Postcorrection and mathematical model of life in Extended Everett's Concept
arXiv Preprint Archive December 21, 2007 via arXiv
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe author's Extended Everett's Concept (EEC) proposes that consciousness can, during sleep, trance, or meditation, access information from all parallel realities (Everett's worlds) and select favorable ones. A mathematical operation called postcorrection is introduced to model this ability, which adjusts the present state to ensure certain future characteristics. Evolution of living matter is thus guided by goals like survival as well as by causes, creating a theory symmetric in time direction that follows from an anthropic principle. The framework explains free will and direct insight, distinguishes artificial intellect from artificial life, and suggests the deepest level of consciousness is not a brain function.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Quant-ph Quantum physics physics.gen-ph Parallel universes Free will theory |
| Key finding | Proposes that consciousness can select favorable realities through a mathematical operation called postcorrection, explaining free will and insight, and argues that artificial life cannot be created because automats lack this ability. |
Abstract
Extended Everett's Concept (EEC) recently developed by the author to explain the phenomenon of consciousness is considered. A mathematical model is proposed for the principal feature of consciousness assumed in EEC, namely its ability (in the state of sleep, trance or meditation, when the explicit consciousness is disabled) to obtain information from all alternative classical realities (Everett's worlds) and select the favorable realities. To represent this ability, a mathematical operation called postcorrection is introduced, which corrects the present state to guarantee certain characteristics of the future state. Evolution of living matter is thus determined by goals (first of all by the goal of survival) as well as by causes. The resulting theory, in a way symmetrical in time direction, follows from a sort of antropic principle. Possible criteria for postcorrection and corresponding phenomena in the sphere of life are classified. Both individual and collective criteria of survival are considered as well as the criteria providing certain quality of life and those which are irrelevant to the life quality. The phenomena of free will and direct sighting of truth (e.g. scientific insight) are explained in these terms. The problem of artificial intellect and the role of brain look differently in the framework of this theory. Automats may perform intellectual operations, but not postcorrection, therefore artificial intellect but not an artificial life can be created. The brain serves as an interface between the body and consciousness, but the most profound level of consciousness is not a function of brain.