The Quantum Character of Perception: The Probabilistic and Reversible Thermodynamic Cycle can Produce Spin-like Attitudes, Thinking, and Behavior

Abstract

One of the most puzzling questions in neuroscience is the nature of emotions and their role in consciousness. The sensory system's energy/information exchange revolves around a stable resting state. Therefore, cognitive perception represents information-energy exchange with the environment, giving rise to a closed thermodynamic cycle, which can be modeled by the reversible Carnot engine. The brain's significant energy investment in maintaining the resting state indicates its essential role as the ground state of consciousness, the source of our sense of self. Perception forms either an endothermic or exothermic cycle. The first represents high entropy resting state with irreversible activations, generating novelty and intellect. In the second case, low entropy and reversible resting state cause past focus, regret, and remorse. The reversible thermodynamic cycle, a classical system, takes on quantum characteristics. The cycle's direction generates an orthogonal force or torque, manifested as psychological spin. The endothermic cycle produces up-spin, whereas the exothermic cycle is called down-spin. The quantum and classical natures represent a particle-like duality between continuous and discrete states explained by the fermionic hypothesis. Therefore, emotions are the brain's homeostatic master regulators. They maintain particle-like stability manifested by cognitive comfort by utilizing physiological and hormonal regulation.