Quantum Theories
Cambridge University Press eBooks April 23, 2026 Michael H. Herzog, Aaron Schurger, Adrien Doerig
This paper critically examines quantum theories of consciousness, particularly orchestrated objective reduction (OrchOR), which proposes that proto-conscious events occur throughout the universe but full consciousness arises only at the subcellular level in neuronal microtubules. The authors outline challenges with this approach, arguing that existing theories linking consciousness to neural processes are insufficient and that quantum-based explanations face significant conceptual and empirical difficulties.