Consciousness and Endogenous State Reduction: Two Experiments
arXiv Preprint Archive June 18, 2001 via arXiv
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe author argues that consciousness can influence physical systems, contrary to the common view that physical systems create and influence consciousness without reciprocal effect. Two experiments are proposed to demonstrate this influence: one using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with humans and another using autoradiography with rats. Background reasoning claims that 'pain' consciousness correlates with the binding of opiates to receptors in the brain. The argument challenges standard assumptions about the direction of causation between consciousness and physical processes.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Quant-ph |
| Key finding | Consciousness can influence physical systems, as proposed through two experiments using PET and autoradiography. |
Abstract
It is normally claimed that physical systems create and influence consciousness, but that consciousness cannot influence physical systems. However, I believe that this idea is flawed, and I suggest the following experiments as a way of demonstrating the influence of consciousness on physical systems. The first uses Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with humans, and the second uses autoradiography with rats. Background arguments are given, where it is claimed that 'pain' consciousness is correlated in a certain way with the binding of opiates to receptors in the brain. Key Words: state reduction, state collapse, macroscopic superpositions, PET scan, autoradiography.