Can Quantum Mechanics Solve the Hard Problem of Consciousness?

Quantum theory implies a radically new notion of matter, not properly understood before David Bohm's work. Bohm proposed that fundamental particles (such as electrons) are not merely pushed around by classical forces but also respond to information. Information is an objective commodity existing independently of the human mind, actively guiding or instructing physical processes. This notion of active information applies to computational, biological, and psychological phenomena, helping to relate the mental and physical sides of reality and possibly understand conscious experience. The paper also considers the deeper mathematical and physical background of quantum theory, suggesting a need to revise basic assumptions about quantum objects, such as the role of the wave function.

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Abstract

AbstractThe paper proposes that quantum theory implies a radically new notion of matter which has not been properly understood before David Bohm’s groundbreaking work. Bohm proposed that the fundamental particles of physics (such as electrons) are not merely pushed around mechanically by classical forces but are also able to respond to information. Information is thus assumed to be an objective commodity which can exist independently of the human mind and which actively guides or instructs physical processes. This notion of active information also applies in computational, biological and psychological phenomena, thus helping us to understand how the mental and the physical sides of reality are related. It may even help us to understand the nature of conscious experience. The latter part of the paper considers the deeper mathematical and physical background of quantum theory and suggests that we need to revise our basic assumptions about quantum objects, such as the role of the wave function.