Consciousness Compatible Physical Theory

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Consciousness Compatible Physical Theory

• The hard Problem of Consciousness
• Why is it Important
• What changes in physical models would help
  explain Conscious awareness
• Discussion of Some Experiments and Applications

NPS Physics Seminar Presentation April 20 2004
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The Hard and Easy Problem of Consciousness
Hard Problem Any physical activity postulated
as a cause of conscious awareness leaves us with
the question of how it produces feelings and
first person sensations? How does a physical
occurrence behind your eyes produce a sensation
some distance in front of your eyes?
The sensation of the object
The Physical Object
Easy Problem The physical path of information
can be traced from the physical object through
the eyes and neural pathways to the physical
brain activity that we hope eventually to
correlate with conscious sensations. Finding a
correlation between physical activity in the
brain and reported sensations is the easy or
correlation problem pursued by most
neuroscientists.
Neural Correlates of Consciousness(NCC) These are
the bio-chemic0-physical activities
neuroscientists study in the brain. They are
neither co-located or have any spatial relation
to sensations. It is being debated whether or not
NCCs have the informational content of
sensations and feelings.
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The Explanatory Gapa central problem in many
disciplines
social science
library science
psychology
computer science
symbol
Mental description
objects
neuroscience
Physical description
Philosophy and metaphysics
physics
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My Approach
Since other disciplines are having such trouble
explaining conscious phenomena with our physical
theories I have taken a look at those theories to
see if there is some assumption or concept that
might be causing the trouble.
Two areas suggest themselves One The concept of
Continuity and what happens between states. Two
the assumption of a time order between isolated
systems.
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We used to Believe
Our a-priori assumption was that the an
independent real world existed as a 3 dimensional
space containing moving objects. From this
objective reality signals propagated to the
sensors of our objective body. These signals
were processed by our brain into a complex of
objective activity which were thought to produce
conscious mental images. The mystery of
consciousness was treated as a mere detail of no
major significance to the validity of our beliefs.
Image of Apple appears 1 meters away.
Physical Activity causing image.
Real Apple
We used to believe an independent objective
reality came first.
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Classic Physical Reality
consciousness is a parallel monitor of physical
events.
We assumed dualism, i.e.
dt
We assumed the configuration of matter
propagates from state to state by infinitesimal
linear displacements. dq v dt and dp f
dt
dt
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The Proposition
D
D
D
R
W
R
W
R
W
That systems propagate from state to
state through a process of self awareness.
Hence the physical and mental are phases of an
existence process and matter is a manifestation
of existence.
This is why the time increment is executed by a
complex operator in Quantum Theory d(qip)
WDR(qip) - (qip)
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Just Enough Classic Physics
Classic physical systems are described by the
values of their position, qf , and momentum, pf,
variables of all its degrees of freedom ,f, as it
moves from state to state.
As it proceeds its action, A, is
evaluated with a path integral shown to the
right.
States are usually labeled by the external
Newtonian time variable. However, for truly
isolated systems state labels can only be a
function of internal variables.We can use a
canonical transformation to define the proper
time t(pf,qf) and energy e(pf,qf).
These variables describe the system as a series
of states along a phase line of length, t, and
width, e.
The action is the area calculated by the action
integral.
The progress of the system now looks like the
laying down of action along the phase line. The
activity of calculating the action integral can
be conceived as the means by which such progress
is made.
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Identification of the Awareness in Physics
To carry out the action integral a certain
Algorithm must be performed. The Action Principle
of physics states that all systems move from any
state t1 to any state t2 so as to make the action
an extremum, i.e. minimum or maximum. Expressed
mathematically
It is as though all systems big and small perform
the following RDW Algorithm.
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For Stable and Isolated Systems
Execution of this algorithm is the means by which
physical systems move forward or backward in
time. If the state t1 equals state t2 then the
event between the states repeats forever or until
the isolation is broken. Expressed
mathematically, 0 dA d ?
edt.
desire No Change
The Algorithm executed by all stable and isolated
physical systems is logically a cycle.
Write to state t2
Read state t1
Stable and isolated systems form the
recognizable divisions around which the
complexity of interaction is treated as a
perturbation.
dt
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The Awareness Cycle Postulate
We postulate that the awareness cycle is the most
fundamental of all physical structures because
1) conscious awareness is fundamental to all
experiences so if awareness cycles did not exist
we would not become aware of reality. 2) Stable
systems described by closed forms are the basis
of what we can recognize.
It is not fundamental particles but fundamental
events which are at the basis of physical reality.
Consequently the model of the Universe and
everything in it is built of cyclic structures.
So this represents the building block.
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Anthropomorphic Interpretation of Quantum Theory
The generation of the first person experience is
modeled by the execution of an action
integral. What we experience ? Ax,y,z,t ? ?
px,y,z,tdqx,y,z,t . ? What is behind
the scene.
All x,y,x,t
By combining the coordinates and momenta into a
single complex variable the phase orbit (Z q
ip) of a system can be expanded as a series of
complex variables, ZI Z0I ?I,U
??I,U Where the terms are interpreted asZ0 -
is the permanent cycle experienced as empty
space? - is the content or knowledge experienced
as first person sensations?? - is the change in
knowledge
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Example of two non-interacting systems
Inter-pretation
Z0U
?U,I
?I,U
Z0I
I
U
Two isolated systems each one carries the
knowledge of the other as a wave function. That
knowledge was fixed at the point of separation
and propagates in each system until the point of
recombination. Probabilities arise from the loss
mutual time information while the systems are
separated.
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For you to be conscious
a) There must be a cycle of activity b) This
event must be part of you c) The event is modeled
as a translation of symbols into meaning and back
again d) You become aware of the integrated
action pattern of the event.
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Where to look?

• Evidence of neural cycles
• A Hudetz anesthesia measurements
• V Lamme- vision cognition measurements

• b) Penrose-Hameroff Quantum Effects in Dendrite
  Microtubules
• Non-Local Correlation Experiment

• c)Transmitter-Receiver Model
• Pim van Lommel DNA substrate model

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Non-Local Correlation ExperimentR. Pizzi et. al.
University of Milan
Strong Correlations reported between Colonies of
neurons grown from a single stem cell source.
Colonies were electro- magnetically isolated and
separated by 8cm.
Laser (300ms stimulation cycle)
8cm
EM Isolation
Basin one
Basin Two
Correlation Analysis
Report strong correlation
Signal Acquisition Card
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Application to Knowledge Management
Our problem is how to transport meaning not just
data from one consciousness to another?
Meaning
Meaning
Cognitive Layer Transport
Virtual Relationships
Physical Layer Transport
If the ? function of quantum theory is the
content or knowledge experienced then a theory of
knowledge transfer could be derived by analogy
with quantum operations.
Atom 1 Knowledge source
Atom 2 Knowledge sink
Photon Data transmitted
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Application to Software Agents and Software
Architecture
Event Reality Model
Object Reality Model
If we shift our reality model it may make sense
to shift our programming model
Class Private Methods
Data Public Methods Data
Object Oriented Programming
Interaction Oriented Programming?
Event Oriented Programming?
or
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Consciousness Compatible Physical Theory Summary
Three Part Graphic Reality Model Example
Physical reality is modeled here by three
individual phase orbits. Each one represents an
isolated and hence stable part. Each part is
built of action represented by the area of the
ring. The length around the ring represents
individual time of each part.
Output
Input
Probabilities of quantum
theory are explained by the loss of time
information when parts are separated and
recombined during measurement.
U
U
? Ax, y,z,t ? ? px,y,z,tdqx,y,z,t . ?
I
All x,y,x,t
Apple
What we experience, i.e. the classic universe.
What is behind the scene I.e., Phase orbit
description
Apple
First and Third Person Perspective This diagram
was deliberately drawn to show the first and
third person perspective intermixed. What looks
like a cycle of activity from the external point
of view becomes integrated into a first person
experience when that cycle is you. The
generation of the first person experience is
modeled by the execution of an action integral.
Hence to first approximation U are the space and
space is the integrated feeling of Ur
fundamental existence event.
Anthropomorphic Interpretation of Quantum
Variables By combining the coordinates and
momenta into a single complex variable the phase
orbit (Z q ip) of a system can be expanded
as a series of complex variables, ZI Z0I
?I,U ??I,U Where the terms are interpreted
as Z0 - is the permanent cycle experienced as
empty space ? - is the content or knowledge
experienced as first person sensations ?? - is
the change in knowledge