Quantum of Consciousness: David Chalmers' Physical Mystery and the Ontological Process of Gilbert Simondon
Философская мысль October 1, 2025 V. O. Sayapin
A critical comparison of two philosophical strategies for using quantum concepts to understand consciousness shows they are fundamentally incompatible. David Chalmers invokes literal quantum processes, such as those in the 'Orch-OR' theory, to solve the 'hard problem' of explaining how subjective experience (qualia) emerges from brain physics. In contrast, Gilbert Simondon treats 'quantum' not as a subatomic particle but as a metaphorical unit of individuation in a process of resolving metastabilities within a 'pre-individual field.' Chalmers seeks a specific physical mechanism, while Simondon develops a general ontology of becoming where consciousness arises as a dynamic resolution of reality, irreducible to physicalism and open to the 'transindividual.' Simondon's processual ontology overcomes dualism and reification, resonating with 4E cognitive science and posthumanism.