Shadows of the Mind: a Search for the Missing Science of Consciousness Pdf
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'Shadows of the Mind'
'Shadows of the Mind' © 1997−2009, Millennium Mathematics Project, University of Cambridge. Permission is granted to print and copy this page on paper for non−commercial use. For other uses, including electronic redistribution, please contact us. Jan 2002 Reviews 'Shadows of the Mind' reviewed by Patrick R. Andrews Shadows of the Mind Roger Penrose This book attempts to take a firm grip on a corner of the slippery issue of consciousness. It is directly related to Roger Penrose's earlier, hugely successful work, The Emperor's New Mind. Although much space is devoted to painstaking replies to the criticisms made of the earlier book, this is not simply a sequel. It contains a number of new ideas, some of which are still being actively debated seven years after the book was first published. Penrose signposts some alternative routes through his extensive material, depending upon whether the reader requires a closely−argued treatment or a painless overview. Although few equations appear in the text, there are several pages of symbolic reasoning that a casual reader may find daunting. The decision not to get too tied up in definitions of mind, consciousness, thinking and intelligence etc, is made explicit at an early stage and these are treated largely as synonyms throughout. The book is divided into two parts. Part I attempts to convince the reader that the brain can achieve at least one thing which no computer ever can. What Penrose seems to be getting at, in essence, is that mathematicians are capable of reaching conclusions, via some mysterious process of insight, which are, in principle, beyond computation in the sense that Turing understood it (ie a step−by−step recipe applied to input data in order to generate an output). -
14 Consciousness in the Universe an Updated Review of the “Orch
“9x6” b2237 Biophysics of Consciousness: A Foundational Approach FA Biophysics of Consciousness: A Foundational Approach R. R. Poznanski, J. A. Tuszynski and T. E. Feinberg Copyright © 2016 World Scientific, Singapore. 14 CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE UNIVERSE AN UPDATED REVIEW OF THE “ORCH OR” THEORY Stuart R. Hameroff,* and Roger Penrose† * Anesthesiology and Psychology, Center for Consciousness Studies, Banner-University Medical Center The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA † Mathematical Institute and Wadham College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Abstract The nature of consciousness, the mechanism by which it occurs in the brain, and its ultimate place in the universe are unknown. We proposed in the mid 1990’s that consciousness depends on biologically “orchestrated” coherent quantum processes in collections of microtubules within brain neurons, that these quantum processes correlate with, and regulate, neuronal synaptic and membrane activity, and that the continuous Schrödinger evolution of each such process terminates in accordance with the specific Diósi–Penrose (DP) scheme of “ objective reduction” (“OR”) of the quantum state. This orchestrated OR activity (“Orch OR”) is taken to result in moments of conscious awareness and/or choice. The DP form of OR is related to the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and space–time geometry, so Orch OR suggests that there is a connection between the brain’s biomolecular processes and the basic structure of the universe. Here we review Orch OR in light of criticisms and developments in quantum biology, neuroscience, physics and cosmology. We also introduce novel suggestions of (1) beat frequencies of faster Orch OR microtubule dynamics (e.g. megahertz) as a possible source 517 bb2237_Ch-14.indd2237_Ch-14.indd 551717 44/15/2016/15/2016 112:31:372:31:37 PPMM FA b2237 Biophysics of Consciousness: A Foundational Approach “9x6” 518 S. -
"Orchestrated Objective Reduction"(Orch OR)
Orchestrated Objective Reduction of Quantum Coherence in Brain Microtubules: The "Orch OR" Model for Consciousness Stuart Hameroff & Roger Penrose, In: Toward a Science of Consciousness - The First Tucson Discussions and Debates, eds. Hameroff, S.R., Kaszniak, A.W. and Scott, A.C., Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 507-540 (1996) Stuart Hameroff and Roger Penrose ABSTRACT Features of consciousness difficult to understand in terms of conventional neuroscience have evoked application of quantum theory, which describes the fundamental behavior of matter and energy. In this paper we propose that aspects of quantum theory (e.g. quantum coherence) and of a newly proposed physical phenomenon of quantum wave function "self-collapse"(objective reduction: OR -Penrose, 1994) are essential for consciousness, and occur in cytoskeletal microtubules and other structures within each of the brain's neurons. The particular characteristics of microtubules suitable for quantum effects include their crystal-like lattice structure, hollow inner core, organization of cell function and capacity for information processing. We envisage that conformational states of microtubule subunits (tubulins) are coupled to internal quantum events, and cooperatively interact (compute) with other tubulins. We further assume that macroscopic coherent superposition of quantum-coupled tubulin conformational states occurs throughout significant brain volumes and provides the global binding essential to consciousness. We equate the emergence of the microtubule quantum coherence with pre-conscious processing which grows (for up to 500 milliseconds) until the mass-energy difference among the separated states of tubulins reaches a threshold related to quantum gravity. According to the arguments for OR put forth in Penrose (1994), superpositioned states each have their own space-time geometries. -
Mathematical Undecidability, Quantum Nonlocality And
MATHEMATICAL UNDECIDABILITY, QUANTUM NONLOCALITY AND THE QUESTION OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD MATHEMATICAL UNDECIDABILITY, QUANTUM NONLOCALITY AND THE QUESTION OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD Edited by ALFRED DRIESSEN Department ofApplied Physics, University ofTwente, Enschede, the Netherlands and ANTOINE SUAREZ The Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V. Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data MatheMatlcal undecldabl1lty, quantuN nonlocallty and the quest Ion of the exlstence of God I Alfred Drlessen, Antolne Suarez, editors. p. cm. Includes blbliographlcal references and Index. ISBN 978-94-010-6283-1 ISBN 978-94-011-5428-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-5428-4 1. PhYS1CS--Phl1osophy. 2. Mathe.atlcs--Phl1osophy. 3. Ouantu. theory. 4. Gud--PfQ~f, Ontologieai. I. Drlessen, Alfred. II. Suarez, Antolne. OC6.M357 1997 530' .01--dc20 96-36621 ISBN 978-94-010-6283-1 Printed on acid-free paper All rights reserved © 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1997 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1997 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, inc1uding photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner. TABLE OF CONTENTS A. DRIESSEN and A. SUAREZ / Preface vii A. DRIESSEN and A. SUAREZ / Introduction Xl PART I: MATHEMATICS AND UNDECIDABILITY 1. H.-C. REICHEL / How can or should the recent developments in mathematics influence the philosophy of mathematics? 3 2. G.J. CHAITIN / Number and randomness: algorithmic information theory - new results on the foundations of mathematics 15 3. -
Consequences of Theoretically Modeling the Mind As a Computer
PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE ESCUELA DE PSICOLOGIA´ CONSEQUENCES OF THEORETICALLY MODELING THE MIND AS A COMPUTER ESTEBAN HURTADO LEON´ Thesis submitted to the Office of Research and Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Psychology Advisor: CARLOS CORNEJO ALARCON´ Santiago de Chile, August 2017 c MMXVII, ESTEBAN HURTADO PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE ESCUELA DE PSICOLOGIA´ CONSEQUENCES OF THEORETICALLY MODELING THE MIND AS A COMPUTER ESTEBAN HURTADO LEON´ Members of the Committee: CARLOS CORNEJO ALARCON´ DIEGO COSMELLI SANCHEZ LUIS DISSETT VELEZ JAAN VALSINER ......... Thesis submitted to the Office of Research and Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Psychology Santiago de Chile, August 2017 c MMXVII, ESTEBAN HURTADO To Carmen and Fulvio ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the School of Psychology at Pontificia Universidad Catolica´ de Chile for taking me in and walking me through the diversity of the study of the mind. I am in debt to all the teachers who kindly and passionately shared their knowledge with me, and very specially to the kind and helpful work of the administrative staff. I took my first steps in theoretical computer science at the School of Engineering of the same university, with Dr. Alvaro´ Campos, who is no longer with us. His passion for knowledge, dedication and warmth continue to inspire those of us who where lucky enough to cross paths with him. The generous and theoretically profound support of the committee members has been fundamental to the production of this text. I am deeply thankful to all of them. -
More Neural Than Thou (Reply to Pat Churchland's "Brainshy")
More Neural Than Thou (Reply to Pat Churchland's "Brainshy") Stuart Hameroff in: Toward a Science of Consciousness II: The 1996 Tucson Discussions and Debates Editors Stuart Hameroff, Alfred Kaszniak, Alwyn Scott MIT Press, Cambridge MA 1998 Introduction: Neuralism In "Brainshy: Non-neural theories of conscious experience," (this volume) Patricia Churchland considers three "non-neural" approaches to the puzzle of consciousness: 1) Chalmers' fundamental information, 2) Searle's "intrinsic" property of brain, and 3) Penrose-Hameroff quantum phenomena in microtubules. In rejecting these ideas, Churchland flies the flag of "neuralism." She claims that conscious experience will be totally and completely explained by the dynamical complexity of properties at the level of neurons and neural networks. As far as consciousness goes, neural network firing patterns triggered by axon-to-dendrite synaptic chemical transmissions are the fundamental correlates of consciousness. There is no need to look elsewhere. However Churchland's "neuralism" and allegiance to the brain-as-computer doctrine obscures inconvenient details. For example: 1. Neurotransmitter vesicle release is probabilistic (and possibly non-computable). Only about 15% of axonal action potentials reaching pre-synaptic terminals result in actual release of neurotransmitter vesicle. Beck and Eccles (1992) suggested quantum indeterminacy acts here. 2. Apart from chemical synapses, primitive electrotonic gap junctions may play an important role in consciousness. For example gap junctions may mediate coherent 40 Hz-type activity implicated in binding in vision and self (Jibu, 1990; Hameroff, 1996). 3. It is quite possible that consciousness occurs primarily in dendritic-dendritic processing and that axonal firings support primarily automatic, non-conscious activities (e.g. -
Arxiv:1708.01170V2 [Quant-Ph]
The Algebra of the Pseudo-Observables II: The Measurement Problem Edoardo Piparo‡ Liceo Scientifico Statale “Archimede”, Viale Regina Margherita 3, I-98121 Messina, Italy E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. In this second paper, we develop the full mathematical structure of the algebra of the pseudo-observables, in order to solve the quantum measurement problem. Quantum state vectors are recovered but as auxiliary pseudo-observables storing the information acquired in a set of observations. The whole process of measurement is deeply reanalyzed in the conclusive section, evidencing original aspects. The relation of the theory with some popular interpretations of Quantum Mechanics is also discussed, showing that both Relational Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Bayesianism may be regarded as compatible interpretations of the theory. A final discussion on reality, tries to bring a new insight on it. Keywords: Quantum measurement problem, interpretation of quantum mechanics, relational quantum mechanics, quantum bayesianism PACS numbers: 03.65.Ta arXiv:1708.01170v2 [quant-ph] 10 Sep 2017 ‡ A.I.F. Associazione per l’Insegnamento della Fisica - Gruppo Storia della Fisica: http://www.lfns.it/STORIA/index.php/it/chi-siamo The Algebra of the Pseudo-Observables II 2 1. Introduction 1.1. Measurement in Quantum Mechanics Quantum measurement theory in standard textbooks is expressed in term of the Copenhagen interpretation, that can be summarized in the following essential points: (i) A state vector gives a complete description of the state of a physical system. It determines the probability distribution of the measure outcomes of any observable quantity. (ii) Our knowledge of the physical reality cannot be expressed but by means of the language of the “Classical Physics”. -
Neuroscience, Quantum Space-Time Geometry and Orch OR Theory
Journal of Cosmology, 2011, Vol. 14. JournalofCosmology.com, 2011 Consciousness in the Universe: Neuroscience, Quantum Space-Time Geometry and Orch OR Theory Roger Penrose, PhD, OM, FRS1, and Stuart Hameroff, MD2 1Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor, Mathematical Institute, Emeritus Fellow, Wadham College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK 2Professor, Anesthesiology and Psychology, Director, Center for Consciousness Studies, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA Abstract The nature of consciousness, its occurrence in the brain, and its ultimate place in the universe are unknown. We proposed in the mid 1990's that consciousness depends on biologically 'orchestrated' quantum computations in collections of microtubules within brain neurons, that these quantum computations correlate with and regulate neuronal activity, and that the continuous Schrödinger evolution of each quantum computation terminates in accordance with the specific Diósi–Penrose (DP) scheme of 'objective reduction' of the quantum state (OR). This orchestrated OR activity (Orch OR) is taken to result in a moment of conscious awareness and/or choice. This particular (DP) form of OR is taken to be a quantum-gravity process related to the fundamentals of spacetime geometry, so Orch OR suggests a connection between brain biomolecular processes and fine-scale structure of the universe. Here we review and update Orch OR in light of criticisms and developments in quantum biology, neuroscience, physics and cosmology. We conclude that consciousness plays an intrinsic role in the universe. KEY WORDS: Consciousness, microtubules, OR, Orch OR, quantum computation, quantum gravity 1. Introduction: Consciousness, Brain and Evolution Consciousness implies awareness: subjective experience of internal and external phenomenal worlds. Consciousness is central also to understanding, meaning and volitional choice with the experience of free will. -
On the Algebraic Representation of Causation Giving Mathematical Form to Philosophical Decisions Part I Dr
On The Algebraic Representation of Causation Giving Mathematical Form to Philosophical Decisions Part I Dr. Roy Lisker Ferment Press 8 Liberty Street#306 Middletown, CT 06457 <http://www.fermentmagazine.org> On The Algebraic Representation of Causation Roy Lisker, PhD Ferment Press 8 Liberty Street #306 Middletown, CT 06457 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS Part I I. Introduction ...................................... Page 1 II. Causal Function Algebras....................... 5 (a) The Extrinsic Structure ............. 6 (b) The Intrinsic Structure ............. 11 Example I:“Every effect is a cause” 14 (i) Multi-Agents ..... 16 (ii) Causal Chains ... 17 (iii) Feedback Loops.. 18 (iv) Vector Fields ..... 19 Example II: Additivity ................. 20 (i)Magnitude Algebras 21 (ii) Concatenation Algebras ......... 22 (iii) Superposition Principles ....... 23 Example III: StrictDeterminism ..........25 Example IV: Temporal Invariance .... 26 (c) The 3 Temporal Modes.................... 30 Modal Predicates.............. 31 Modal Calculi I. Possibility vs. Necessity...32 II. The Knowable, Unknowable and Unknown..................34 III. The Possible and Conceivable.................. 37 (d) Appendix: Algebraic Structure of Causation in Quantum Theory: 4 Formalisms (i) Heisenberg ...... 39 (ii) Schrodinger..... 41 (iii) Dirac............. 41 (iv) von Neumann.... 42 III.The Lagrange/Hamilton Paradigm (a) Unpacking the Instant ................... 43 (b) Difficulties of Leibniz/Kant: (i) Cancellation Points ........ 48 (ii) Singularities ................. -
Why We Shouldn't Fault Lucas and Penrose for Continuing to Believe In
Why we shouldn’t fault Lucas and Penrose for continuing to believe in the Gödelian argument against computationalism & how we should, instead, use Gödel’s reasoning to define logical satisfaction , logical truth , logical soundness , and logical completeness verifiably, and unarguably Bhupinder Singh Anand 1 The only fault we can fairly lay at Lucas’ and Penrose’s doors, for continuing to believe in the essential soundness of the Gödelian argument, is their naïve faith in, first, non-verifiable assertions in standard expositions of classical theory, and, second, in Gödel’s unvalidated interpretation of his own formal reasoning. We show why their faith is misplaced in both instances. 1. Introduction Although most reasoned critiques (such as, for instance, [Bo90], [Br00], [Da93], [Fe96], [La98], [Le69], [Le89], [Pu95]) of Lucas’ and Penrose’s arguments against computationalism are unassailable, they do not satisfactorily explain why Lucas and Penrose - reasonable men, both - remain convinced of the essential soundness of their own arguments ([Lu96], [Pe96]). 1 The author is an independent scholar. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Postal address: 32, Agarwal House, D Road, Churchgate, Mumbai - 400 020, INDIA. Tel: +91 (22) 2281 3353. Fax: +91 (22) 2209 5091. 2 A less technically critical review of their arguments is, indeed, necessary to appreciate the reasonability of their belief. It stems from the fact that, on the one hand, Lucas and Penrose have, unquestioningly, put faith in, and followed, standard expositions of classical theory in overlooking what Gödel has actually proven in Theorem VI ([Go31], p24) of his seminal 1931 paper [Go31] on formally undecidable arithmetical propositions; on the other, they have, similarly, put faith in, and uncritically accepted as definitive, Gödel's own, informal and unvalidated, interpretation of the implications of this Theorem ([Go31], p27). -
The Singularity, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI
The Singularity, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI J. Mark Bishop Abstract Professor Stephen Hawking recently warned about the growing power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to imbue robots with the ability to both replicate them- selves and to increase the rate at which they get smarter - leading to a tipping point or ‘technological singularity’ when they can outsmart humans. In this chapter I will argue that Hawking is essentially correct to flag up an existential danger surrounding widespread deployment of ‘autonomous machines’, but wrong to be so concerned about the singularity, wherein advances in AI effectively makes the human race re- dundant; in my world AI - with humans in the loop - may yet be a force for good. 1 Background: the ‘technological’ singularity It is not often that you are obliged to proclaim a much-loved international genius wrong, but in his alarming prediction regarding Artificial Intelligence and the future of humankind, I believe Professor Stephen Hawking is. Well, to be precise, being a theoretical physicist - in an echo of Schrdinger’s cat, famously both dead and alive at the same time - I believe the eminent Professor is both wrong and right at the same time1. Wrong because there are strong grounds for believing that computers will never be able to replicate all human cognitive faculties and right because even such emas- culated machines may still pose a threat to mankind’s future existence; an existential threat, so to speak. In a television interview on December 2nd 2014 Rory Cellan-Jones asked how far engineers had come along the path towards creating artificial intelligence to which, slightly alarmingly, Professor Hawking replied “Once humans develop artificial in- telligence it would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever increasing rate. -
Between the Motion and the Act...:A Review of "Shadows of the Mind" by Roger Penrose
Between The Motion And The Act... A Review of Shadows of the Mind by Roger Penrose Tim Maudlin Department of Philosophy Rutgers University New Brunswick, NJ 08903 USA [email protected] Copyright (c) Tim Maudlin 1995 PSYCHE, 2(2), April 1995 http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v2/psyche-2-02-maudlin.html KEYWORDS: artificial intelligence, computation, Gödel's theorem, Penrose, physics, quantum mechanics, relativity, Turing test. REVIEW OF: Roger Penrose (1994) Shadows of the Mind. New York: Oxford University Press. 457 pp. Price: $US 25 hbk. ISBN 0-19-853978- 9. 1. Introduction 1.1 In these comments I want to leave aside entirely whether human mathematical understanding is achieved solely through the manipulation of linguistic symbols by syntactically specifiable rules, i.e. whether it is solely a matter of humans performing a computation. I also want to leave aside the problems that arise in interpreting quantum theory, in particular the measurement problem. Those problems stand on their own quite independent of Gödel's theorem. Rather, I want to focus explicitly on how Gödel's theorem, together with facts about human mathematical understanding, could conceivably have any bearing on physics, that is, on how the first part of Shadows of the Mind is related to the second. I want chiefly to argue the reflections arising from Gödel's theorem and human cognitive capacities do not, and could not, have any bearing on physics. 1.2 That there might be any connection at all would be surprising for the following reason. Ultimately, the empirical data of physics resolve themselves into claims about the positions of material bodies.