Cooperative Functioning of Unconscious and Consciousness From Theory of Open Quantum Systems
March 17, 2021 preprint DOI: 10.20944/preprints202103.0454.v1 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA mathematical model of how unconscious and conscious processes interact is presented, using the theory of open quantum systems. Unconscious and consciousness are treated as bio-information systems, with consciousness acting as a measurement apparatus for the unconscious. The interaction is described by the scheme of indirect measurements from quantum information theory, leading to the theory of quantum instruments. This quantum-like modeling approach, distinct from modeling genuine quantum physical processes in the brain, treats the brain as a black box processing information according to quantum laws. The framework has been applied in cognition, psychology, decision making, and social and political sciences, and previously explored for sensation-perception modeling.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychology Physics |
| Key finding | Proposes that the interaction between unconscious and consciousness can be mathematically modeled using quantum-like indirect measurement schemes, where consciousness performs measurements on states generated in the unconscious. |
Abstract
We present the mathematical model of cooperative functioning of unconscious and consciousness. The model is based on the theory of open quantum systems. Unconscious and consciousness are treated as bio-information systems. The latter plays the role a measurement apparatus for the former. States of both systems are represented in Hilbert spaces. Consciousness performs measurements on the states which are generated in unconscious. This process of unconscious-conscious interaction is described by the scheme of indirect measurements. This scheme is widely used in quantum information theory and it leads to the theory of quantum instruments (Davis-Lewis-Ozawa). Our approach is known as quantum-like modeling. It should be sharply distinguished from modeling of genuine quantum physical processes in biosystems, in particular, in the brain. In the quantum-like framework, the brain is a black box processing information in the accordance with the laws of quantum theory. During the last 10-15 years this framework has been actively used in cognition, psychology, decision making, social and political sciences. The quantum-like scheme of unconscious-consciousness functioning has already been explored for sensation-perception modeling.