Emergent Consciousness: From the Early Universe to Our Mind
arXiv Preprint Archive – July 05, 2000
Source: arXiv
Summary
Quantum physics reveals a fascinating parallel: our conscious brain may operate similarly to the early universe. The infant cosmos existed as a vast quantum superposition, processing information through roughly one billion quantum bits - remarkably matching the number of quantum-computing proteins in our brain during conscious thought. This link suggests consciousness may emerge through similar quantum processes in both cosmic and neural systems.
Abstract
In a previous paper (gr-qc/9907063) we described the early inflationary universe in terms of quantum information. In this paper, we analize those results in more detail, and we stress the fact that, during inflation, the universe can be described as a superposed state of quantum registers. The self-reduction of the superposed quantum state is consistent with the Penrose's Objective Reduction (OR) model. The quantum gravity threshold is reached at the end of inflation, and corresponds to a superposed state of 10^9 quantum registers. This is also the number of superposed tubulins-qubits in our brain, which undergo the Penrose-Hameroff's Orchestrated Objective Reduction, (Orch OR), leading to a conscious event. Then, an analogy naturally arises between the very early quantum computing universe,and our mind.