Reality in quantum mechanics, Extended Everett Concept, and consciousness
arXiv Preprint Archive – August 31, 2006
Source: arXiv
Summary
Quantum physics reveals a mind-bending possibility: consciousness itself may be key to how we experience reality. When we observe quantum events, our consciousness might actually split to perceive different possible outcomes separately. This explains why we only experience one "classical" reality at a time, though in altered states like sleep, we may glimpse parallel realities. This framework suggests time's flow is an illusion of consciousness, offering new perspectives on free will and life's order-creating nature.
Abstract
Conceptual problems in quantum mechanics result from the specific quantum concept of reality and require, for their solution, including the observer's consciousness into quantum theory of measurements. Most naturally this is achieved in the framework of Everett's "many-worlds interpretation" of quantum mechanics. According to this interpretation, various classical alternatives are perceived by consciousness separately from each other. In the Extended Everett Concept (EEC) proposed by the present author, the separation of the alternatives is identified with the phenomenon of consciousness. This explains classical character of the alternatives and unusual manifestations of consciousness arising "at the edge of consciousness" (i.e. in sleep or trance) when its access to "other alternative classical realities" (other Everett's worlds) becomes feasible. Because of reversibility of quantum evolution in EEC, all time moments in the quantum world are equivalent while the impression of flow of time appears only in consciousness. If it is assumed that consciousness may influence onto probabilities of alternatives (which is consistent in case of infinitely many Everett's worlds), EEC explains free will, "probabilistic miracles" (observing low-probability events) and decreasing entropy in the sphere of life.