Source: “Quantum Physics in Consciousness Studies”, By Dirk K. F. Meijer and Simon Raggett, A Review/Literature compilation: The Quantum Mind Extended
Traditional neurobiology and classical physics struggle to explain the subjective nature of consciousness, qualia, and free will. In response, numerous theories propose that the mind operates according to quantum mechanical principles rather than solely classical neuronal signaling. These hypotheses suggest that consciousness is a fundamental property of the universe, potentially rooted in the geometry of spacetime, quantum spin, or electromagnetic fields.
Key mechanisms explored include quantum coherence, superposition, and entanglement, which theoretically allow the brain to process information non-locally and unify disparate sensory inputs. A central concept is the collapse of the quantum wave function, interpreted by some as the moment of conscious choice or the transition from potentiality to reality. Various biological structures are identified as potential sites for these quantum effects, including microtubules within the cytoskeleton, voltage-gated ion channels, synaptic vesicles, and ordered water dipoles forming cortical fields. While some models focus on "orchestrated" objective reduction within microtubules, others emphasize quantum tunneling at synapses or the interaction between brain waves and photon emission. Collectively, these frameworks argue that the brain functions not merely as a classical computer, but as a quantum interface capable of non-computable processes, bridging the gap between matter and subjective experience.
1. Introduction in Quantum Aspects of Brain Function
2. Quantum Approaches in Neurobiology: The State of the Art
3. David Bohm: Wholeness and the Implicate Order
4. Henry Stapp: Attention, Intention and Quantum Coherence
5. Roger Penrose: Consciousness and the Spacetime Geometry of the Universe
6. Stuart Hameroff: Quantum Coherence In Brain Tubules
7. Brain Dynamics of Quantum and Electrodynamic Fields
8. Ion Channels, Cosmology, and Matter
9. Quantum Neurons and Spin Mediated Consciousness
10. Qualia, Free Will, and Photon Mediated Consciousness
11. Amit Goswami: The Vacuum as Universal Information Field
12. Simon Ragget: A Final Attempt to Formulate a Theory of Consciousness