The task of quantizing general relativity raises serious questions about the meaning of the present formulation and interpretation of quantum mechanics when applied to so fundamental a structure as the space-time geometry itself. This paper seeks to clarify the foundations of quantum mechanics. It presents a reformulation of quantum theory in a form believed suitable for application to general relativity. The aim is not to deny or contradict the conventional formulation of quantum theory, which has demonstrated its usefulness in an overwhelming variety of problems, but rather to supply a new, more general and complete formulation, from which the conventional interpretation can be deduced. The relationship of this new formulation to the older formulation is therefore that of a metatheory to a theory, that is, it is an underlying theory in which the nature and consistency, as well as the realm of applicability, of the older theory can be investigated and clarified.

"relative State" Formulation of Quantum Mechanics

Perceived duration is conventionally assumed to correspond with objective duration, but a growing literature suggests a more complex picture. For example, repeated stimuli appear briefer in duration than a novel stimulus of equal physical duration. We suggest that such duration illusions appear to parallel the neural phenomenon of repetition suppression, and we marshal evidence for a new hypothesis: the experience of duration is a signature of the amount of energy expended in representing a stimulus, i.e. the coding efficiency. This novel hypothesis offers a unified explanation for almost a dozen illusions in the literature in which subjective duration is modulated by properties of the stimulus such as size, brightness, motion and rate of flicker.

Is Subjective Duration a Signature of Coding Efficiency

When phenomena in quantum mechanics are interpreted from the perspective of bio-psychology, wave function collapse from several to a single eigenstate must be plausibly explained. Quantum mechanics requires a context, yet the context of an observer is rarely considered. On the other hand, in bio-psychology, the observer context is examined to explain superposition and collapse by different mental functions used in everyday life. Three mental functions are described, one of which is responsible for observation, and the others for conservation and treatment of information in mental representation. Whereas observation produces information with certainty, the subsequent processes result in information that remains uncertain potentiality. In order to encompass uncertainty, multiple possibilities are simultaneously considered in mental superposition, one of which should represent the unknown future outcome in observable reality. During verification by new observation, all suggested potentialities necessarily collapse to one real outcome. The collapse of superposition does not occur in observable physical reality, but in its mental representation. Some physical principles—such as superposition, infinity and nothingness before the Big Bang—are pure phenomena of mental representation, which will always remain unverifiable by observation. This argument proves that mental representation brought about by the observer context participates in the production of mental models for the best approximation of physical reality.

Quantum Mechanics Requires an Observer Context Distinguishing Between Reality and its Mental Representation

Does pure consciousness exist without being hooked to a physical mechanism (e.g. human body)? Can such claim be proven logically? The magnitude of asking this sort of question is similar to asking: Is it logical that matter exists out of the total void? The answer to both questions is yes. The aim of this paper is to show that, the existence of pure consciousness is a logical state, it is not energy, and it exists timelessly and can be experienced beyond the physical body. Furthermore, we show that pure consciousness (the soul) is a virtual junction on the metaphysical virtual net where each junction incorporates a set of cords of consciousness. The set can be limited, unlimited or uncountable. Cords of consciousness is treated as brain neural patterns and as such the brain can easily be manipulated by an external device which may transmit neural patterns in order to generate artificial scenes. A computation example was provided to elaborate the neural patterns and cords of consciousness. Finally, we discuss the opportunity rather than the possibility to visit the metaphysical virtual space. In that sense, if it is possible, should we grab the opportunity and expend our science beyond physics, into the metaphysics?

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The logical perception of the pure consciousness

Irreducible indeterminism is considered by most physicists as an ontological interpretation of quantum mechanics, which attributes inherent indeterminism to elementary particles. This view was extrapolated by von Neumann from the atomocosm to the entire universe. Heisenberg proposed an epistemic interpretation, postulating that indeterminism stems from ambivalent detection systems, rather than being a characteristic of elementary particles. Transformative detection that inherently affects the measured phenomena is responsible for the indeterminism in the atomocosm. As the same does not generally hold true in the macrocosm, this discrepancy has led to the notion of the Heisenberg cut. As explained by Heisenberg’s microscope example, high-energy light can displace electrons from their atomic shells in the atomocosm, but would not induce the same effect on objects in the macrocosm, thus rendering such detection neutral. Therefore, detection systems are ambivalent in that they can be transformative under the cut and neutral otherwise. Device variation is found under and above the cut and is the essential cause of outcome variability in the macrocosm. Thus, two completely different categories of indeterminism exist simultaneously under the Heisenberg cut, but only one is found above the cut, known as measurement variations of devices. Experimental exploration of elementary particle behaviors is possible only with the help of detection systems. If these systems affect particle characteristics in any way, this would be sufficient to explain the irreducible quantum mechanical indeterminism. Consequently, the true behavior of elementary particles, whether indeterminist or determinist, would never be detectable. Above the cut, on the other hand, variations in device performance are inevitable, due to reducible perturbing factors, inducing measurement variation of devices. Heisenberg discovered a general principle of ambivalent detection systems, which can also be found in the macrocosm. In the Wilson Cloud Chamber, vapor is an ambivalent detection system, since high-energy charged particles would produce straight tracks, whereas those of lower energy would leave an irregular trace. According to the epistemic interpretation, von Neumann’s extrapolation of irreducible quantum mechanical indeterminism to the entire universe would not be necessary, thereby avoiding the uncomfortable conclusion that the entire universe is based on indeterminism.

Heisenberg’s Versus Von Neumann’s Indeterminism of Quantum Mechanics

Eastern philosophy and western science have convergent and divergent viewpoints for their explanation of consciousness. Convergence is found for the practice of meditation allowing besides a time dependent consciousness, the experience of a timeless consciousness and its beneficial effect on psychological wellbeing and medical improvements, which are confirmed by multiple scientific publications. Theories of quantum mechanics with non-locality and timelessness also show astonishing correlation to eastern philosophy, such as the theory of Penrose-Hameroff (ORC-OR), which explains consciousness by reduction of quantum superposition in the brain. Divergence appears in the interpretation of the subjective experience of timeless consciousness. In eastern philosophy, meditation at a higher level of awareness allows the personal experience of timeless and non-dual consciousness, considered as an empirical proof for the existence of pure consciousness or spirituality existing before the material world and creating it by design. Western science acknowledges the subjective, non-dual experience, and its multiple beneficial effects, however, the interpretation of spirituality designing the material universe is in disagreement with the Darwinian Theory of mutation and selection. A design should create an ideal universe without the injustice of 3% congenital birth defects and later genetic health problems. The western viewpoint of selection is more adapted to explain congenital errors. The gap between subjectivity and objectivity, the mind-body problem, is in eastern philosophy reduced to the dominance of subjectivity over objectivity, whereas western science attributes equal values to both. Nevertheless, there remains an astonishing complementarity between eastern and western practices.

Timelessness and Time Dependence of Human Consciousness From a Scientific Western Viewpoint

Quantum mechanics has some weird aspects, which we simply have to accept, according to Tegmark. However, approaching this issue from a bio-psychological perspective allows for an alternative interpretation that avoids this supposedly inherent weirdness. Physical laws are established based on repeated observations or measurements, which involve sense organs. Our capacity for memorization and abstract reflection allows us to draw conclusions on physical reality, which can thus be represented with mathematical formalism. Therefore, physical laws are dependent on pure bio-psychological functions. If quantum mechanics is seen in the bio-psychological context, normal mental functions might explain phenomena such as the collapse of the wave function. If events of interest occurred regularly, similar to classical physics, the same pattern of regular events would be anticipated in the future. Conversely, if events that occurred in the past were irregular, like in quantum mechanics, they would also evolve in an irregular manner in the future. Prediction of irregular behavior requires the ability to imagine multiple possibilities in a kind of mental superposition. Only when one of the imagined possibilities is realized, the mental superposition of the future will collapse to one observable behavior occurring in the present. However, in mental representation, similar to classical physical formalism, some aspects of reality can be lost. When time and space coordinates are replaced by calculated time intervals and spatial distances, time periods and spatial lengths become independent of their initial reference frames. Consequently, the concepts of past, present, and future become irrelevant for time intervals. In quantum mechanics, as well as in mental imagination of potentiality, the notions of the unity of one space for one time and the time arrow are also eliminated. This analogy suggests that physical formalism does not correspond to independent physical reality, but rather to mental functions, which allow establishing a mathematical model of extra-mental reality. If quantum mechanics is conceived as mental potentiality for modeling physical reality, the weird aspect of the collapse of superposition disappears and becomes a simple transition from imagined potentiality in mental representation to observed reality, which could explain the measurement problem.

Revisiting Quantum Mechanical Weirdness From a Bio-psychological Perspective

Composite Time Concept for Quantum Mechanics and Bio-Psychology

Chalmers introduced the hard problem of consciousness as a profound gap between experience and physical concepts. Philosophical theories were based on different interpretations concerning the qualia/concept gap, such as interactive dualism (Descartes), as well as mono aspect or dual aspect monism. From a bio-psychological perspective, the gap can be explained by the different activity of two mental functions realizing a mental representation of extra-mental reality. The function of elementary sensation requires active sense organs, which create an uninterrupted physical chain from extra-mental reality to the brain and reflect the present. The function of categorizing reflection no longer needs sense organs, so that the physical chain to extra-mental reality is interrupted and now reflects the past. Whereas elementary sensation is an open system, categorizing reflection remains a closed system, separated from extra-mental reality. This creates the potentiality/reality gap, since prediction from the closed to the open system remains always uncertain. Elementary sensation is associated to specific qualia for each sense organ. Chalmers also attributed qualia to thoughts, with more neutral thought qualia. Thus at the qualia level, there is also an important gap, but now between specific sense qualia and neutral thought qualia. Since all physical concepts are simultaneously linked to neutral thought qualia, the hard problem might be explained by a qualia/qualia gap instead of a qualia/concept gap. The mental function of categorizing reflection induces the change from sense qualia to thought qualia by a categorization process. The specific sense qualia mosaic of an apple is reduced to physical concepts with neutral qualia by progressive categorization first to fruit, then to food, to chemicals and finally to calories. This might explain the gap felt in the hard problem, since specific sense qualia are completely different from neutral thought qualia, so that the hard problem could already be encountered at the qualia level. Since the gap of the hard problem is due to the interaction of different mental functions, it is compatible with a philosophical monism.

Franz Klaus Jansen

Papers

Heisenberg’s Versus Von Neumann’s Indeterminism of Quantum Mechanics

Timelessness and Time Dependence of Human Consciousness From a Scientific Western Viewpoint

Revisiting Quantum Mechanical Weirdness From a Bio-psychological Perspective

Composite Time Concept for Quantum Mechanics and Bio-Psychology

The Hard Problem of Consciousness from a Bio-Psychological Perspective