Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
April 1, 2026
Kelvin J. McQueen, Ian T. Durham, Markus P Müller
A proposed theory linking wave-function collapse to integrated information would require placing a minimal system—a feedback dyad—into a superposition of states that differ in their associated conscious states. The authors prove a structural constraint on collapse dynamics of a standard (Lindblad) type: if collapse is governed by too few collapse operators, collapse rates cannot in general depend solely on qualitative differences between conscious states. Avoiding this limitation requires introducing many commuting operators, leading to a rapid proliferation of collapse terms even for very simple systems. This proliferation makes such theories experimentally intractable and applies broadly to any Wigner-style collapse theory that distinguishes experiences using rich internal organization.
arXiv Preprint Archive
September 25, 2023
Kelvin J. McQueen, Ian T. Durham, Markus P. Mueller
A quantum circuit called a 'Schrödinger's dyad' could place a minimal system into a superposition of states that differ in their associated conscious states, as described by Integrated Information Theory (IIT). The authors prove a structural constraint on standard collapse dynamics: if too few collapse operators govern the system, collapse rates cannot depend solely on qualitative differences between experiences. Avoiding this limitation requires many commuting operators, leading to a rapid proliferation of collapse terms even for simple systems. This complexity challenges claims that IIT-based collapse theories are especially experimentally tractable, and the difficulty extends to any theory distinguishing experiences using rich internal organization.
arXiv Preprint Archive
September 25, 2023
Kelvin J. McQueen, Ian T. Durham, Markus P. Mueller
A quantum superposition of consciousness, as in Wigner's friend thought experiment, may be possible under integrated information theory (IIT). IIT treats consciousness as a measurable quantity, integrated information (Φ), so a system's consciousness equals its Φ. Using the latest IIT formalism (IIT4.0), the authors analyze the simplest nonzero-Φ system, a feedback dyad, and propose a circuit putting it into a superposition of states. This would correspond to a superposition of conscious states, called "Schrödinger's dyad." Either IIT is false or the dyad is conscious and easily superposed. The simplest consciousness-collapse model predicts this superposition is unstable, collapsing at a rate determined by differences between the superposed conscious states.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
March 3, 2023
Larissa Albantakis, Robert Prentner, Ian T. Durham
Integrated information theory (IIT) was originally developed to characterize the causal information a system specifies about itself as a theory of consciousness, but its compatibility with quantum mechanics has been unclear. This work extends IIT's latest formalism to evaluate mechanism integrated information (φ) for discrete, finite-dimensional quantum systems such as quantum logic gates. The authors translate a measure of intrinsic information into a density matrix formulation and extend conditional independence to accommodate quantum entanglement. The compositional analysis may reveal structure in composite quantum states and operators not accessible through standard information-theoretical methods. The results aim to inform theoretical arguments about the links among consciousness, causation, and physics across classical and quantum domains.
arXiv Preprint Archive
January 4, 2023
Larissa Albantakis, Robert Prentner, Ian T. Durham
Integrated information theory (IIT), originally a framework for characterizing consciousness through causal information, is extended to finite-dimensional quantum systems such as quantum logic gates. The authors translate a measure of intrinsic information into a density matrix formulation and adapt conditional independence to account for quantum entanglement. This quantum extension of IIT may reveal internal structure of composite quantum states and operators that standard information-theoretic analysis misses. The work aims to inform debates about the relationship among consciousness, causation, and physics across classical and quantum domains.