Consciousness in Physics
arXiv Preprint Archive March 7, 2002 via arXiv
Summary
The essay argues that calls for a Theory of Everything to include a theory of consciousness, or for new physics to describe consciousness, stem from misunderstandings about how language is used when discussing consciousness. The author contends that the motivations behind searching for such a unified theory arise from these linguistic confusions, implying that no new physics or expanded theory is needed to account for consciousness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Physics.gen-ph Consciousness Mind-body problem Scientific theory |
| Key finding | The search for a theory of consciousness as part of a Theory of Everything is based on misunderstandings of language use when talking about consciousness. |
Abstract
This essay discusses the idea that a Theory of Everything would not be complete without a theory of consciousness as one of its parts, and the suggestion that new physics may be needed to describe consciousness. I argue that the motivations behind searching for such a theory arise as the result of misunderstandings over the use of language when talking about consciousness.