Introducing the brain: quantum consciousness redux (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, May 12, 2024, 17:04 (44 days ago) @ David Turell

Back to Penrose and Hameroff:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGxTFcnxCGxbVNQtnDQMDhGkFtB

"I’ve heard more than one person say that what a pity that Penrose fell for this crazy Hameroff person. But, well, I’ve met both Penrose and Hameroff and they’re both crazy of course, but neither of them is stupid. So what are we to make of this microtubule stuff?

"Now comes this new paper from a group that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with either Penrose or Hameroff and they say that they have clear evidence that these microtubules actually do display real quantum effects. More specifically it’s a process called superradiance. It basically requires the molecules to have quantum links to each other to achieve a larger emission of light.

"They first built a computer model for how the tubulin molecules combine to microtubules and how they would absorb light. Then they also tested this in the laboratory, and they found good agreement.

"Both theoretically and experimentally they say that yes, these tubules can display quantum effects. They didn’t actually test it in a cell, just in a solution, but it’s at room temperature and they say the superradiant effect basically doesn’t care about the environmental noise.

***

"What does any of this have to do with consciousness? Nothing really. Though last time I looked we did need brain cells for consciousness, there seems to be a big logical gap between “there are quantum effects in human brains” and “quantum effects create consciousness'”.

Comment: same old hard problem. We all experience it, but how is it created? And the issues of NDE's and infant past life memories add to the confusion. Does the brain 'receive' consciousness? The origin of consciousness is just as mysterious as the origin of life. Both point to God as a designer.