that there is a research program here worth exploring.
This paper introduces a philosophical reframing of wave function collapse, proposingthat collapse serves not as the origin of reality but as the act of perception itself — themoment when awareness aligns with what is already present. Collapse is reinterpretedas the perceptual hinge that tunes attention to form rather than a mechanism thatbrings reality into existence. This reframing is explored analogically across physics,biology, culture, and cosmology, where collapse emerges as a structural pattern ofrecognition rather than an ontological rupture.By rejecting the notion that collapse creates actuality, this work positions it as theinitial act of contact: the narrowing of shimmering potential into definite shape throughrecognition rather than force. A revised operator sequence is introduced, positioningcollapse as the primary interface, followed by resonance, surplus, and closure. Thepaper is a companion to Gilbert (2026, General Ontology) and shares its philosophicalscope: it interprets the Cohesion UFT framework’s structural concepts rather thanextending its physical claims. Where the Cohesion UFT physics identifies collapse as∇p — a pressure-driven contraction — this paper asks what collapse means as an actof knowing. The two readings are complementary, not competing.Scope Statement. This paper is philosophy of physics and philosophy of mind. It does notmake physical claims beyond those established in the Cohesion UFT series. The cross-domainparallels in Section 4 are philosophical analogies, not physical assertions. The Cohesion UFTphysics stands independently. This paper asks what collapse means.
Quantum state tomography is a crucial task in quantum information science, aiming to reconstruct the complete quantum state of a complex system from a set of measurements. Traditional methods often struggle with large systems and high dimensionality, presenting significant computational challenges. This paper introduces a novel quantum state tomography method, "Hierarchical Collapse," that utilizes wave function collapse to efficiently extract information and accelerate the reconstruction process. We propose a hierarchical collapse algorithm that progressively reduces the complexity of the wave function, offering a significant improvement over existing approaches. The core mechanism hinges on the strategic application of collapse events to minimize the number of independent measurements required. This approach has the potential to drastically reduce the computational burden associated with quantum state tomography, opening up possibilities for exploring larger and more complex quantum systems.