Quantum Physics, Consciousness, and Free Will
David Hodgson
The Oxford Handbook of Free Will September 18, 2012 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399691.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | The article surveys features of quantum theory and competing interpretations, and presents the differing arguments of Penrose, Stapp, and Eccles for the relevance of quantum theory to consciousness and free will, along with Conway and Kochen's "free will theorem" as a challenge to deterministic interpretations. |
Abstract
Abstract: This article begins with an account of how quantum physics represents physical systems and how it differs from classical physics, focusing on three features of quantum theory that have been thought to be relevant to free will: indeterminism, nonlocality, and observer-participation. It examines various interpretations of quantum theory, including deterministic interpretations, such as the “many-worlds” interpretation and hidden variable interpretations. It considers other topics, puzzles about Schrodinger's cat and a recent challenge to deterministic interpretations of quantum theory, called “the free will theorem” by mathematicians John Conway and Simon Kochen. It discusses the views of three thinkers who have argued in different ways for the relevance of quantum theory to both consciousness and free will: mathematician Roger Penrose, physicist Henry Stapp, and neuroscientist and Nobel laureate John Eccles.