text
stringlengths
0
923k
Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 41-45 Polanik, J. Is There an I3? 41 Article Inaugural Issue Is There an I3? A Search Focusing Question for Consciousness Exploration and Research Joseph Polanik ABSTRACT A voyage of exploration requires a question to focus the search. Such a question is proposed for consciousness exploration and research. Is there an I3? The author’s notation for subscripting pronouns by reality type is first explained and then used to diagnose the situation in which contemporary consciousness research finds itself and to pose the search-focusing question for Consciousness Exploration and Research as a means for moving on from here. Key Words: consciousness, exploration, question 1. The Search-Focusing Question1 A voyage of exploration and discovery can begin with a simple search-focusing question. Is there a shorter way to China? What’s beyond that ridge? What am I? As a search-focusing question for the next generation of researchers and explorers, I propose: Is There an I3? To make the case for adopting this searchfocusing question, I will first clarify the rationale for subscripting the first person singular pronoun, I. Then I will present the case for revisioning the science of consciousness so that it may genuinely engage the question, is there an I3. awareness’) while not identical to the brain, is just an experience somehow produced by the brain – merely phenomenology. Still others view consciousness (used as a synonym for an immaterial mind, self or soul) as a thing-like entity that is more than just a phenomenon – more than just the experience of awareness.2 It would seem that, while most would agree that consciousness is real in some sense, there is persistent disagreement as to its reality type. What do I mean by ‘reality type’? simply this: if what is is real (in some sense); then, a reality type is a name for the way that some thing (allegedly) is. For convenience, I name three reality types and number them as follows. 1. existential (anything physical – mass/energy and/or spacetime, an existent); 2. phenomenological (experiential); and 3. ontological (anything that is non-physical but not merely phenomenological, a being) 2. Why Subscripted Pronouns? The rationale for subscripting the first person singular pronoun, I, is simply that ‘consciousness’ – the very term that defines this field of inquiry – is a hopelessly ambiguous term. 2.1 Consciousness is What I Am There are those who assume that consciousness (used as a synonym for ‘mind’) is just the brain. Others assume that consciousness (used as a synonym for ‘phenomenal Correspondence: Joseph Polanik, J.D., M.S.W. Email: jPolanik@nc.rr.com Website: http://what-am-i.net ISSN: 2 There is also the use of ‘conscious’ in phrases like ‘conscious experience’ or ‘conscious awareness’ to mean a particular state of awareness, either reflexive awareness (e.g. awareness of seeing ... whatever) or reflexive self-awareness (e.g. awareness of that which is seeing ... whatever). Consciousness could then be defined as an instance of phenomenal awareness in such a state of awareness. Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 41-45 Polanik, J. Is There an I3? For each reality type there is a use of ‘consciousness’ that assumes a referent of that reality type; but, while we could subscript ‘consciousness’ to indicate the reality type of its referent (as used by a given speaker); but, that would only tell us how the word is used. It wouldn’t tell us which definition is correct. Translating from the third-person to a firstperson perspective clarifies the problem enough to transform it. Let us define pronouns I1, I2 and I3 to function syntactically as does the typeambiguous ‘I’ of vernacular English while also conveying the user’s self-asserted reality type. Which of these pronouns could plausibly be used to claim that its referent is a consciousness? Could a group of neurons assert, “I1 am an instance of consciousness”? It seems unlikely – even if those neurons were known to be the neural correlates of consciousness. Similarly, I really can’t imagine a quantum microtubular computation having the capacity to use selfreferential pronouns – even if that computation is the NCC. Could some immaterial entity such as a soul assert, “I3 am an instance of consciousness”? It is hard to answer this question. We don’t yet know that there are any such entities; and, we don’t know what their powers would be, if there were any. Could an instance of phenomenal awareness assert, “I2 am an instance of consciousness”? Posed this way, the question answers itself in the affirmative. Indeed, given the use of ‘consciousness’ as that which is consciously aware, the claim “I2 am an instance of consciousness” is performatively selfverifying. A general discussion of performative arguments is beyond the scope of this paper; and, the reader is referred to Bardon (2005) and Hintikka (1968). In any case, the conclusion just reached is (but for the subscripts, of course) identical to that reached by Deikman (1996): “Thus, if we proceed phenomenologically, we find that the ‘I’ is identical to awareness: ‘I’ = awareness”. 42 2.2 The Problem Transformed Given that I2 experience, it is necessarily true that I2 am. Upon further reflection, I2 will claim that I2 am this experiencing I2; but, I2 must admit still not knowing the origin of experiencing as an experiencing I2. From the perspective in which properties are attributed to meta-phenomenal objects3 to explain phenomena, the problem is that I2 know that I2 am without knowing whether I2 am a phenomenon that is generated by: 1. an I1 alone; 2. an I3 alone; or, 3. an I1 and an I3 working together. How do I learn which meta-phenomenal entity or entities are responsible for generating the phenomenon of experiencing as an experiencing I2? Descartes tried to answer that question by purely rational means; but, he quickly lapsed into an intractable circularity beginning with the Third Meditation. He relied on the natural light to validate the deduction that there is a God; but, the veracity of the natural light in turn depended on God. Clearly, we have no alternative but to proceed by scientific means. 3. The Science of Consciousness Given that I2 have elected to proceed scientifically, I2 am faced with a problem: two of the three types of explanations listed in the previous section assume the possibility that there is an I3 involved in the generation of the experiencing I2 – a possibility denied by contemporary neuroscience on a priori grounds. Consequently, I2 will briefly critique the a priori rejection of the possibility of an I3 by the currently dominant physicalist paradigm of research into consciousness. I2 will then present the case for revisioning the science of consciousness so that it may genuinely engage the question, is there an I3. 3 An entity of reality type 1 or reality type 3 is called meta-phenomenal; meaning, that such entities are real independently of an individual’s experience of them. ISSN: Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 41-45 Polanik, J. Is There an I3? 3.1 The Critique of Physicalism It is said that there are two types of problems in consciousness research: the easy problems, the so-called hard problem. The hard problem is explaining how experience happens. Given that there is experiencing as an experiencing I2, identifying the neural correlate of a particular quale of experience is an easy problem. For example, given that there is subjective experience, an experience of an afterimage is easily explained. A retina that is ‘fatigued’ (by staring at the stimulus object) sends inaccurate signals to the brain which then produces (in some unknown way) the color quale that corresponds to the signal rather than to the actual object being perceived. This tells us where it happens but not how it happens that experience is generated. Given the a priori assumption that there is only one type of meta-phenomenal object, physical objects; and, given the perspective alluded to earlier, in which properties are attributed to meta-phenomenal objects in order to explain phenomena; it follows that measurable neural phenomena cause the experienceable phenomena with which they are correlated. This conversion of correlation into causation might not do significant harm to consciousness research provided that we’re only talking about experiences as simple as afterimages. It is extremely difficult to believe the claim that a brain pronounced dead by skilled physicians somehow causes the NearDeath Experiences so frequently reported. It gets worse once one turns the attention to the hard problem. Now the assumption that the neural correlate causes its phenomenal correlate provides illusory creates the a priori assumption that there is no I3 involved in generating experience itself. In any case the claim that a neural event causes a particular experience creates a logical paradox for monistic physicalism. A cause can not be identical to its own effect; otherwise, nothing would ever happen. To put it another way, if a neural event causes an experienceable phenomenon; then, the neural event has a property the experience doesn’t have (being about to cause that experience). Consequently, ISSN: 43 by the Law of Indiscernibility of Identicals, the measurable, neural phenomenon can not be identical to the experienceable phenomenon. Hence, the logical paradox at the heart of physicalism is that one must either suppress awareness of subjective experience; or, one must admit to some form of dualism. Is it enough to admit to recognizing two types of phenomena, measurable and experienceable? No. Even in the relatively simple case of an afterimage it is apparent that there are two sets of properties that physical objects can have. They can have the property of creating only measurable phenomena; or, they can have the property of causing experienceable phenomena (either in addition to or instead of causing measurable phenomena). That’s property dualism. And there is still no explanation for how experience actually happens – only where it happens. Perhaps, it is time to consider the possibility that there is an I3 involved in the generation of experiencing as an experiencing I2. Arguably, our situation is similar to that faced by Bouvard, the French astronomer who postulated the existence of a then unknown planet to explain irregularities in the orbit of Uranus. (O’Connor and Robertson, 1996) The willingness to consider this possibility may invite allegations of substance dualism; so, let us face up to the hard solution to the hard problem of consciousness research: the physicalist account of consciousness can’t possibly be true unless von Neumann is wrong about quantum mechanics. 3.2 von Neumann on QM In 1932, John von Neumann published Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics in which he axomized the mathematical formalism of QM. He took the time to reject one of the ‘features’ of the Copenhagen Interpretation advocated by Bohr, the ad hoc division of physical reality into a quantum world and a classical world. von Neumann showed that this division was unnecessary; one could have “a unified way of looking at the physical world on a quantum mechanical basis” (Foundations. p. 352). It was an all-quantum theory. Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 41-45 Polanik, J. Is There an I3? There was, however, a price to be paid for eliminating Bohr’s ad hoc dualism. If the entire body and brain of the experimenter was subject to the Schrodinger equation, something else, something “outside the calculation” was needed to explain the collapse of the wave function. von Neumann postulated that this was the experimenter’s abstraktes ‘Ich’ – the abstract ‘I’. In discussions of the relation between QM and consciousness, the phrase ‘abstract I’ is usually replaced by the word ‘consciousness’. Obviously, we can’t now review the linguistic history of the word ‘consciousness’ and then draw a valid conclusion as to what the math means; so, let us assume that we must try to understand von Neumann before evaluating arguments for or against the von Neumann Interpretation of QM. 44 Nick Herbert (1993 p. 172) is the most direct: “In the von Neumann interpretation of quantum theory ... consciousness is a process lying outside the laws that govern the material world. It is just this immunity from the quantum rules that allows mind to turn possibility into actuality. Because quantum-based minds are inevitably different in substance from the matter they control, theories of such minds are bound to be dualistic.” Henry P Stapp is more circumspect than Herbert. In his Mindful Universe (2007. p81) he writes: “Contemporary physical theory allows, and its orthodox von Neumann form entails, an interactive dualism that is fully in accord with all the laws of physics.” Is the abstract ‘I’ an I1, an I2 or an I3? We can rule out the I1 right away. The point of von Neumann’s analysis of the measurement problem is that something non-physical is required to collapse the wave function from a superposition of all possible values of the property being measured to the single definite value actually observed. Could the abstract ‘I’ be an I2? Well, is the I2 causally effective in interactions with physical realities? I’ve not done a systematic survey; but, it seems to me that physicalists deny that the I2 (e.g. phenomenal awareness and similar constructs) is causally effective in any way. The basis for this conclusion is that the alternative would violate the so-called ‘causal closure’ of the physical; precisely would be required to have a physical effect – collapsing the wave function. Can anyone imagine how the self, Dennett’s narrative center of gravity, could be anything other than epiphenomenal? I can’t. Thus, it seems likely that ‘abstract I’ as intended by von Neumann is an entity of reality type 3, an I3. This conclusion is supported by evidence that physicists who have chosen to commented on the von Neumann Interpretation of QM or who have developed their own versions of the von Neumann Interpretation seem to have come to the same conclusion. ISSN: Stapp also reports on various email-list discussions concerning his theory, including one in which the present author asked whether quantum interactive dualism was a Cartesianstyle (substance) dualism or a Chalmers-style (property) dualism. Stapp declined to link his views to traditional philosophical terminology; leaving that for the reader. Nevertheless, Stapp’s emphasis on the causal efficacy of conscious choices strongly suggests that, for him, consciousness is not an I2 and that his dualism is not property dualism; particularly, since Chalmers (1996. p. 150 et. seq.) himself indicates that property dualism tends toward epiphenomenalism. 3.3 The Evidence for the I3 What is needed now is empirical evidence to support the essential idea within the von Neumann Interpretation of QM: that there is a subjective reduction of the wave packet. Researchers have begun to look for a subjective reduction signal (“SRS”), some signal evident within a subject experience that occurs at a time when quantum theory indicates that a collapse of the wave function should be taking place. At this point, the results have been mixed. Nunn et al. (1994) took EEG readings of subjects who were asked to perform simple tasks. They reasoned that taking an EEG would count as a measurement and would collapse the Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 41-45 Polanik, J. Is There an I3? wave function of a quantum state in the subject’s brain. This, the researchers theorized, to improve the subject’s performance on observation related tasks. Nunn and co-researchers report that subjects made fewer mistakes while the EEG was recording that when it was not, a result which could not be explained by any non-quantum theory known to them. Bierman (2003) compared the Auditory Evoked Potential of subjects who were observing a previously observed and those who were observing a previously unobserved (and, hence, presumably uncollapsed) quantum state. Significant differences were found. However, Bierman and Whitmarsh (2006) reported failing to replicate the earlier results with an improved apparatus. 45 It would seem that, if there is a signal indicating that a subjective reduction has occurred, we don’t yet know how to reliably elicit it. Nevertheless, the results to date indicate that further research is clearly warranted. 5. Conclusion A genuine science of consciousness must investigate the possibility that there is an I3 somehow associated with or a part of the human individual. Such a science is only now being constructed by researchers and explorers. Let’s see what’s out there. References Bardon, Adrian. 2005. Performative Transcendental Arguments. Philosophia 33. http://www.wfu.edu/~bardona/PTA.pdf Bierman, Dick J. 2003. Does Consciousness Collapse the Wave-Packet? Mind and Matter. 1(1):45-57. Bierman, Dick J. and Whitmarsh, Stephen. (2006). Consciousness and Quantum Physics: Empirical Research on the Subjective Reduction of the State Vector. in Jack A. Tuszynski (Ed). The Emerging Physics of Consciousness. p. 27-48 Chalmers, David J. 1996. The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory. New York: Oxford University Press. Deikman, Arthur. 1996, ‘I’ = Awareness. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 3(4):350-6. Herbert, Nick. 1993. Elemental Mind: Human Consciousness and the New Physics. New York: Penguin Books. Nunn, C. M. H. et. al. (1994). Collapse of a Quantum Field may Affect Brain Function. Journal of Consciousness Studies. 1(1):127139. Hintikka, Jaakko. 1968. Cogito, Ergo Sum: Inference or Performance? In Willis Doney (Ed). Descartes: A Collection of Critical Essays. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press. James, William. 1981/1890. The Principles of Psychology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. O’Connor and Robertson. 1996. Mathematical Discovery of Planets. http://wwwhistory.mcs.stand.ac.uk/HistTopics/Neptune_and_Pluto.htm ISSN: Stapp. H. P. 2007. Mindful Universe: Quantum Mechanics and the Participating Observer. New York: Springer-Verlag. Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com
Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 898 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Focus Issue: Quantum Brain/Mind/Consciousness 2010 (Part II) Guest Editorial Time for Quantum Consciousness Massimo Pregnolato* ABSTRACT The consciousness is the basis of our reality and our existence, but the mechanism by which the brain generates thoughts and feelings remains unknown. Most of the explanations depict the brain as a computer, with nerve cells (neurons) and their synaptic connections acting as simple switches. However, the calculation alone cannot explain why we have feelings, awareness and "inner life". Indeed, neurophysiological processes and phenomena of the mind are now among the biggest unanswered questions in science. It is time for quantum consciousness. Key Words: quantum consciousness, mechanism, mind, computer, thought, feeling, reality. Introduction In the Hu’s editorial published in 2008 (Hu, 2008a) he refers to a general reflection on the current values of Science and Religion: “The very revolutions have created a deep gulf between Science and Region as reflected by increased hostilities and seemingly irreconcilable differences between Science and Religion. The very same revolutions have also produced dogmas, arrogance and intolerance of alternative views in Science. On the other hand, the enterprises of Religion seem to lack innovations and are unable to cope with or adapt to the new environments”. Now is the time to make real progress in Science and Religion. It is a call to free knowledge, an appeal to the humanity to move towards the “Knowledge Society”. In a subsequent editorial Hu (2010b) extend his reflections to the status of research on consciousness: “…because our state of consciousness is the catalyst for the transformation of humanity at the dawn of 2012 and the missing link on the pass to truth.” He wrote: “…in mainstream sciences the study and even the mentioning of mind or consciousness are till taboo and indeed the physicists’ version of a theory of everything does not include consciousness. However, physicists encountered consciousness more than eighty years ever since quantum mechanics was born (Rosenblum, 2006). Instead of embracing such encounters and exploring the mystery of consciousness, the majority of physicists have been avoiding the consciousness issue like a plague”. *Correspondence: Massimo Pregnolato, Professor, Quantumbiolab, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Pavia (Italy) Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy. E-mail: maxp@quantumbionet.org or massimo.pregnolato@unipv.it ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 899 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Fortunately, not all the physicists feel the same way, on the contrary there are radical idea, such as those of Manousakis, which derives the foundations of quantum mechanics from consciousness. (Manousakis, 2006). This approach is not new you consider that Planck (1931) had also concluded: “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness”. Hu also has formulated his theory of consciousness (Hu, 2004). The consciousness is the basis of our reality and our existence, but the mechanism by which the brain generates thoughts and feelings remains unknown. Most of the explanations depicts the brain as a computer, with nerve cells (neurons) and their synaptic connections acting as simple switches. However, the calculation alone cannot explain why we have feelings, awareness and "inner life". There are many quantum theories based on the common premise that "quantum mechanics" can help us to understand the mind (particularly consciousness) that the "classical mechanics" cannot provide (Vannini, 2008; Smith, 2009) by those theories emerge possible formal descriptions of the most basic mental manifestations, namely, the subjective experience of the process of perception (Manousakis, 2009). Neurophysiological processes and phenomena of the mind are now among the biggest unanswered questions in science and Tarlaci, editor of the NeuroQuantology Journal wrote a recent testimony to the importance of quantum physics in the field of cognitive neuroscience (Tarlaci, 2010). A Radical View of Quantum Consciousness Quantum physics and cognitive-behavioral and Eastern philosophies are recognizing that the reality of space-time that we perceive is only a possible processing of our ordinary consciousness. Just think of how it looks different the space-time and therefore the perception of our reality under the influence of drugs able to alter the state of ordinary consciousness. To understand this view of the universe has been introduced a fundamental element long-overlooked: "The Information". The content of information is the basis of this and all other possible universes. An immense information would be compressed to a scale infinitely smaller than the size of subatomic particles, in what is called "non-local quantum field", self-organization of quantum information would be able to generate self-awareness and even space-time itself. The basic unit of this quantum information is called Qubit. According to this theory, consciousness is not a phenomenon exclusive to humans, but belonging to each particle in this universe. More or less complex aggregates of particles would characterized by streams of consciousness (quantum information), different in their nature and on different time scales. This allows to attribute to any organism living or not such as the materials (including the planets, stars and galaxies) a content of consciousness, though very different in nature from each other. For each entity the perception of physical reality will be different as well as communication. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 900 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness According to classical physics, communication is possible, effectively, only among beings who share the same state of consciousness. According to quantum physics, through the phenomenon of entanglement, the communication can occur instantaneously between particles very far from each others in a non-local fashion whereas, according to the classical view, this it should be possible only between living entities at a distance compatible with the times of the signal transmission. Applying this new vision of reality, the anthropocentric concept of man would be demolished and a fundamental concept of Eastern philosophy would be introduced: all is one and anything cannot be isolated from the rest of the universe. Quantum Biology Dr. Stephen Hawking says: “Humans have existed as a species for less than a million years and we are, as far as we know, the only species on Earth that has even the vaguest notion of physics. We only discovered the atom and learned to unleash its power within the last century. Our understanding of quantum mechanics is rudimentary, at best, yet we are on the verge of developing practical quantum computers that promise virtually unlimited computational power”. While many physicists are trying to get a quantum computer capable of operating at low temperature, other researchers have shown that bacteria and algae are capable of performing quantum computations at normal temperatures for the life from billions of years. First came the news that the birds can see magnetic fields, thanks to quantum effects (Kominis, 2008), it now appears that the pigments used to seize the light in photosynthesis, are able to perform quantum computations (Collini, 2010). The evidence comes from a study on how light energy travels through the molecules involved in photosynthesis. The work was released in February with the announcement in Nature journal that these unique molecules in a seaweed can take advantage of quantum processes at room temperature to transfer the energy without loss. Physicists had excluded this possibility because the heat destroys an effect called quantum coherence. The implication is, as Hameroff and Penrose (Hameroff, 1996, 2010) have told from 15 years, that we may have in our neurons some functioning quantum computers inside the so called “Schrödinger Proteins”. Gregory Engel had shown the same principle in 2007 at the University of California, Berkeley, even if at a temperature of -196°C. His team had developed a complex of batterioclorofilla sulphurous green bacteria discovering that the pigment molecules were linked together in a quantum network. His experiment showed that the quantum superposition allows the energy to explore all possible routes and then choosing the most efficient (Engel, 2007). Engel and his group in Chicago have just repeated the experiment at 4°C and found a quantum coherence of about 300 femtoseconds. (Panitchayangkoon, 2010) ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 901 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Quantum Paradigms of Psychopathology A new window into the nature of mental illness may have opened with the recent publication of an on-line symposium entitled "Quantum Paradigms of Psychopathology" (QPP), which appeared in March of this year as a special issue of the NeuroQuantology Journal. QPP’s novel approach seeks a grounding of psychiatric disease in the counter-intuitive but physically foundational phenomena of the quantum micro-world within the brain. The relevance of physics on that small scale to sentient processes in the normal brain has been an ongoing subject of study since the closing decades of the last century. Pioneers like the physicists Hiroomi Umezawa (Ricciardi, 1967) and Kunio Yasue (Jibu, 1995), mathematicians like Roger Penrose and biomedical investigators like Stuart Hameroff (1996), Gordon Globus (2009) and Gustav Bernroider (2005) have plumbed the depths of subatomic structure and its macroscopic amplifications in search of substrates for quantum computation and other capabilities that may match attributes of the human psyche better than models advocated by conventional cognitive neuroscience. One especially powerful set of insights into the quantum brain has been contributed by Giuseppe Vitiello, his influential book, My Double Unveiled (Vitiello, 2001) has helped to weld the disparate disciplines of quantum field theory, thermodynamics, and neurophysiology into a so-called “dissipative quantum theory” of the conscious brain. The crux of his perspective is the hidden, virtual existence of a shadow brain operating in a time-reversed mode to stabilize the quantum coherence of neural memory structures. The March 2010 on-line QPP symposium is the culmination of a related project that began in June 2008. At that time Donald Mender conducted an informal poll of participants in Quantum Mind, a series of conferences exploring the ideas introduced by Hameroff, Yasue, Vitiello, and others. Mender asked whether there exists among researchers any interest in the prospect of applying insights from Quantum Mind to aberrant processes underlying schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and other forms of psychopathology. The answer was a robust “yes”. Nine fertile texts appeared in the resulting symposium. In his lead target article, Globus (2010) propounded a highly original concept of schizophrenia linked to the “tuning” of quantum vibrations suffusing the brain. Woolf and Tuszynski, offered credible links between psychopathology and quantum-computational dysfunction within the skeletal proteins giving shape to brain cells (Woolf, 2010). Pylkkänen related the physical substrates of mental illness to quantum “pilot waves” and analyzes in detail the significance of Bohm's ontology for quantum paradigms of psychopathology. (Pylkkänen, 2010). Mender himself proposed ways of comprehending the neurophysiology of disordered thinking and emotion in terms of quantum analogies to the freezing and melting of ordinary matter employing the language of quantum phase transitions and the quantum epistemology of Von Neumann, Wigner, and Stapp (Mender, 2010a; Stapp, 2004). Five commentators on these four target papers each introduced additional fresh quantum perspectives on the biophysical origins of psychopathology. A further commentary by Mender on this important monograph number of Neuroquantology has been recently published (Mender, 2010b). Plans are under way for expansion of QPP’s act ivies both on line and at live symposia. Pregnolato’s recent assumption of the QPP Chair affords contributors yet another forum for internet-based discourse through his Quantumbionet web site. Face-to-face conferences will likely occur ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 902 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness in years to come either through umbrella networks or as free standing meetings. The next few decades promise progress in this new area of scientific exploration. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder expression of serious harm to the person's mind which is characterized by an alteration of perception and examination of "reality". Hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thought, and various cognitive impairments have been described in this 'disconnection syndrome', but similar principles are likely to apply to depression and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). All these diseases are associated with impaired co-ordination of neural population activity, which manifests as abnormal EEG (electroencephalogram) and LFP (local field potential) (Jones, 2010). The symptoms of acute schizophrenia are by their nature the aberrations of conscious experience (Pert, 2007). As reported in a recent Ciba Foundation Symposium (Bock, 2007) current theories on the mechanisms that underlie schizophrenic manifestations differ in their relation to four levels of description: the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, cognitive, and the symptoms. However, what emerges is the current lack of a basic theory of shared links between the occurrence of conscious events and neural bases of the brain, the problem formulated by David Chalmers, known as "The hard problem" (Chalmers, 1995). This problem makes difficult if not impossible to think of theories that touch the foundation and the causes of these symptoms. The research of Paola Zizzi and Massimo Pregnolato, wants to demonstrate how the "quantum theory" and the "basic logic" can provide useful insight in this problem and how they could help us get closer to the construction of such theories. Major Depression Among the articles published in the March issue of Neuroquantology the paper of Tonello and Cocchi (2010) open new question among the possible connection between the biological structure of the cells and the quantum consciousness. Gas-chromatography analysis on blood samples of over 200 people including depressed (with clinical psychiatric diagnosis) and healthy allowed to determine the levels of specific fatty acids in the platelets membrane. The data were then processed by an artificial neural network, the Kohonen Self Organizing Map (SOM) yielding a classification of subjects with major depression versus the normal. According to the fatty acids triplet identified by the SOM, there are evidences that the identification on the map, states for saturation or instauration of the platelet membrane and instantly qualify the subject status in “normal” or “depressed”. This research is still ongoing to correlate the biochemical basis of depression and the Quantum Cytoskeleton Nanowire Network (QCNN) as suggested by the Penrose and Hameroff quantum consciousness model, or the membrane viscosity itself as suggested by the Hu’s model. The measurement of gamma synchrony, coupled with quantitative analyses of the platelet fatty acid triplet and supplemented by the SOM, may serve as a new test for determining quantum correlations with aberrations characteristic of psychiatric illness (Cocchi, 2010). ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 903 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Biovitalistic's Renewal of Knowledge On the 24th of September 2010, the President of the Italian Republic awarded Prof. Massimo Pregnolato with "Giorgio Napolitano Medal" which he shared with Prof. Paolo Manzelli for activities in Quantumbionet/Egocreanet and their connections with the international project "Florentine Renaissance for a new Measurement of Humanity" (FRNMH). As Manzelli says: the birth of modern science began with Galileo Galilei and gave impetus to ideas of "mechanics" in nature that have proliferated during the industrial era on the basis of the "quantitative measurements" of science. This mechanistic conception coincides with the idea of the definitive overcoming of "Vitalism-Renaissance". Today Egocreanet/ON-NS&A collaborators summarize that this "mechanical" approach offers a partial and narrow view of "Life Sciences" because induce new scientific and cultural barriers overly influenced by concepts that were useful for the production of industrial machines, now in obvious crisis also for the progressive "entropic destruction" of the ecosystem. Therefore, the "mechanical" concept does not take into account the complexity of "Life Sciences" and also forbid the inescapable aspects of modern Bio-Vital renaissance, who shared and addressed appropriately trans-disciplinary art and science culture, as become indispensable today to focus very important aspects of contemporary life, such as the defence of the quality of foods, biodiversity in nature and more, which together preclude to the development of Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE European Strategy). On the renewal trans-disciplinary 's art and science, we landed in an innovative formulation of science coined by Alberto Olivero as "Bio-Vitalism" (Pregnolato, 2010). The innovative aspects of social, economic and cultural meeting of the current proposal, that is included in the FRNMH Project, are intended to implement an open discussion on the topic: “Life Science 2010: The Bio-vitalism in Renaissance Science & Art”. As a matter of facts this new meeting tends to explore strategies and opportunities for development of life sciences in the era of Knowledge Based Bio-Economy, associated with the actual implementation of the Green and Blue-Economy-Economy of the sea (Manzelli, 2010). Robert Pope attempts to establish a Social Cradle to promote the FRNMH Project are generating matters of international interest (Pope, 2010). In essence, we realized that it is time to overcome the reductionist logic and expressions of mechanical science that dominated the industrial age that have widened the gap between nature and culture, creating obvious dangers for the survival of life and biodiversity of our planet. This strategic goal and to take forward the development of a cognitive innovation so that new ideas and design to participate can lead to a profound revision of the horizons of creative development, individual social and economic development. The challenge for the regeneration of learning in terms of "Bio-vitalism" can be achieved by structuring a series of forms of participatory learning in the classroom or online, initially aimed to the aggregation of individuals, associations, publishers and entrepreneurs interested in develop new knowledge and to create conceptual models for the science and art of the XXI century. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 904 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Currently those who want to join the idea proposed by Pregnolato, may proceed through a continuous involvement in network (use of Facebook and other online tools) directed to propose a series of blogs interconnected to build 2.0 e-learning modules based on trans-disciplinary bio-vitalism. These are the reasons to say that it is time for quantum consciousness to take off in the scientific world and beyond. References Bernroider G, Roy S (2005) Quantum entanglement of K ions, multiple channel states and the role of noise in the brain – SPIE. 5841-29, 205–14 Bock GR and Marsh J Eds (2007) Ciba Foundation Symposium 174 - Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Consciousness. Novartis Foundation Symposia Series. Chalmers D (1995) Facing Up to the Problem of Consciousness. Journal of Consciousness Studies. 2 (3) 200-219 Collini E, Wong CY, Wilk KE, Curmi PMG, Brumer P, Scholes GD (2010) Coherently wired light-harvesting in photosynthetic marine algae at ambient temperature. Nature. 463, 644-647 Cocchi M, Gabrielli F, Tonello L, Pregnolato M (2010) Interactome Hypothesis of Depression. Neuroquantology, 8 (4) In press. Engel GS, Calhoun TR, Read EL, Ahn T, Mančal T, Cheng Y, Blankenship RE, Fleming GR (2007) Evidence for wavelike energy transfer through quantum coherence in photosynthetic systems. Nature. 446, 782-786 Globus G (2009) Halting the descent into panpsychism: A quantum thermofield theoretical Perspective (67-82) In D. Skrbina, ed. Mind that abides: Panpsychism in the new millenium. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Globus G (2010) Toward a quantum psychiatry: hallucination, thought insertion and DSM. NeuroQuantology. 8 (1) 1-12 Hameroff S, Penrose R (1996) Conscious events as orchestrated spacetime selections. J. Conscious Stud. 3, 36-53 Hameroff S (2010) Clarifying the tubulin bit/qubit - Defending the Penrose-Hameroff Orch OR model of quantum computation in microtubules. October 22, Google Campus, http://sitescontent.google.com/google-workshop-on-quantum-biology/ Hu H, Wu M (2004) Spin-mediated consciousness theory: possible roles of neural membrane nuclear spin ensembles and paramagnetic oxygen. Medical Hypotheses. 63, 633–646 ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 905 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Hu H (2008a) We Have a Dream. A Call to All Men and Women of Science and Religion to Rise Up. NeuroQuantology. 6 (1) 75-79 Hu H (2008b) Reflection 2008: The State of Science, Religion and Consciousness. NeuroQuantology. 6 (4) 323-332 Jibu M, Yasue K (1995) Quantum brain dynamics and consciousness, in Advances in Consciousness Research, Vol.3, John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam Jones MW (2010) Errant ensembles: dysfunctional neuronal network dynamics in schizophrenia. Biochem Soc Trans. 38 (2), 516-21 Kominis KI (2008) Quantum Zeno Effect Underpinning the Radical-Ion-Pair Mechanism of Avian Magnetoreception" arXiv:0804.2646v1 [q-bio.BM] Manousakis E (2006) Founding Quantum Theory on the Basis of Consciousness. Foundations of Physics. 36 (6) 795-838 Manousakis E (2009) Quantum formalism to describe binocular rivalry. Biosystems. 98, 57-66 Manzelli P (2010) Knowledge Project 2010 in Science and Art. The General Science Journal. http://wbabin.net/science/manzelli75.pdf Mender D (2010a) Post-classical phase transitions and emergence in psychiatry: beyond George Engel's model of psychopathology. NeuroQuantology. 8 (1) 29-36 Mender D (2010b) From Quantum Wetware to Mental Illness: A Section Editor's First Interim Progress Report. NeuroQuantology. 8 (2) 115‐119 Panitchayangkoon G, Hayes D, Fransted KA, Caram JR, Harel E, Wen J, Blankenship RE, Engel GS (2010) Long-lived quantum coherence in photosynthetic complexes at physiological temperature. arXiv:1001.5108v1 [physics.bio-ph] Pert B (2007) Consciousness and co-consciousness, binding problem and schizophrenia. Neuroendocrinology letters. 28 (6) 723-726 Pylkkänen P (2010) Implications of Bohmian quantum ontology for psychopathology. NeuroQuantology. 8 (1) 37-48 Pope R (2010) Renaissance Science, Registered 21st Century Rebirth Document. EzineArticles. http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Robert_Pope ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | November 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 8 | pp. 898-906 906 Pregnolato, M. Time for Quantum Consciousness Pregnolato M (2010) Biodiversity in the Human Physical Body. The new frontiers of metagenomics and quorum sensing. International Journal of Anthropology. in press Ricciardi LM, Umezawa H (1967) Brain and physics of many body problems, Biological Cybernetics, Springer, Berlin. 4 (2) 44-48 Rosenblum B, Kuttner F (2006) Quantum Enigma (Oxford University Press) Smith CU (2009) The 'hard problem' and the quantum physicists. Part 2: Modern times. Brain Cogn. 71 (2) 54-63 Stapp H (2004) Mind, matter, and quantum mechanics. Berlin: Springer Verlag Tarlaci S (2010) Why We Need Quantum Physics for Cognitive Neuroscience. NeuroQuantology. 8 (1) 66‐76 Tonello L, Cocchi M (2010) The cell membrane: a bridge from psychiatry to quantum consciousness? NeuroQuantology 8 (1) 54-60 Vannini A (2008) Quantum model of consciousness. Quantum Biosystems. 2,165-184 Vitiello G (2001) My Double Unveiled – The dissipative quantum model of brain. Benjamins Publishing Co., Amsterdam Woolf N, Craddock T, Friesen D, Tuszynski J (2010) Neuropsychiatric illness: a case for impaired neuroplasticity and possible quantum processing derailment in microtubules. NeuroQuantology. 8 (1) 13-28. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. JCER.com
877 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence Article Dynamic Existence Claus Janew* Abstract Everything is in motion. "Inertness" arises from (approximative) repetition, that is, through rotation or an alternation that delineates a focus of consciousness. This focus of consciousness, in turn, must also move/alternate (the two differ only in continuity). If its alternation seems to go too far - physically, psychically or intellectually - it reaches into the subconscious. In this way, interconnection is established by the alternation of the focus of consciousness. Therefore, in a world in which everything is interconnected, all focuses must reciprocally transition into each other. "Reality" is a common "goal", a focus which all participants can switch into and which is conscious to them as such, as a potential one. Its "degree of reality" is the probability of its fully becoming conscious (or more simply: its current degree of consciousness). Thus, a reality is created when all participants increase its probability or, respectively, their consciousness of it. Keywords: dynamic existence, consciousness, reality, interconnection. What is real? I am an individual. Nothing and nobody else occupies my standpoint. Otherwise, he would be I. Thus, all what I perceive is individual, perspective of an individual, part of me. The computer screen should be a part of me? And when my daughter is sitting beside me: is it a part of her, then? And she herself would be a component of me? Consequently, it must be so. But why is the screen a part of her? Why are they both not just components of me? Why the detour over her? One could renounce this detour. But this would not be consistent: My daughter differs from the screen, and, nevertheless, I perceive both. That is there is mediation between both within my individuality. This mediation can consist first in my shifting attention from one to the other. While this, my individuality permanently changes a bit, because it is an entirety of its components. Then I can sit down to the place of my daughter and experience another perspective and individuality thus again. Is this that to my daughter? No, of course it is only a geometrical point of view. However, again this point of view is mediated with my first one, while I alternate the views mentally or physically, more or less fast. Now there speaks my daughter and means, the monitor display is poor in contrast from obliquely. This reminds me of my perception on her place, and I conclude from it, her statement must deal something with my perception there. And consequently (alternation!) also with my perception on the present place. Because she has spoken, at other times, also of other things with me, I have understood her perception, her approach to life, already to a bigger extent and, therefore, subordinate to her an own individuality - with a screen as a component. * Correspondence: Claus Janew, Independent Philosopher, http://www.free-will.de E-mail: clausjanew@yahoo.de Note: This work was originally completed in 2009 in German. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 878 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence What has happened? I have permanently alternated positions (attention, viewpoint, approach to life), though always found me in just one. Does this work logically at all? Apparently not. Since if I am not any more there, I am evidently here. Can I be, however, only here? Probably also not. Then I would know nothing from there, but only from here, my individual reality. Though this could be enough for me, actually, my individuality itself arises from such standpoint alternations. This fact results from the uniqueness and entirety of the individual (in Latin „the indivisible“). Because it is not divisible without changing the individual, it differs from all others in any regard. Agreement at any place would presuppose the division of the individuals, namely in the not unique overlapping and the unique remainder. Instead of an overlapping, we would have thus an own individual. 1 Hence, a static individual could be not even subdivided, because everything we consider, for example, as a part (or component) of ourselves just thereby is an indivisible perception position: every organ, every cell, every particle, every wave, every thought. It completely differs from the entirety, because it can nowhere agree with the whole. Without alternation between the components, we could not become the individual that we regard as ourselves. We would be without structure, nothing. Therefore, every individual exists only in the alternation of the individuality. There is no Here or There, but only the alternation between all, with a right now priority position. Thus, the standpoint is a phase of the dynamic individual. Everything that exists for the individual exists dynamically.2 Why then do we consider things seldom as so changing? We say they are relatively constant. Although we know that movement is at the heart of everything, that every individuality changes itself. Or we say, the movement is relatively continuous, so at every moment the whole is itself. At all, the whole is complete and the part is a part. Everything properly. All these phenomena arise from the structure of the dynamic, of the alternation. Approximately closed successions of change generate relative constancy. Finely gradated change seems relatively continuous. And different extent of the alternations makes the difference between “part” and whole. Before we can explain this closer, we must accept logically that the dynamic existence reaches to the infinitely small. No entirety is elementary, because without structure it would be infinitesimal, could not have an effect, not even as a needle sting. After all, we measure everything by its effect. Even an energy quantum cannot shirk, because it has a certain „size“; and it can be only measured (perceived) when it reveals an effect structure, on an electron, for example. But a structure means alternation between individuals (see above). In the case of the energy quantum between the states of the electron, what the quantum arises from. To put the effect down to an elementary quantum, therefore, would not be logical. Without structure no effect (and vice versa) whomever one assigns the effect to. Exactly this effect also expresses itself in the energy size of the quantum (and not vice versa). 1 Only in infinitely small points, the individuals can meet. Since these are nothing without individual derivation. 2 As well as the individual himself, because every standpoint also is a dynamic individual that „derives“ from the others etc. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 879 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence Yet, in the end, we find between the varying individuals and in the center of every individual only an infinitesimal point. That is the alternation happens, actually, between single points. Though, of course these are defined by alternation only, so that alternation turns out again as the basic structure. Because this basic structure extends to the infinitesimal, I call it infinitesimality structure. The form of the alternation, therefore, is the form of the infinitesimality structure. If an individual never returned, „exist“ only one infinitesimal moment, nobody could grasp it. If it returned precisely, nobody could perceive its change. Hence, there should be - aside from the change from A to B and B to A’ - also a change from A’ to B’ as well as from B’ to A’’ etc.3, so that an approximate unity of A and B is weaved. In the middle (unity!) between A and B, a quasi-static approximate object of the alternation thereby comes out. Not the previously mentioned tissue, but rather a symbolic form circumscribed by it. This already resembles that what we usually call a thing. 4 If the unity predominates, the object is denser, like the tissue. If the difference predominates, it is thinner, sometimes hardly discernibly, because it is due to a more peripheral fabric. The approximation - whether dense or thin - is also individual of course, with an infinitesimal center of identity, so that an alternation takes place between identity and difference of A and B, between oneness and multitude. In the last consequence between the central point and periphery, and again the center inbetween and its periphery etc. In the course of this, also spiral tissue and approximations are produced between all centers and peripheries: there originates an entire, more or less uniform thing. 5 In the case of the screen the thing is dense: we change from edge to edge, edge to center, pixel to pixel; all individual settings - identity centers - in the awareness of their dynamically existing alternatives. Nevertheless, between my daughter and me the difference predominates; no approximate object crystallizes out, although we feel an ethereal quasi-static unity between us. If I extend the dynamic of my standpoint to the situation as such, now I alternate between relatively independent „parts“ (screen, daughter, I), while I put myself into the position of my daughter, realize a solid monitor etc. I perceive from the respective position an individual totality; and over and over again also from the center of the „whole“ situation, which I arrange individually as well. Does this mean a universal definition of existence on the base of individuality alternations? Yes, because another existence than an individual one is not consistently generalizable. 3 Moreover, also between A’ and A, A’’ and A’ etc. 4 To be precise: For the individual A who becomes aware of its phase B the approximation between them is a potential to the existence of B. If it becomes aware of the alternation between two other phases of itself, the approximation seems concrete. 5 Because the approximation is basically a potential to the reproduction of the in each case other side, she can be no additional individual, but was present from the beginning of the alternation - as an original change partner who went over to an other one and is now the center. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 880 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence The alternation does not happen necessarily physically (whatever is meant by „physically“). It depends only on the position of perception. The need of the infinitesimality structure to grasp this dynamic shows that we can speak as well of consciousness or consciousness foci. Since nothing is solid, everything are back-coupling alternation structures of alternations. These also must not be space-temporal. This is only our habitual perception. Alternation can and will take place in every state space formed by quite different coordinates. How these alternations are arranged by perception, is open, too. Dreams and associations are an example of this. Nevertheless, the logical consequences are bigger: If everything exists only in the alternation of the individuality, this alternation must enclose the whole universe! No alternation can be separated from the others completely, run possibly in parallel, because this would mean an absolute division of the universe. That is we speak of one single alternation. If the universe is unlimited - and for a final limit there is in no direction a reason - then the position change must occur at infinite speed. („Speed“ as its space-temporal interpretation.) This is the basic speed from which every relatively limited consciousness is filtered out by the form of the alternation. Such filtering forms are narrow back couplings, which reduce the superficial frequency of the change, slow down movement apparently, so that the quicker frequencies work only in the little conscious background. Just as well as if I concentrate upon the screen and „forget“ my daughter besides, while I am still aware of her and a lot of farther. Even the macrocosm has not disappeared completely. Only the details are not resolved any more. 6 If the form shows a finely gradated structure, it seems solid. If it proves in addition a drift, we have a continuous movement. If it is closely tied and variously intertwined, it will not dissolve fast. If it more allows spontaneous change, it will develop new, but related structures. What does it mean, actually, to say „we“? Do „we“ see anything? Also this „we“ and „our“ something originate from the exchange of positions - while we transform (!) subjective information back and forth and create thus an approximate collectivity. 7 It needs a paradigm change from the view of “objective” objects to the awareness of a dynamic individual that alternates through all realities and determines itself by the form of this alternation. Despite it is unusual: The infinite basic speed gives every way to it. 8 Even 6 From this the reality funnel originates, as it is described in my e-book „How Consciousness Creates Reality“ (in the chapter of the same name). This is the very abridged version of my German book „Die Erschaffung der Realität“ (The Creation of Reality). They are both available from www.free-will.de. 7 See the chapter „Projection and creating approximations“ in „How Consciousness Creates Reality“ 8 I have thought through all basic questions, which arose to me from this result. Here their discussion would be too extensive. However, I will answer with pleasure your questions by e-mail. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 881 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence with a relatively steady awareness of my individuality, with a self-filtered consciousness, sitting here, I am at every moment a phase of the unlimited alternation. The terms awareness, individual, standpoint, consciousness, focus are basically synonymous. I only structure with them the all-embracing dynamic. If I sit down from one place on the other, I do nothing else, than to relate phases of my unlimited alternation back coupling to each other and thus design a local change. What is creation? The infinitesimality structure of focus dynamic has another two essential consequences: 1. The freedom of choice of consciousness is automatically integrated. I have founded this in my article Omnipresent Consciousness and Free Will as well as in my e-book How Consciousness Creates Reality.9 In brief: Weighing describes a back coupling between alternative changes. This indefiniteness circumscribes an entirety and defines it thus up to an infinitesimal center. However, in a decisive situation the indefiniteness of the progress is also an indefiniteness of the situation as a whole. The alternatives are defined on the other hand as those very well. That is definiteness and indefiniteness of the situation can be separated from the decision-making process at no place, they actually arise from it. Besides, the peripheral structure of the whole and its most internal core establish an infinitesimality-structured unity. This unites definiteness and indefiniteness also totally. In this totality both are assimilated, are not even partly distinguishable. Hence, from this totality every new definiteness is freely chosen. 2. All consciousness is also tied together immediately with each other - not only by immediate focus alternation, but by the central identity in every „braked“, with apparently limited focus speed. I have explained this in the mentioned booklet, too. 10 The approach: Every consciousness is in infinitesimality-structured relation to all others. In this relation, the center of every consciousness is also identified with the center of the totality, because such unity centers are at every place „between“ part and whole. Accordingly, the decisions of partial consciousness and whole consciousness from the unity with these centers are also identical. If we consider in addition the described presence of all individual realities in the awareness of our own, we get a shimmering, adaptable „consciousness net“ from which every consciousness chooses its reality permanently. According to structure of the network one reality is more likely and the other one less. If consciousness makes a probable reality its actual one, the others „fall down a bit“, lose probability. They become potential. 9 See the chapter „Consciousness – the infinitesimality structure”. 10 See the chapters „Consciousness – the infinitesimality structure” and „Our permanent choice”. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 882 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence Because our current awareness is tied together with all other awareness indirectly and immediately, consciously and less consciously to subconsciously, it can come to an agreement with them about a collective approximate reality. The biggest part of the coordination will take place for capacity reasons subconsciously (nevertheless, always within awareness), so that we must make not too big thoughts about the form of the world. Also, its stability will be maintained naturally subconsciously. For this we have recognized the general structure, although we do not know most concrete processes yet. Accordingly, the creation of a collective reality would be the decision of all participant individuals for a priority approximation of their positions and the fading out of others. This can be illustrated by the origin of the screen. From all states to which all individuals are fluctuating permanently, a not too improbable one (the vague „idea“) is „condensed“ in a physical object by the inventor / manufacturer. He raises that advance-felt (or investigated) probability by attention, skill and energy application to 100%. Then it is handed over to us „attention-energetic“, is selected by us in this form from the huge number of offers. Other versions are not considered any more. We fade them out. After that, we further construct from the acquired approximate object a more individual screen, our very own one (as described) from which the manufacturer gets as a rule nothing more. However, our screen remains more narrowly related with the prototype than the prototype with the vague „idea“ selected by the inventor - this „idea“ has hardened on a higher level. The friends who visit us (!) may now easily construct a similar screen on our desk. We maintain the stability of the „material object“ partly consciously, because we appreciate it. We also find the way back repeatedly - consciously and half consciously - to the state of screen consideration (i.e. home). And if the object is broken, in the end, we let recycle the atoms. Only how the consciousness net maintains physical laws and human prejudices is widely unsolved. How much we can consciously create, therefore is left to our experimental joy and personal development. There is no lack of guides to it. According to my experience, our possibilities are clearly bigger than materialists believe, but their probabilities often are not so high as many others promise. „Matter“ is compressed consciousness, however, the „matrix“ wants to be taken along.11 Two subtle questions arise if one considers the timelessness of the alternation between all „past“ and „future“ individuals: 1. If every focus, every individual, every reality is run through permanently, how can we create then a reality? How can it be really new? To put it briefly: The way is more than the goal. Though every individual is a phase of all others, however, its awareness is a unique hierarchy of probabilities, which exists only if it is just taken. Though it is generated at every moment again, the filtered, slower way from peak A to peak B is not! Although it shows a partial frequency of the infinite, there it is only here and now where it is walked. 11 Allusion on the feature film of the same name in which the „matrix“ stands for the collective consciousness network. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 883 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence 2. If everything already exists in the focus movement, is there then a universal development, or is everything merely repeated? This question is related to the preceding one, and so the answer is easy.12 The unique slow way does not recur most probably, because it is infinite. Also, it can be hardly repeated by someone else (or ourselves), because our freedom of choice makes it unpredictable. Somebody who wanted to follow it would not make the same decisions. Another question on the direction of individual development leads us to the concept of value fulfillment, which can be assumed maybe from the above if we include the asymmetry between restriction that is more quasi-static and dynamic infinity. I would like to close here with a self-citation: „Value fulfillment cannot be determined by a goal. It exists rather in its own prospering, it is in itself way and goal, an experienced awareness and timeless. It means feeling the own meaning in the world, also the own significance, and living according to this value feeling. This feeling encloses its own growth, as well as the growing awareness of a more comprehensive whole in which it is secured.“ 13 Additional comment by the author (2010): Individuality and the physical paradigm The physical paradigm contains serious distortions or inconsistencies: 1. The Brain is seen as the ultimate "perceiver". But who perceives the brain? The brain again? This is a circle, where my concept of circumscription comes in. 2. Reality is seen as physical after all, and by "physical" our paradigm is meant. From this a limited view of information derives. Here, my infinitesimality structure suggests a deeper view from which "information" derives. 3. "Physical" also means "objective", and objectivity is considered to be "not part of the observer" (the term "observer" contains this misunderstanding in itself). So where in this world is the observer? Observed by whom? Or not observed at all? Infinitesimality structure means, that there is no object in itself. Objects only condense from universal change by circumscription. This change is an alternation between individuals, and these individuals are condensations of this change, too. So neither firm objects nor objective individuals exist. There is only change or alternation in itself (structure of alternation). 12 Both questions can be refined in several directions, which is why I have dedicated to them an own chapter („Die Unzerstörbarkeit des Individuums”) in my German book „Die Erschaffung der Realität”. 13 „Die Erschaffung der Realität”, Chapter „Werterfüllung“. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com 884 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 877-884 Janew, C., Dynamic Existence Quantum physics describes another form of alternation than classical physics. There seems to be a basic unity, an elementary quantum. To perceive (or think) such a quantum, however, needs circumscription of "it", condensation of a movement. Again, there is no quantum in itself, although we treat it as such – and limit our focus on it. How then can it be circumscribed so stable? This is the question to be asked, while not simplifying it to an object in itself (except for practical use). In this concept there is no exclusive observer, there are only individual views (= individuals). Every view is unlimited at the end (and so are the individuals), but is limited asymptotically by self-reflection aimed at a controllable world and at building structures at all. (A continuous plenum reflects on limited structure to define itself.) To view the world infinitesimality-structured means to think beyond elementary quantum and quantum information, because "information" is already a condensation, a permanent attuning of alternating individuals (individual views). No information is transmitted: An attunement takes place – by condensating a change, changing position, and decondensating individually. The whole process is precondensated before of course by developing a "common" language, establishing a "common" infrastructure etc., and by unknown processes, too. Alternation is unlimited, because logically there cannot be a limit without the possibility to cross it in principle. I know that logic is thought by humans, but on the other hand thinking is seen as an appropriate tool to relate to the bigger world. It must be so, otherwise we would not (self-) exist in it. Although our thinking may be inconsistent, it cannot be meaningless to the bigger extent. Although the "ultimate" observer does not exist, individual standpoints do exist; and so does their attunement. Infinitesimality and infinity are consequences of limitlessness with respect to the existent meaning of the individual thinking. They can be well a camouflage for unperceived structures, but they always point beyond the perceived ones and they always remain essential values to deal with. ISSN: 2153-8212 Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com
Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 1-4 Hu, H. & Wu, M. Let All Truth Seekers Be the Vessels to Carry Consciousness Research to New Heights 1 Editorial Inaugural Issue Let All Truth Seekers Be the Vessels to Carry Consciousness Research to New Heights Huping Hu & Maoxin Wu ABSTRACT Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research ("JCER") is a publication in which scientists, philosophers and other learned scholars publish their research results and express their views on the the nature, origin and mechanism of consciousness. JCER is not about a particular philosophical view of consciousness nor is it focused on philosophical debates which have been done over the millenia. Rather, it is a journal mainly dedicated to the scientific studies of consciousness. JCER is published by QuantumDream, Inc. We are committed to truth and excellence at JCER. Key Words: consciousness, science, exploration, research 1. Purpose, Mission & Policy1 The main purpose and mission of JCER are to conduct scientific studies on the nature, origin and mechanism of consciousness. It is a journal in which scientists, philosophers and other learned scholars publish their research results and express their views on issues outline herein. In doing so, we hope that one day we will be able to arrive at a genuine science of consciousness. The current policy at JCER is editorial invitation for publication and editorial selections of submitted papers for publication. All papers published by JCER are either subject to openpeer-review (“OPR”) in the same issue of JCER or open to OPR in subsequent issues of JCER. 2. The State of Consciousness Research “As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the Corresponding author: Huping Hu, Ph.D., J.D. Address: QuantumDream, Inc., P.O. Box 267, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA. E-mail: hupinghu@quantumbrain.org ISSN: matrix of all matter.” These were the words of Max Planck (1944). Planck (1931) had also stated that “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.” However, in mainstream sciences today the study and even the mentioning of mind or consciousness are till taboo and the physicists’ version of a theory of everything does not include consciousness. Indeed, physicists encountered consciousness more than eighty years ever since quantum mechanics was born (see, e.g., Rosenblum & Kuttner, 2006). Instead of embracing such encounters and exploring the mystery of consciousness, the majority of physicists have been avoiding the consciousness issue like a plague. The irony is that, if we cannot understand ourselves and refuse to do so, how can we hope to understand fundamentally the world surrounding us. Shouldn’t the logic be that in order to understand the external world fundamentally we need also (or we must first) to understand how consciousness work? On the other hand, in the current field of consciousness research some individuals treat the field not as an arena of truth-seeking but a playground for personal gratifications and gains. The goal for them is not about truth but themselves. These individuals create so much of the unhealthy atmosphere in consciousness Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 1-4 Hu, H. & Wu, M. Let All Truth Seekers Be the Vessels to Carry Consciousness Research to New Heights research such as rivalry, arrogance, protectionism and intolerance of alternative views which lead to mediocrity and stagnancy in the field. Similarly, being the mouthpieces of the entrenched, dogmatic, and/or self-proclaimed authorities in the field, some of the journals, electronic archives and conferences covering the field reject or degrade many original works, although freedom and impartiality are their slogan. 3. The Way Out of the Crisis So, how can we turn around the currently depressing and even shameful situations? First, all men and women of consciousness research have to rise above ourselves by putting our personal interests and gains aside and the mission of truth-seeking as the first priority. Second. All truth-seeking men and women should be granted the rights of freedom, equality and opportunity to be heard in the pursuit of truth. Third, all men and women of consciousness research should be humble, openminded and tolerant of alternative and opposing views. Over the last 450 years since Copernicus, we have reached the golden age of science. It is up to us, the modern scientists and all truthseeking men and women, to study the nature of consciousness scientifically so as to usher mankind into a new era of unprecedented enlightenment and knowledge. 4. Authors’ View on Consciousness The authors are of the view that the reality is an interactive quantum reality centered on consciousness and the interaction between consciousness and reality seems to be a “chicken-egg” puzzle. The perplexing questions are: (1) Is quantum reality (the “chicken”) produced and influence by consciousness (the “egg”); or (2) is consciousness produced and influenced by quantum reality? Quite a few consciousness researchers have tried to answer parts of these two questions. For example, on the first question, Henry Stapp (1993) has made heroic efforts in the face of various criticisms. On the second question, Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff (1996), for example, have made tremendous efforts in producing and advocating the Penrose-Hameroff ISSN: 2 model. Philosophically, David Chalmers (1996) in the 90’s shook up the field of consciousness research with his classification of the problems of consciousness into “easy problems” and “hard problems”. However, the answers to all these fundamental questions are far from settled and they must be answered to arrive at a genuine science of consciousness. Borrowing from certain philosophy of Hinduism, the herein authors are inclined to believe that: (1) consciousness is both transcendent and immanent, that is, the transcendental aspect of consciousness produces and influences reality as the interactive output of consciousness and, in turn, reality produces and influences immanent aspect of consciousness as the interactive input to consciousness; and (2) Human consciousness is a limited or individualized version of this dualaspect consciousness such that we have limited free will and limited observation/experience which is mostly classical at macroscopic levels but quantum at microscopic levels. As a limited transcendental consciousness, we have through free will the choice of what measurement to do in a quantum experiment but not the ability to control the result of measurement. That is, the result appears to us as random. On the other hand, at the macroscopic level, we also have the choice through free will of what to do but the outcome, depending on context, is sometimes certain and at other times uncertain. Further, as a limited immanent consciousness, we can only observe the measurement result in a quantum experiment which we conduct and experiences the macroscopic environment surrounding us as the classical world. 5. Milestones Leading to the Launch of JCER The herein authors have been conducting scientific studies of consciousness over last ten years since 2000 (See, e.g., Hu & Wu, 2001-2007) thus making the launch of JCER feasible and practical. In a series of publications, the herein authors proposed a novel mechanism of anesthetic action, a spin-mediated consciousness theory, and a theory in which spin is the primordial self-referential process driving Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 1-4 Hu, H. & Wu, M. Let All Truth Seekers Be the Vessels to Carry Consciousness Research to New Heights [immanent] consciousness (See, e.g., Hu & Wu, 2001-2004). Then, the authors found ways to test experimentally the spin-mediated consciousness theory and biological (& macroscopic) quantum entanglement (Hu & Wu, 2006-2007). It was discovered that applying magnetic pulses to the brain when an anesthetic was placed in between caused the brain to feel the effect of said anesthetic as if the test subject had actually inhaled the same (Hu & Wu, 2006a&b). Through additional experiments, the authors verified that the said brain effect was indeed the consequence of quantum entanglement (Id.). These results support the possibility of a quantum brain. Experimenting with simple physical systems such as water quantumentangled with water being manipulated, the authors also found non-local chemical, thermal and gravitational effects (Hu & Wu, 2006c, 2007). These non-local effects also support a quantum brain theory such as the spin mediated consciousness theory (Id.). In short, the above experiments call for drastic changes in the authors own under-standings of nature, consciousness and life. On December 21, 2009, the herein authors made public their work entitled “The Principle of Existence: Toward a Scientific Theory of Everything.” The work was also submitted for publication on the same day to a journal which provisionally accepted it for publication pending review of the mathematics. The feedback from the two reviewers as relayed by the chief editor of that journal under submission was that there is too much theology in the work (which is not true as any reader of the preprint of the work can tell) thus unsuitable for publication. To accommodate and/or conform to the current circumstances in science and consciousness research, the herein authors have decided to modify their work by leaving the word GOD, ALLAH and Creator out and publish the modified work in this journal. However, the herein authors strongly feel that this yielding to the present circumstances of scientific journalism hardly do justice to the work or to the scientific GOD which the work proposes. So, the original version has been published separately. In short, time is ripe to launch JCER at this critical moment – the first month and year of a ISSN: 3 brand-new decade in the New Millennium and the fast approaching December 2012 during which the supposed transformation of mankind shall occur. The herein authors believe that the state of consciousness of mankind is the missing link for the supposed transformation to take place. 6. The Contents of the Inaugural Issue Besides the work of the herein authors, this inaugural issue also contains original works of several authors by editorial invitations. The papers appear in reverse alphabetic order by the last name of the first author. The work of Dainis Zeps illustrates cognitum hypothesis and cognitum consciousness through which Zeps offers a route to the unification of mind and matter. Zeps passionately ask the question: “May we imagine that materialistic and idealistic thinkers were both right in all point concerning mind and matter they have quarreled for centuries?” The work of Stephen P. Smith investigates the conflict between formality and intuition and discusses the importance of sentience (or feeling). Among other things, Smith argues that “sentience is covertly connected to space-time geometry when axioms of congruency are stipulated, essentially hiding in the formality what is sense-certain.” The work of Dick Richardson illustrates from the mystical point of view “consciousness, time and prespacetime as consciousness finds it to be.” Richardson argues that “only things in time and space which were not made in time and space can go back beyond time and space where they come from.” The best way to understand Richardson’s work fully is to read his online book given in the reference section of his paper. The work of Joseph Polanik questions whether “there is an I3”, and recommends that this question be the focusing question of JCER. To this end, Polanik describes his notation for subscripting pronouns by reality type and then these are used to diagnose the situation in which contemporary consciousness research finds itself and to pose the search-focusing question for JCER as a means for moving on from here. Then the work of Alan Oliver addresses the “Hard Problem” from the perspective of the ancient teaching in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research | January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 1-4 Hu, H. & Wu, M. Let All Truth Seekers Be the Vessels to Carry Consciousness Research to New Heights Oliver finds ontological similarity between the herein authors’ work to appear as the last paper in this issue and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The reason for this similarity, according to Oliver, is that “both seemed to progress through the same or similar steps in a journey from prespacetime to the everyday reality in which we and the Hard Problem exist.” Indeed, the graphics in the cover page of this Inaugural Issue tries to capture Oliver’s view. Finally, the work of the herein authors attempts to lay out an ontological and mathematical foundation toward a scientific theory of everything: “In the beginning there was Consciousness by itself e0 =1 materially 4 empty and spiritually restless. And it began to imagine through primordial self-referential spin: 1=e0=eiM-iM=eiMe-iM=e-iM/ e-iM = eiM/ eiM… such that it created the external object to be observed and internal object as observed, separated them into external world and internal world, caused them to interact through selfreferential Matrix Law and thus gave birth to the Universe which it has since passionately loved, sustained and made to evolve.” In closing let us remind ourselves that consciousness study is a sacred enterprise of truth. So, let freedom and knowledge to ring and let all truth seekers be the vessels to carry consciousness study to new heights. References Chalmers, D. The Conscious Mind (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996). Hameroff, S. & Penrose, R. Conscious events as orchestrated spacetime selections. J. Conscious Stud., 1996; 3: 36-53. Hu, H. & Wu, M. Mechanism of anesthetic action: oxygen pathway perturbation hypothesis. Med. Hypotheses 2001a: 57: 619-627. Also see arXiv 2001b; physics/0101083. Hu, H. & Wu, M. Spin-mediated consciousness theory. arXiv 2002; quant-ph/0208068. Also see Med. Hypotheses 2004a: 63: 633-646. Hu, H. & Wu, M. Spin as primordial self-referential process driving quantum mechanics, spacetime dynamics and consciousness. NeuroQuantology 2004b; 2:41-49. Also see Cogprints: ID2827 2003. ISSN: Hu, H. & Wu, M. Photon induced non-local effect of general anesthetics on the brain. NeuroQuantology 2006a 4: 17-31. Also see Progress in Physics 2006b; v3: 20-26. Hu, H. & Wu, M. Evidence of non-local physical, chemical and biological effects supports quantum brain. NeuroQuantology 2006c; 4: 291306. Also see Progress in Physics 2007; v2: 17-24. Planck, M. Interview with The Observer, London, Jan. 25, 1931. Planck, M. Speech at Florence, Italy, 1944. Rosenblum, B. & Kuttner, F. Quantum Enigma (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006). Stapp. H. P. Mind, Matter and Quantum Mechanics (New York: Springer-Verlag, 1993). Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research Published by QuantumDream, Inc. www.JCER.com
"1070\n\nJournal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| December 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 9 | pp. 107(...TRUNCATED)
"887\n\nJournal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| August 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 6 | pp. 887-88(...TRUNCATED)
"Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 16-36\nSmit(...TRUNCATED)
"Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| September 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 6 | pp. 773-775\n7(...TRUNCATED)
"Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| March 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 2 | pp. 216-217\nCecil(...TRUNCATED)
"Journal of Consciousness Exploration & Research| January 2010 | Vol. 1 | Issue 1 | Page 05-15\nZeps(...TRUNCATED)
YAML Metadata Warning: empty or missing yaml metadata in repo card (https://huggingface.co/docs/hub/datasets-cards)

Papers on consciousness extracted from PDF format, from Cognition and Consciousness, arXiv and JCER.

Downloads last month
0
Edit dataset card

Models trained or fine-tuned on gollark/consciousness