Consciousness and the Collapse of the Wave Function
David J. Chalmers, Kelvin J. McQueen
arXiv Preprint Archive May 5, 2021 preprint
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Quant-ph Quantum-physics Consciousness-studies Quantum-mechanics Integrated-information-theory |
| Key points | Argues that combining integrated information theory with continuous spontaneous localization yields versions of consciousness-collapse interpretations that are not falsified by current evidence and could be tested with quantum computers. |
Abstract
Does consciousness collapse the quantum wave function? This idea was taken seriously by John von Neumann and Eugene Wigner but is now widely dismissed. We develop the idea by combining a mathematical theory of consciousness (integrated information theory) with an account of quantum collapse dynamics (continuous spontaneous localization). Simple versions of the theory are falsified by the quantum Zeno effect, but more complex versions remain compatible with empirical evidence. In principle, versions of the theory can be tested by experiments with quantum computers. The upshot is not that consciousness-collapse interpretations are clearly correct, but that there is a research program here worth exploring.