Temporal Superposition and Collapse (TSC): A Quantum Framework for Time and Consciousness
Jeffery Barnes
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Proposes that quantum systems exist in superpositions of temporal positions and that observation collapses this temporal wavefunction into an experienced "now," making time a sequence of discrete, emergent moments. Argues that a mathematical formulation uniting unitary Schrodinger evolution with a non-unitary collapse term links time emergence to conscious experience, and suggests consciousness may arise from the continuous collapse of temporal potential. |
Abstract
This paper introduces the Temporal Superposition and Collapse (TSC) model, which proposes that quantum systems exist in superpositions not only of spatial and energetic states,but also of temporal positions. The act of observation collapses a quantum system’s temporal wavefunction into an experienced “now.” Time, in this framework, is not a continuousdimension but a sequence of discrete, emergent moments generated through quantum observation.We develop a mathematical formulation for TSC, uniting standard unitary Schrodingerevolution with a non-unitary collapse term, linking time emergence to conscious experience.This model reframes the present not as a passive slice of time, but as a physically real consequence of collapse, bridging quantum physics, consciousness, and relativity. We examineinterpretive implications, experimental analogs (e.g., delayed-choice quantum eraser), andsuggest consciousness may arise from the continuous collapse of temporal potential into thenow. The TSC model aligns with and extends interpretations like Copenhagen, Transactional, and Block Universe, offering a testable, ontologically rich view of time.