The Quantum World and Consciousness
The challenge for quantum physicists, and their study of consciousness, was brought home to me as I scrolled through the series of articles that make up the 2017 edition of Quantum Physics of Consciousness (Eds. Subhash Kak, Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff). Various authors, most of them physicists, seemed to be struggling with the definition of consciousness:
“At present there is no agreed upon definition of consciousness - Vimal (2009) identified over forty! – so how could we discuss it in the same breath as the scientific field of quantum physics?”
Globus, Gordon. Consciousness and Quantum Physics: A Deconstruction of the Topic in Quantum Physics of Consciousness. Kak S. Penrose R. and Hameroff, S (Eds). Cosmology Science Publishers, 2017.
With no consensus it is quite difficult to explain the phenomenon referred to as consciousness from the quantum perspective. See various definitions of consciousness page.
At the quantum level sub-atomic particles sometimes interact with each other via the phenomenon of entanglement and non-locality (instantaneous transmission of information across space and time). Entanglement is said to occur when particles influence each other to the degree that they cannot be described independently, even when separated by significant distances. Entanglement bears a striking parallel to the notion of interconnected consciousness of all living beings. Our individual consciousness is somehow entangled with others and the forces that enable this entanglement are not understood by science.
Some quantum physicists see entanglement as the root of consciousness.
The Quantum Hologram
"It has been postulated that the brain processes and stores information holograhically. That is, information is stored as images contained within interference patterns. It is a-likened to a “detailed three dimensional movie generating the stream of consciousness that the mind experiences.”
Mitchell, Edgar and Staretz, Robert. The Quantum Hologram and the Nature of Consciousness in Quantum Physics of Consciousness. Kak S. Penrose R. and Hameroff, S (Eds). Cosmology Science Publishers, 2017 p 200.
The information received and processed within the brain is a result of quantum emissions from the phenomena being observed or experienced, and the brain’s capacity to receive and process these emissions. The hologram contains the whole within each of its parts and exists at the level of the individual organism or object and extends outward to infinity.
How subjective experience, such as emotions, feelings and other qualia occur is not readily explainable by the hologram theory. Although it is acknowledged that the process can operate in reverse and inanimate object can absorb feelings. All objects have quantum emissions and operate at their own individual frequency.
Dataism and the Information Algorithm
According to dataists the quantum hologram is an information processing phenomenon. It is supported by the view of many contemporary scientists who assert, somewhat reductively, that all biological processes are the unfolding of complex algorithms. As scientists become more adept at creating artificial intelligence, more and more tasks that were once fundamental to our existence, will be undertaken by machines and robots.
“Since intelligence is decoupling from consciousness, and since non-conscious intelligence is developing at breakneck speed, humans must actively upgrade their minds if they wish to stay in the game.”
Harari, Yuval Noah. Homo Deus; A Brief History of Tomorrow. Vintage, 2016.
Harari challenges us to envision a future of the super intelligent, engineered mind that has moved beyond reflective consciousness. This super-intelligence will be achieved in a number of ways. Genetic engineering has the potential to enhance our cognitive capacities. Pharmacology is producing drugs that alter moods and control counter-productive states of consciousness. It is not beyond the imagination of some scientists that the human brain might, one day, be micro-chipped to enhance our capabilities both mentally and physically
Dataism is a single unifying approach that has emerged as the new religion. It subsumes all disciplines and sees everything in terms of data flows. These flows will eventually exceed our capacity to understand them and humans will become increasingly reliant on electronic interfaces to make sense of information. In this definition artificial intelligence and the requirement to process ever increasing data is forecast to lead to the ‘Singularity’ in which the growth in technology becomes uncontrollable and unstoppable.
Comments on Quantum Consciousness
From a spiritual viewpoint Harari paints a bleak picture of the future. He sees all of our pursuits in this domain as human creations: Structures invented to make sense of our world. Structures that have enabled us to act collectively to dominate the world. Religion sometimes unifies as well as divides. However a tipping point seems to be approaching where the power of our technological advances threatens to take control and we, as conscious beings, with free will and the capacity for ethical conduct, are overtaken by non-conscious intelligence. In concluding his book, Homo Deus, Harari leaves us with three confronting predictions:
Science is converging on an all-encompassing dogma, which says that organisms are algorithms and life is data processing.
Intelligence is decoupling from consciousness.
Non-conscious but highly intelligent algorithms may soon know us better than we know ourselves.
Harari, Yuval Noah. Homo Deus; A Brief History of Tomorrow. Vintage, 2016.
Artificial Intelligence and the Approaching Singularity
Imagine a world where you no longer have to explore the depths of philosophy and science to find the answer to the great questions of our time. Just type a question into ChatGPT and there is the answer. Where the creative spark that produced the great works of art and literature could be accessed at the push of a button. Where voices, words, thought patterns, images and facial expressions of our leaders could be replicated for political purposes. Where the genius of the world’s great composers could be re-imagined, producing music scores that are resonant with the original work. Where you can discuss all of your troubles, neuroses, self-doubts and relationship concerns with a friendly and responsive computer program that will provide informed and empathetic counseling.
Welcome to the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It’s not just a future possibility. It’s here now right in your living room, on your computer screen where complex algorithms anticipate your viewing preferences on YouTube and Prime Video. When trains, trucks, busses, and cars drive themselves. This is just around the corner. You will no longer need a car because a self-driven vehicle will pick you up and deliver you to your destination.
The term “Singularity” has many meanings. Let’s try this one and see how it flies:
“The technological singularity—or simply the singularity —is a hypothetical future point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unforeseeable changes to human civilization. According to the most popular version of the singularity hypothesis, I.J. Good's intelligence explosion model, an upgradable intelligent agent will eventually enter a "runaway reaction" of self-improvement cycles, each new and more intelligent generation appearing more and more rapidly, causing an "explosion" in intelligence and resulting in a powerful superintelligence that qualitatively far surpasses all human intelligence.”[1]
Arguably we’ve reached that point already. And even if we’re not quite there yet we can feel its inevitability. A time when most of the goods and services that have been provided to us through human interaction will, very soon, be provided by a continuously learning algorithm. Where the deep discussions we had with others that helped us gain wisdom and insight, will be held with chatbot. It’s scary because the essence of our humanity is being stripped away and replaced by machine learning.
The dimension of depth that philosopher Paul Tillich felt that we had lost in 1959 will be eradicated for all but a handful of faithful souls who place themselves outside the mainstream. Isolating oneself from AI will become increasingly difficult as more and more services and interactions occur on-line. Every keystroke you make will be monitored, analysed, interpreted and even predicted by self-learning algorithms. You can’t hide. When you ask IBM’s Watson; “what is the meaning of my life?” be prepared for a confronting answer. “Your life no longer has any meaning.” Artificial Intelligence and the approaching Singularity have the potential to render human insight and wisdom irrelevant.
