Possibilities are quantum
Federico Faggin
Possibility Studies & Society January 27, 2023 DOI: 10.1177/27538699221142510 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 8 |
| Key points | Argues that consciousness and free will are properties of quantum systems in pure quantum states, and that genuine creativity and the non-algorithmic comprehension needed to recognize real possibilities cannot emerge from a deterministic classical world. The author contends that possibilities arise at the quantum level and require a conscious agent to imagine and intelligently realize them. |
Abstract
Creative possibilities require imagination, intuition, vision, creativity, comprehension, and inventiveness, properties that are associated with human consciousness and free will. New developments in quantum information theory have allowed to recently postulate with high confidence that consciousness and free will are properties of quantum systems in pure quantum states. This new development allows saying that possibilities emerge from the quantum level of reality since a classical world is deterministic, that is, algorithmic and predictable, and thus incapable of real creativity. Only a creative agent like a human being could imagine real possibilities in a near-infinite combinatorial sea of patterns, and then figure out some intelligent way to realize them. Even if nature were aimlessly creating random patterns someone should have the comprehension to recognize a creative possibility among them. But comprehension is a non-algorithmic property that requires consciousness.