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A Quantum Neurological Model of Perception-Cognition and Awareness in Ambiguous Figures and the Case of the Dalmatian Dog

Elio Conte, Ignazio Francesco Licata, Raúl Alelú‐Paz

Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science 2015 DOI: 10.4236/jbbs.2015.512051 (opens in new tab)

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Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Citations 10
Key points Argues that quantum mechanics, particularly the quantum interference effect, is necessary to explain perception, cognition, and awareness, and proposes that brain regions V1, V2/V3/V4, and A20 function like the beam splitters of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, offering this as a neurological mechanism for perceiving ambiguous figures such as the Dalmatian dog.

Abstract

The present paper has mainly the aim to formulate a quantum neurological model of brain dynamics during perception and cognition of ambiguous figures here including the case of the Dalmatian dog. First of all, we summarize our previous experimental and theoretical studies, evidencing as the basic conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics enter in a decisive manner in explaining the basic functions of brain dynamics at perceptive and cognitive level and at the level of our consciousness. This is done in detail in Sections 2 and 3 where we discuss also the role of the so called quantum interference effect and we include here the results of an our recent experiment confirming the role of quantum theory and of its quantum interference effect also at perceptive-cognitive and awareness levels. In Section 4, following our previous study, we consider the so called Mach-Zehnder interferometer. It is a physical device that is employed in quantum mechanical experiments in order to analyze such quantum interference effect. Soon after the discussion of this device, we proceed with the elaboration of a detailed quantum neurological model in the sense that we consider the brain regions identified in V1; V2/V3/V4 and A20 and we obtain that they may behave just as the beam splitters involved in the Mach-Zehnder quantum mechanical interferometer. In this manner, we formulate a model of V1; V2/V3/V4, A20 brain dynamics as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and such model delineates a proposed neurological mechanism explaining perception-cognition and awareness in humans under the input of ambiguous figures and in the particular case of the Dalmatian dog.

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