From: Krekoski Ross (rosskrekoski@gmail.com)
Date: Sun Mar 02 2008 - 18:13:48 MST
>
>
> Read this:
> The importance of quantum decoherence in brain processes
> Max Tegmark
>
> http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9907009
>
>
Its a good paper. One claim however:
"as soon as ... a quantum
subsystem communicates with the constantly decohering
neurons to create conscious experience, everything decoheres"
I have a problem with--- Even if the alleged underlying quantum system
interacts on a macro level at a specific point in time, it doesnt imply that
the entire macro process is subject at all times to quantum decoherence.
In general though I think its a strong argument.
Rgds,
Ross
>
> Abstract:
> Based on a calculation of neural decoherence rates, we argue that that
> the degrees of freedom of the human brain that relate to cognitive
> processes should be thought of as a classical rather than quantum
> system, i.e., that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the current
> classical approach to neural network simulations. We find that the
> decoherence timescales ~10^{-13}-10^{-20} seconds are typically much
> shorter than the relevant dynamical timescales (~0.001-0.1 seconds),
> both for regular neuron firing and for kink-like polarization
> excitations in microtubules. This conclusion disagrees with suggestions
> by Penrose and others that the brain acts as a quantum computer, and
> that quantum coherence is related to consciousness in a fundamental way.
>
>
> Cheers,
> Günther
>
>
> --
> Günther Greindl
> Department of Philosophy of Science
> University of Vienna
> guenther.greindl@univie.ac.at
> http://www.univie.ac.at/Wissenschaftstheorie/
>
> Blog: http://dao.complexitystudies.org/
> Site: http://www.complexitystudies.org
>
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