QUANTUM THEORIES OF MIND: METAPHYSICAL SPECULATIONS AND SPECIFIC SCIENTIFIC CONTENT
Dmitriy Vladimirovich Vinnik
Institute of Philosophy and Law, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 8, Nikolaev st., 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia
Keywords: сознание, психика, квантовая теория сознания, квантовая механика, суперпозиция, нелокальность, наблюдатель, коллапс волновой функции, метафизика, измененные состояния сознания, нейтральный монизм, панпсихизм, mind, psyche, quantum theory of mind, quantum mechanics, superposition, nonlocality, observer, collapse of wave function, metaphysics, altered mental states, neutral monism, panpsychism
Abstract
The paper attempts to distinguish a speculative-metaphysical content of quantum theories of mind and a specific scientific one. The conclusion is made that the hypothesis of the quantum-mechanical nature of abnormal psychological phenomena cannot be verified empirically because of their non-reproducibility in laboratory conditions. We give arguments for a methodological approach which asserts that if the hypothesis of the quantum nature of the brain elemental base is correct, then traces of quantum phenomena can be found in everyday and laboratory-reproducible mental states, viz bistable perception, distribution of answers, distribution of associative tests results, and memory. An approach is proposed within which the analysis of behavior, propositions and making decisions by a person carried out with the help of the probability-theoretic apparatus of quantum mechanics gives reasons for interpreting brain states as quantum macro-phenomena of quantum computing states. We propose perspective approaches for verifying hypotheses of the quantum-mechanical nature of psyche: 1) simulation of cognitive functions with quantum neurocomputers; 2) application of invasive neurodetectors for detecting tunnel effects and quantum correlation phenomena in neurons.
|
