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QBD 3Quantum Brain Dynamics: Chapters from Brain and Being plus other papers by Giudici, Vitiello, Globus, Jibu and Yasue 1.) Psycho-emotional physical unity - Giudici, E - Authors take on quantum brain dynamics 2.) Dual mode ontology - Gordon Globus 3.) Quantum connectionism & cognition - Eliano Pessa - Argument for involvement of quantum field theory in consciousness 4.) Quantum brain dynamics & quantum field theory - Jibu & Yasue 5.) Self, Cognition & Qualia - Globus 6.) Coherent quantum electodynamics in living matter - Del Giudice 1.) In Brain and Being eds. Globus, G., Pribram, K. & Vitiello, G. Emilio Del Giudice INFN The psycho-emotional physical unity of living organisms as an outcome of quantum physics Del Giudice attempts to discuss how quantum field theory (QFT) could provide an understanding of the pysche. He highlights the core ensemble of molecules in the brain, which is governed by the laws of physics and chemistry, but also produces or contains the psyche or mind. Molecular biology describes only local encounters, but the author believes that there is a network of long-range signalling and interactions in the brain. Del Giudice starts his discussion at the point where classical 19th century physics was overtaken by quantum theory. He points out that at the very beginning of quantum theory, Max Planck showed that matter had a self-movement produced by quantum fluctuations and unrelated to any external influence. The phase describes the spontaneous oscillation of every quantum particle. Quantum particles and quantum fields, such as the electromagnetic field must oscillate, and this means that some quantum fluctuation remains even at absolute zero. The concept of a vacuum in classical physics is modified, and becomes a mass of fluctuations. There are two proofs of the existence of the underlying quantum fluctuations. Firstly, there is the Lamb Shift, where measurements of the relationship between the proton and the electron in the hydrogen atom shows a discrepancy that is due to the fluctuations in the elctromagnetic field. The second is the Casimir effect, where two metal plates set sufficiently close together exclude the long-wave quanta of the em field, which results in the inward pressure from the external space being greater than the pressure between the plates, thus proving the existence of the vacuum energy. Coherent Domains Del Giudice puts forward the idea of the coherent domain. Every particle made up of charged components, as are all atoms and molecules, is coupled with the em field. Above a certain density and below a certain temperature, and at a lower energy than the gas state, these particles are suggested to enter a coherent state. Here the particles oscillate in tune with the em field that is trapped within the resonating particles. There is a coherent regime of matter and em field that prevails within a space that is the size of the em oscillations. This region is called a coherence domain (CD). Its size ranges from a fraction of a micron up to several tens of microns. Long-range forces are suggested to occur at the boundaries of the coherent domains. Del Giudice claims that analysis of many non-gases, such as water and crystals shows a good agreement with this theory. The very limited acceptance of the idea is blamed on the tendency of the scientific community to confine its thinking to the ideas of classical physics. The author suggests that the large number of CDs in living matter creates the possibility of finding the missing bridge between physics and biology. He suggests that the surface of the CDs could have molecules resonating with the surrounding water. The CDs are capable of giving rise to further CDs and these in turn to chemical reactions that by changing the molecules in the system also change the em field. The energy is not disippated in heat but instead produces a coherent excitation, which modulates the em field. This is seen as underlying the ordering of living matter, and implies the existence of a network of long-range particle flows. In this scheme, biological tissue arises from the interplay of a chemical level and an electromagnetic field. This provides us with a theory for life forms and possibly for information and cognition but not for consciousness as such. There is no reason why the property of consciousness should arise from the interchange with the electromagnetic field, more than any other component of the physical universe, unless the theory is preapared to go the further step of specifying consciousness as a fundamental and given property of the field or its quanta. Bohm, David & Yakir, A. (1959) Electromagnetic potentials in the Quantum Theory Physical Review, 115, 485-491 Damasio, A. (1994) Descartes Error Putnam Del Giudice, E., Doglia, S. Milani, M. & Vitiello, G. (1988) Electromagnetic interactions in living matter In Fröhlich, H. ed. Biological Coherence and Response to External Stimuli pp. 49-64 Springer Del Giudice, E., Doglia, S. Milani, M., Vitiello, G. & Smith, C. (1989) Magnetic flux and Josephson behaviour in living systems In Fröhlich, H. ed. Biological Coherence and Response to External Stimuli Springer Del Giudice, E. & Preparata, G. (1995) Coherent dynamics in water as an explanation of biological membranes Journal of Biological Physics, 20, 105-116 Del Giudice, E. et al (2002) Effects of weak magnetic fields on ions Bioelectrmagnetics, 23, 522-530 Fröhlich, H. (1968) Long-range coherence in biological systems International Journal of Quantum Chemistry, 11, 641-645 Josephson, B. (1962) Superconductive tunnelling Physics Letters, 1, 251-253 Nernst, W. (1969) The new heat theorem Dover Preparata, G. (1995) QED coherence in matter World Scientific Preparata, G. (2002) An introduction to realistic quantum physics World Scientific Zhadin et al (1998) Static and alternating magnetic field on ionic current Bioelectromagnetics, 19, 41-45 2.) Gordon Globus University of California Irvine Dual mode ontology and its application to the Riemann Hypothesis In Globus, G., Pribram, H. & Vitiello, G. Eds. Brain and Being John Benjamins Gordon Globus suffers from a particularly opaque style of writing. However this paper does throw some light on quantum brain dynamics. Globus argues that if the brain has quantum degrees of freedom it ought to be able to do things that a conventional computer cannot do. In the 1960s Umezawa proposed the idea of the tilda universe, which is the brain’s representation of the external world. Globus points out that the interchange between Umezawa’s tilda universe and the conventional universe happens in the vacuum state. Umezawa had rules to govern this exchange. The non-tilda universe is the universe of conventional physics. The non-tilda universe is the physical object, while the tilda universe represents subjective experience. The match or exchange between the external non-tilda world and the inner tilda world is seen as producing the experience of consciousness or subjectivity. It is stressed that the tilda world is not itself consciousness or even the self. The self is seen as an attunement to the tilda world, which in line with the quantum world contains fluctuating possibilities. Globus refers at length to Vitiello’s 2001 book, ‘My Double Unveiled’. For Vitiello, informational inputs from the external world are recorded in the non-tilda world, and then copied to the tilda world, which is the 'double' referred to in the title of his book. Consciousness is the interaction between the tilda and the non-tilda within the vacuum state. This is where consciousness is grounded. The subject or subjective is the interaction between the tilda and the non tilda mode. Globus is critical of the Vitiello interpretation. If the tilda version is just a straight copy of non-tilda, the dialogue or interaction between the two will not be very interesting. Globus seems to favour some more direct experience of the external world, but one thart is still based on similar physical structures to those described by Vitiello. In this version, the theory seems to come down to saying that consciousness is a property of the vacuum state. This brings it quite close to Penrose, who makes a consciousness a property or coding of the geometry of spacetime. QBD seems less elegant in requiring first a copying from the external to the internal and then a relationship between the two, plus a somewhat a nebulous bridge to the quantum state. However, both theories have the same gist, which is that consciousness is a property of the fundamental level of the universe. Derrida, J. (1981) Dissemination University of Chicago Press Fröhlich, H. (1968) Long-range coherence in biological systems Journal of Quantum Chemistry, 2, 641-649 Globus, G. (2003) Quantum closures and disclosures John Benjamins Heidegger, M. (1999) Contributions to philosophy Indiana University Press Jibu, M. & Yasue, K. (1995) Quantum brain dynamics and consciousness John Benjamins Penrose, R. (1994) Shadows of the Mind Oxford University Press Plotnitsky, A. (2002) The knowable and the unknowable Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press Ricciardi, L. & Umezawa, H. (1967) Brain and physics of many body problems Kybernetik, 4, 44-8 Umezawa, H. (1993) Advanced field theory: Micro, macro and therma physics American Institute of Physics Umezawa, H. (1995) Development in concepts in QFT Mathematical Japonica, 41, 109-124 Vitiello, G. (2001) My Double Unveiled John Benjamins 3.) Eliano Pessa Dept. of Psychology, University of Pavia Quantum connectionism and the emergence of cognition In Globus, G., Pribram, H. & Vitiello, G. Eds. Brain and Being John Benjamins The author argues that the idea of cognition being based on emergent properties can only work if quantum field theory (QFT) is involved in the process. This idea is described as quantum connectionism. Pessa emphasises the distinction between quantum mechanics (QM) and quantum field theory (QFT). She considers the former to be unsuitable for the brain because of the familiar problem of rapid decoherence in the brain’s environment. In QFT the main physical entities are fields rather than particles, and these persist in everyday temperatures and environments. Pessa suggests that symmetry breaking within QFT can produce collective excitations and particles carrying long-range interactions known as Goldstone bosons (Umezawa, 1993) (1) In these circumstances, peterburations can be transmitted through the system over a long range. The transmission is by means of the Goldstone bosons. They are macroscopic coherent entities that are stable in the face of perterbation. Bosons, such as phonons in crystals and magnons in ferromagnets, have now been experimentally detected. (1) Umezawa, H. (1993) Advanced Field Theory: Micro, Macro and Thermal Physcis American Institute of Physics (2) Stein, D. (1980) Dissipative structures, broken symmetry and the theory of equilibrium phase transitions Journal of Chemical Physics, 72, 2869-2874 (3) Rumer et al (1980) Thermal dynamics, statistical physics and kinetics Mir Anderson, P. (1981) Broken symmetry in driven systems In Nicolis, G., Dewel & Turner, P. eds. Equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics pp. 289-297 Wiley Anderson, P. & Stein, D. (1985) Broken symmetry In Yates, F. ed. Self Organising Systems, pp. 445-457 Plenum Press Celeghini, E., Rasetti, M., & Vitiello, G. (1992) Quantum dissipation Annals of Physics, 215, 156-170 Gupta, S. & Zia, R. (2001) Quantum Neural Networks Journal of Computer and System Sciences, 63, pp. 355-383 Jibu, M. & Yasue, K. (1995) Quantum Brain Dynamics and Consciousness Benjamins Jibu, M. & Yasue, K. (1997) Magic without magic Journal of Mind and Behaviour, 18, 205-228 Pribram, K. Ed. (1993) Rethinking neural networks Erlbaum Ricciardi, L & Umezawa, H. (1967) Brain and physics of many-body problems Kybernetik, 4, pp. 44-48 Vitiello, G. (2001) My Double Unveiled Benjamins 4.) Mari Jibu & Kunio Yasue Notre Dame Seishin University Quantum brain dynamics and quantum field theory In Globus, G., Pribram, H. & Vitiello, G. Eds. Brain and Being John Benjamins This paper is a rather clearer approach to quantum brain dynamics than was achieved in the authors earlier book, ‘Quantum brain dynamics and consciousness', although some of the same tendency to confusing repetition is apparent here as well. The authors state that the fundamental processes of the brain can be described in terms of quantum field theory (QFT) and more spcifically in terms of quantum electrodynamics (QED). A theory based solely on membrane potential differences and ion channels is felt to fail in several respects. Stemming from Umezawa, Ricciardi and Stuart the theory suggests the existence of a microscopic sytems in addition to the standard neuron electric potential system. They assume a quantum system which interacts with the conventional macroscopic system. They suggest that the ordering of the brain is based on long-range correlations mediated by Goldstone bosons. Most non-living matter on any large scale can be described by quantum statistical mechanics. Macroscopic matter in thermal equilibrium is seen as having its atomic ingredients in an uncorrelated state, where quantum statistical mechanics provides an approximation. Medical and biological sciences find their foundation in the same area. It tends to be forgotten that quantum statistical mechanics is only an approximation. The authors suggest that there are strong correlations between the ingredients of living matter, which are missing in the case of non-living matter. The distinctive feature of living matter is the reduction in entropy and the increase in order. A system is needed to describe atomic ingredients in strong correlation. The physcisist, Umezawa, was one of the first to emphasise this point in the 1960s (Ricciardi & Umezawa, 1967). (1) He emphasised the Goldstone mode for complex systems with strong correlations. This is in contrast to non-living systems that have few correlations. In the same period Fröhlich suggested that long-range coherent features could play a role in energy storage in biological systems (Fröhlich, 1968). A coherent dipolar wave is suggested to exist in the cytoskeleton, and to exchange energy with the surrounding electromagnetic field. The wave propagation represents many dipolar oscillations in chains of protein molecules. The energy is suggested not to be thermalised but to be stored in an ordered fashion. The cytoplasm comprises a complex arrangement of protein and water molecules. It contains a dense network of protein filaments surrounded by water molecules. So we have a dense network of protein filaments surrounded by and interacting with water molecules. This system is suggested to have long-range correlations. Water has a permanent dipole, due the arrangement of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The field on each protein filament is suggested to propagate into the surrounding water molecules. The electric dipole field is suggested to span the whole of the brain tissue. The corticons, the basic quanta of this system, are the water dipole moment surrounding the protein filament. The total energy of a field in quantum field theory is important for determining the dynamics of the field and is called the Hamiltonian. The total energy of the corticons is the Hamiltonian of the corticons. The minimum of the Hamiltonian is the vacuum state. The vacuum state involves a symmetry breaking, because the corticons all fall to a uniform configuration, all aligned along the same direction, breaking the original order. This creates long-range order or a macroscopic ordered state. The Goldstone theorem shows that in a macroscopic ordered state there are long wave correlation waves mediated by bosons known as Goldstone bosons. (1) Ricciardi, L. & Umezawa, H. (1967) Brain and physics of many-body problems Kybernetik, 4, 44 Del Giudice, E., Doglia, S. & Milani, M. (1982) Collective dynamics in active cells Physics Letters, 90A, pp. 104-106 Del Giudice, E., Doglia, S., Milani, M. & Vitiello, G. (1985) A quantum field approach to the collective behaviour of biological systems Nuclear Physics, B251, pp. 375-400 Del Giudice, E., Doglia, S., Milani, M. & Vitiello, G. (1986) Symmetry breaking in biological matter Nuclear Physics, B275, pp. 185-199 Del Giudice, E., Preparata, E., & Vitiello, G. (1988) Water as a dipole laser Physical Review Letters, 61, pp. 1085-1088 Del Giudice, E., Doglia, S., Milani, M. & Vitiello, G. (1992) Dynamical mechanism for cytoskeleton structures In Bender, M. Ed. Interfacial phenomena in biological systems Eccles, J. (1986) Do mental events cause neural events anologously to the probability fields of quantum mechanics? Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B277, 411-428 Fröhlich, H. (1968) Long-range coherence in biological systems International Journal of Quantum Chemistry, 2, pp. 641-649 Hameroff, S. (1987) Ultimate Computing North Holland Jibu, M. (2001) Pressure reversal of anesthesia Medical Hypotheses, 56, pp. 26-32
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