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Quantum Consciousness

What is consciousness?

There are two distinct processes relating to consciousness: "one is the objective matter process such as the neural process in the brain, and the other is the concomitant subjective conscious experience." (Chalmers 1996)

Quantum Consciousness is the area that lies in between these two processes, using quantum physics as a basis of explaining this phenomena. This theory states that the source of consciousness lies in processes such as SUPERPOSITION and ENTANGLEMENT that occur in the brain. 

Where does consciousness come from?

Is it local to the brain, or somehow connected to the universe?

These conflicting views are explored in the mind-body problem or the hard problem of consciousness. 

Emergence is a view that consciousness emerges from high level complexity in a hierarchal system. Therefore our brain produces our consciousness. 

The opposing Fundamental view of consciousness was first explored by Descartes. 

He proposed that consciousness arose from the brain(the pineal gland) intercepting thought from a separate immaterial domain.

This view has been further explored in the study of Quantum Consciousness, binding philosophy and science into coherence.

Orch- OR
(Orchestrated Objective Reduction)

"There is something outside the computational laws of physics"-Sir Roger Penrose

Theory proposed by Sir Roger Penrose and Dr. Stuart Hameroff, Orch-OR is the emergent theory in explaining Quantum Consciousness.

OR-Objective Reduction

Penrose proposed that...

For the brain to compute the way it does, it cannot do so linearly therefore there must be another processing system.

(?)= Non Computable Processing 
For information to be processed in a non-linear manner, the brain must compute Quantum Mechanically. At the fundamental level of spacetime geometry is where consciousness is derived.

OR states that the quantum state of the brain is in constant superposition called the wave function(existing as both particle and wave). Superposition, according to Penrose, is a separation from fundamental reality. Consciousness arises when a quantum wave-function collapses on itself and becomes one of its many possible states. This can occur through observation. For example, the mind "I" is an observation that is observing itself and therefore experiences consciousness.

The larger and more complex the system, the faster consciousness is achieved. For example, an electron in superposition would take 10 million years to reach threshold of collapse and then would have a tiny,dull moment of consciousness. The human brain, reaches this threshold at 25 msec and therefore has 40 conscious moments every second. 

ORCH- Orchestrated

Hameroff proposed the biological aspect of this phenomena...

Hameroff deduced that the brain is capable of performing Quantum tasks within structural components called MICROTUBULES.

The combination of these theories leads to the theory that the brain is a QUANTUM INFORMATION PROCESSOR that processes ENTANGLED information. 

MICROTUBULES 

*polymer-like cylindrical structure (made of Tubulin)

*size ~2nm

*fundamental structures in forming architecture of neurons 
*what allow transmission of neuro-chemicals across the synapse
*contain high densities of  π orbiting electrons








Because these Microtubules are positioned in clusters, the π orbiting electrons can become Quantumly Entangled. (Through Gap Junctions)

This Quantum Entanglement means that information can be processed at different parts of the brain instantly (faster the the speed of light) without a path of neural networks. (Through Gap Junctions)

Why Microtubules for the source of Consciousness?

Single cell paramecium can learn, avoid predators, find food, mate... no neurons 
... uses microtubules as their nervous system

 Microtubules organize in cell division...if this goes wrong cancer ( we still do not understand how it works) They are also optically sensitive to light...

Alzheimer's disease is a disease of microtubules... when microtubules disintegrate, loss of memory and consciousness occurs.

Long term information is stored in microtubules.


...Are these phenomena an indicator of the significance of microtubules in consciousness?

TUBULINS

Tubulins, or the subunits of the microtubules, are thought to be the source of consciousness. Tubules, according to Hameroff, are in a constant state of superposition. The diagram below shows an image of a microtubule (left) and its subunits tubulin (right). The black and white tubulins represent the dual superpositions and the grey tubulin represents its quantum state. 

This diagram represents the shifting of the states of these tubulins. When the threshold is reached, there is thought to be a moment of consciousness  The threshold is found between the sixth and seventh slide. This threshold is thought to be reached forty times a second. This would indicate that instead of having one continuous conscious experience, we have multiple series of conscious moments that we interpret as stream of thought. 

"Outside of consciousness there may not be a flow of time. Time may exist but not in terms of flowing in a direction. There may only be this now, this individual now, and another now and another now... and we connect them through memory and so forth" (Hameroff).

This theory that we have 40 conscious moments per second is consistent with neuroscience in the neural activity of Gamma waves that oscillate at around 40Hz. Gamma waves are the product of neural synchrony during conscious attention. 

Tibetan Monks, through meditation, have attained higher/ altered states of consciousness with brainwaves at 80Hz, which may also serve as an indicator of this threshold. 

The key point in Quantum Entanglement is that every point in spacetime is connected.
Death then would lead to the brain no longer being entangled to itself and would lose its Quantum State; however, information can never be lost or destroyed, only transformed. Therefore our information would simply dissepitate and entangle itself with the rest of the universe. 

According to ORCH-OR, man is simply an entangled fragment of a universal consciousness. 

Consciousness is information and a process of fundamental spacetime geometry,  and so when the brain stops working (at death) the coherence driving the system to contain consciousness collapses and the information then dissipates back into spacetime. But due to quantum entanglement, this information tends to stay localized... explaining Near Death Experiences of Out of Body Experiences. 






....and this is a fragment of the blueprint of Quantum Consciousness