Towards Quantum Integrated Information Theory
arXiv Preprint Archive – June 04, 2018
Source: arXiv
Summary
Consciousness may arise from the integration of information in neural networks - but what happens when we apply these principles to quantum systems? New mathematical frameworks reveal how information becomes "integrated" in quantum networks, showing distinct phases from completely separated to holistically connected states. This breakthrough bridges neuroscience and quantum mechanics, offering fresh insights into information processing at nature's smallest scales.
Abstract
Integrated Information Theory (IIT) has emerged as one of the leading research lines in computational neuroscience to provide a mechanistic and mathematically well-defined description of the neural correlates of consciousness. Integrated Information ($\Phi$) quantifies how much the integrated cause/effect structure of the global neural network fails to be accounted for by any partitioned version of it. The holistic IIT approach is in principle applicable to any information-processing dynamical network regardless of its interpretation in the context of consciousness. In this paper we take the first steps towards a formulation of a general and consistent version of IIT for interacting networks of quantum systems. A variety of different phases, from the dis-integrated ($\Phi=0$) to the holistic one (extensive $\log\Phi$), can be identified and their cross-overs studied.