Justin Riddle on Quantum Biology + Consciousness

Justin Riddle, Ph.D.  -Cognitive Neuroscientist at UNC Chapel Hill

Justin Riddle received Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley with Mark D'Esposito. He received his Bachelor degrees from the University of California, Berkeley in Computer Science and Cognitive Science with a concentration in Neuroscience and Highest Honors. Justin has over eight years of combined teaching experience as a Graduate Student Instructor and as a student facilitator for the Democratic Education program at Cal (DeCal). Justin taught 13 semester of Quantum Consciousness with David Presti.

There are a lot of vids so will put them in different posts:

In this introduction to quantum consciousness, Justin Riddle presents six arguments that quantum consciousness is an important theory of mind.

To summarize them briefly, (1) People always identify as their latest technology and so most people believe that they are a digital computer. Time to update those models of self, because.... (2) Quantum computers are here. We wouldn't want the brick of metal in our pocket to have greater computational power than our brain. (3) People say the brain is too warm, wet, and noisy for quantum effects; yet, evidence keeps emerging for quantum effects in biology (such as photosynthesis). Where do we draw the line? (4) Evolution might be selecting for quantum systems that can maintain quantum coherence. (5) The debate around the role of quantum mechanics in consciousness has been raging for 100 years. Many key historical figures like Bohr, Schrodinger, Heisenberg, von Neumann entertained the idea that quantum mechanics might relate to our mind. (6) Physical theories that are purely deterministic have failed to account for key aspects of subjective experience. There may be novel answers from a perspective that incorporate new physics.

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In episode 2 of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle presents Roger Penrose's three world model: Physical, Mental, and Platonic. The three world model proposes a domain for the observations and measurements made regarding the external world (Physical), a domain for the private and personal subjective experience that constitutes the narrative flow of your mind (Mental), and a transpersonal domain for logic and mathematical truth akin to Plato's world of forms (Platonic). While it has been said that "all models are wrong, but some are useful," I have found the three world model to be a profound source of insight.

In the third episode of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle discusses three principles of quantum mechanics and how they relate to the three-world model. First, the measurement principle describes how a wave-function is reduced into a discrete physical state. Second, the superposition principles reveals that a system enters into a probability distribution of multiple states between measurements. Finally, the entanglement principle suggests that when quantum systems that share a mixed superposition are separated in space, their wave-functions are inextricably connected. To illustrate these principles in action, the double-slit experiment is presented, superfluids & superconductors are explored, and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox is discussed.

In episode 4 of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle discusses prevalent interpretations or "theories" of quantum mechanics.

0:00 Introduction
1:05 RECAP - Roger Penrose's Three World Model
1:50 Many Worlds Hypothesis
5:35 Copenhagen Interpretation
10:26 Self-collapse (objective reduction)
17:46 Hidden Variables
23:50 Synchronicity
26:10 Summary & Outro

~ Episode summary ~

First up is the many worlds hypothesis that claims we live in a multiverse. The problem here is that there is no point of making choices when all possible realities occur. There is no collapse of the wave function and superpositions are different universes.

Alternatively, when systems interacts with each other they might collapse the wave function by virtue of their interaction. But Einstein asks the question: would the moon cease to exist if we did not look at it?

There may need to be an explanation for superposition without any external influence; furthermore, this is
quite a chaotic process and the universe is full of order.

Third, the self-collapse of the wave function was proposed by Roger Penrose to arise once a superposition evolves into sufficient complexity. This form of collapse may be especially poised to produce an increase in order. Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff suggest this form of collapse is the substrate of proto-consciousness and might be selected for and 'orchestrated' in biological systems.

Finally, the spaceless/timeless domain of entanglement has been suggested to serve a "holomovement" of the universe by David Bohm and Henry Stapp to serve as a collective feedback loop. Carl Jung and Wolfgang Pauli speculated that if entanglement relationships found their way into the physical world they might be perceived as synchronicity. We sure go off the deep end with this one!

It seems to me that this attempt to explain consciousness as being somehow produced by quantum mechanical processes is invalid. "Wave function", "superposition", "collapse", "sufficient complexity" and "substrate" are words representative of aspects or properties of the physical world (regardless of their being quantum mechanical concepts), and therefore can't be a scientific explanation of consciousness. 

In short, none of these quantum mechanical principles or concepts has anything at all to do with what is termed "phenomenal consciousness" (the property of subjective awareness which is core to consciousness). To paraphrase a previous post at https://psiencequest.net/forums/thread-a...6#pid58296 :

 "...a (true) physical explanation of phenomenal consciousness would require....(a) conceptual connection between phenomenal consciousness and some physical activity. There would have to be some kind of particle movement that clearly could not happen without conscious experience. But no such conceptual connection exists.
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There’s an essential logical link missing between the kinds of processes investigated by physical science and the conscious experience that sometimes accompanies them. And this makes a physical explanation of consciousness impossible."

I think there's a difference between a production hypothesis rooted in QM and saying something about the structure of quantum biology allows for consciousness[as we experience it in this biological existence].

Riddle, as I understand him, is a Trialist. I think @Laird is too so he might provide some more insight here.

[Laird]

I think there's a difference between a production hypothesis rooted in QM and saying something about the structure of quantum biology allows for consciousness[as we experience it in this biological existence].

Riddle, as I understand him, is a Trialist. I think @Laird is too so he might provide some more insight here.

I'd not heard the term "Trialist" before. Is this what you mean by it?

I'll watch these videos at some point and see if I do have any insight to share.

I'd not heard the term "Trialist" before. Is this what you mean by it?

I'll watch these videos at some point and see if I do have any insight to share.

Ah perhaps I'm misremembering then, I thought I heard the term from you. Possibly the Mandela Effect.

edit: I actually wasn't sure what the "third" thing would be besides matter and mind. I know some add Platonism as distinct from Mind as Riddle does..

I think there's a difference between a production hypothesis rooted in QM and saying something about the structure of quantum biology allows for consciousness[as we experience it in this biological existence].

Riddle, as I understand him, is a Trialist. I think @Laird is too so he might provide some more insight here.

According to Laird's linked webpage, "Trialism keeps the two substances of mind and body (of dualism), but introduces a third substance, sensation, belonging to the union of mind and body. This allows animals, which do not think like humans, to be regarded as having sensations and not as being mere automata."

I don't see a connection with the quantum mechanics production hypothesis issue.

[Laird]

Ah perhaps I'm misremembering then, I thought I heard the term from you. Possibly the Mandela Effect.

edit: I actually wasn't sure what the "third" thing would be besides matter and mind. I know some add Platonism as distinct from Mind as Riddle does..

In a sense, my basic ontology is trinary, consisting in the physical, the mental, and the conceptual, so maybe I'd expressed that somewhere and you'd understood it, having three components, as Trialism?

I don't see a connection with the quantum mechanics production hypothesis issue.

Riddle talks about his Three Realms in the video, and where he feels different QM interpretations fit. The video series as a whole goes into QM, Consciousness, and how they fit together.