Thursday, May 29

Beyond time and space




When the quantum theory first emerged over 100 years ago it was called quantum mechanics, assuming sub atomic particles and energies’ behaviour would conform to the mechanical laws such as is evident in large scale physics rather than as closely connected particles that interact as if they are one being.

Since then, notwithstanding the quantum entanglement mystery, the principles of quantum mechanics has expanded our understanding so we can say it is impossible to determine absolutely what will happen to individuals in relation to dates or numbers, but rather the best we can do is to revert to probabilities. Hence, although it is logical for us to live our life on the basis we all have free will, to plan and make logical choices which have consequences, it would seem in reality we can never be completely free in a world which is unpredictable, since you and I are made up of those same unpredictable cells and atoms.
 
Nevertheless this realisation of interconnectedness has led to  enhanced medical outcomes, a better understanding of chemical bonding and what occurs in photosynthesis , just to mention a few advances in knowledge. We have adapted to many commercial applications such as in in the widespread use of lasers, atomic clocks and in encryption coding used to safeguard large banking transfers. Soon we will have much faster quantum computers and can possibly even look forward to the discovery of cancer cures. 

But one of the more interesting applications concerns our consciousness. According to Science daily the old theory that our consciousness derives from the finer scale activities within brain neurons, has been given further impetus with the recent discovery of quantum vibrations therein. Click here for the full article
 
Orchestrated objective reduction.
This discovery reignites in my mind the old idea advanced by physicist Roger Penrose who concluded “our mind thought process began by way of a number of superimposed quantum states to collapse through gravity to produce our conscious thoughts”. Click here for more.
 
Penrose postulates how one might be able to reconcile the seemingly contradictory theory of being able to compute a future from a deterministic world about which can have only random outcomes. He suggests a cause arising from our consciousness lies beyond computation and random effect.
A 'cause' could be something that cannot be computed in practice or in principle. I shall argue that when a 'cause' is the effect of our conscious actions, then it must be something very subtle, certainly beyond computation, beyond chaos, and also beyond any purely random influences.
Whether such a concept of 'cause' could lead us any closer to an understanding of the profound issue (or the 'illusion'?) of our free will is a matter for the future.

Conclusion
We may never be able to say with any authority what is the reality we attempt to determine within our consciousness, or even define our consciousness other than to postulate it lies within the province of the  quantum mystery, which allow us to determine certain probabilities. Otherwise that might denote the end of the journey that is not to be.

 

2 comments:

susan said...

If consciousness isn't a physical entity, as I've come to believe it probably isn't, then physicists and other scientists who want to pretend it is will come up with something that they will call "consciousness" and pretend to have captured it, but it won't really be consciousness. It's likely to be an entirely imaginary entity like the "aether" that they'll pretend to have captured and measured but it won't be there.

Lindsay Byrnes said...

Well said Susan !!
best wishes