The Emerging Physics of Consciousness (eBook)

Professor Jack Tuszynski received his M.Sc. with distinction in Physics from the University of Poznan (Poland) in 1980. He received his Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics from the University of Calgary in 1983. He held a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Calgary Chemistry Department in 1983. He was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Physics of the Memorial University of Newfoundland from 1983 to 1988, and at the University of Alberta Physics Department from 1988 to 1990. He joined the University of Alberta Physics Department in 1993. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Biological Physics.

Contents 6
List of Contributors 14
1 The Path Ahead 17
1.1 Definition and Fundamentals 17
1.2 Overview of the Contributions 27
1.3 New and Notable Developments 33
1.4 Conclusions 39
References 40
2 Consciousness and Quantum Physics: Empirical Research on the Subjective Reduction of the Statevector 43
2.1 Introduction 43
2.2 Experimental Design 49
2.3 Experimental Procedure 52
2.4 Data Analysis 53
2.5 Results 54
2.6 Conclusions 56
2.7 Further Research 61
Appendix 63
References 63
3 Microtubules in the Cerebral Cortex: Role in Memory and Consciousness 65
3.1 Introduction 65
3.2 Functions of Microtubules and MAPs 72
3.3 Learning and Memory: Neuroplasticity vs. Stability 81
3.4 Consciousness 93
3.5 Microtubules and Quantum Entanglement: A Possible Basis for Memory and Consciousness 101
3.6 Conclusion 105
References 106
4 Towards Experimental Tests of Quantum Effects in Cytoskeletal Proteins 111
4.1 Introduction 112
4.2 QED Model of Tubulin and its Implications 118
4.3 Tau Accumulation in Drosophila Mushroom Body Neurons Results in Memory Impairment 136
4.4 Refractometry, Surface Plasmon Resonance and Dielectric Spectroscopy of Tubulin and Microtubules 152
4.5 Emerging Directions of Experimental Tests of the Quantum Consciousness Idea 175
4.6 Unification of Concepts and Conclusions 179
References 181
5 Physicalism, Chaos and Reductionism 187
5.1 Introduction 187
5.2 Quantum and Classical Dynamics 188
5.3 What Are Classical Nonlinear Phenomena? 189
5.4 The Biological and Cognitive Hierarchies 190
5.5 Reductionism 193
5.6 Objections to Reductionism 195
5.7 Concluding Comments 204
References 206
6 Consciousness, Neurobiology and Quantum Mechanics: The Case for a Connection 209
6.1 Introduction: The Problems of Consciousness 209
6.2 Time and Consciousness 213
6.3 The Neural Correlate of Consciousness 222
6.4 The Neuronal Cytoskeleton 233
6.5 Quantum Information Processing 242
6.6 The Quantum Unconscious 246
6.7 Quantum Computation in Microtubules – The Orch OR Model 248
6.8 Applications of Orch OR to Consciousness and Cognition 252
6.9 Conclusion 258
Appendix 258
References 260
7 Life, Catalysis and Excitable Media: A Dynamic Systems Approach to Metabolism and Cognition 271
7.1 Life and Robustness 271
7.2 Life and Catalysis 276
7.3 Catalysis, Traveling Waves and Excitable Media 287
7.4 The Brain as an Excitable Medium 290
7.5 Conclusion 304
References 305
8 The Dendritic Cytoskeleton as a Computational Device: An Hypothesis 309
8.1 Introduction 309
8.2 Collective Modes of Behavior of C- Termini in Microtubules 317
8.3 Ion Waves along Actin Filaments 324
8.4 Dendritic Cytoskeleton Computation – Vision of Integration 329
8.5 Final Statement 336
References 336
9 Recurrent Quantum Neural Network and its Applications 343
9.1 Intelligence – Still Ill-Understood 343
9.2 Intelligent Filtering – Denoising of Complex Signals 344
9.3 A Comprehensive Quantum Model of Intelligent Behavior 353
9.4 RQNN-based Eye-Tracking Model 354
9.5 Concluding Remarks 363
References 364
10 Microtubules as a Quantum Hopfield Network 367
10.1 Introduction 367
10.2 Microtubulin Model 368
10.3 Hopfield Model 370
10.4 Quantum Model 371
10.5 Quantum Hopfield Network 374
10.6 QHN as an Information Propagator for a Microtubules Architecture 376
10.7 Conclusions and Future Work 383
References 385
11 Consciousness and Quantum Brain Dynamics 387
11.1 Deconstruction 387
11.2 Quantum Brain Dynamics 389
11.3 Hermitean Dual-Mode Quantum Brain Dynamics 391
11.4 Non-Hermitean Dual-Mode Quantum Brain Dynamics 392
11.5 Application to Mathematics: The Riemann Hypothesis 393
11.6 Monadological Implications of Non- Hermitean Dual- Mode QBD 397
11.7 Comment 399
References 400
12 The CEMI Field Theory: Seven Clues to the Nature of Consciousness 403
12.1 Why Do we Need a Theory of Consciousness? 403
12.2 Field Theories of Consciousness 409
12.3 The Brain’s Electromagnetic Field 410
12.4 The Influence of the Brain’s Electromagnetic Field on Neural Firing 411
12.5 The CEMI Field Theory 412
12.6 Why don’t External Fields Influence our Minds? 413
12.7 Does the CEMI Field Theory Account for the Seven Clues to the Nature of Consciousness? 414
12.8 A Last Word, Concerning Quantum Theories of Consciousness 417
12.9 Conclusions and the Way Forward 420
References 420
13 Quantum Cosmology and the Hard Problem of the Conscious Brain 423
13.1 Subject–Object Complementarity and the Hard Problem 423
13.2 Wave–Particle Complementarity, Uncertainty and Quantum Prediction 426
13.3 The Two-Timing Nature of Special Relativity 431
13.4 Reality and Virtuality: Quantum Fields and Seething Uncertainty 432
13.5 The Spooky Nature of Quantum Entanglement 433
13.6 Quantum Match-Making: Transactional Supercausality and Reality 436
13.7 Exploring the Three Pound Universe 439
13.8 Chaos and Fractal Dynamics as a Source of Sensitivity, Unpredictability and Uncertainty 444
13.9 Classical and Quantum Computation, Anticipation and Survival 446
13.10 The Cosmic Primality of Membrane Excitation 449
13.11 Chaotic Excitability and Quantum Sensitivity as a Founding Eucaryote Characteristic 453
13.12 Models of the Global-Molecular-Quantum Interface 456
13.13 Quantum Mind and Transactional Supercausality 458
13.14 Complementarity and the Sexuality of Quantum Entanglement 464
13.15 The Hard Problem: Subjective Experience, Intentional Will and Quantum Mind Theories 465
13.16 Consciousness and Neurocosmology 467
References 470
14 Consciousness and Logic in a Quantum- Computing Universe 473
14.1 Introduction 474
14.2 The Big Wow 475
14.3 How the Big Wow Drove Human Minds 477
14.4 Consciousness and Tubulins/Qubits 480
14.5 Consciousness Arises in the Bits Era 481
14.6 The Double Logic of the Observer Inside a Quantum Universe 483
14.7 IT from Qubit: The Whole Universe as a Quantum Computer 484
14.8 Quantum Minds and Black – Hole Quantum Computers in a Quantum Game 485
14.9 Qualia and Quantum Space-Time 486
14.10 Mathematical Intuition and the Logic of the Internal Observer 489
14.11 The Self 491
14.12 Conclusion 493
References 495
Index 499