European Tribune - Comments

Object Blogging | 161 comments (161 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Huh. Great minds and fools obviously ...

I saw something faintly suggestive somewhere recently that indicated it might possibly be possible for QM to have some influence, but neurons are pretty big things.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 18th, 2006 at 11:28:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Object Blogging (none / 1)

His argument basically boils down to

We don't understand consciousness
Consciousness is not algorithnic
All classical computation is algorithmic
Therefore consciousness must be quantum
we don't understand the collapse of the wavefunction
We don't understand quantum gravity
Maybe quantum gravity will explain the collapse of the wavefunction: the collapse happens when the difference between two states amounts to "one graviton"
We can estimate the size of a lump of matter creating this "one graviton" difference
Is there a component of a Neuron that has this "one graviton" size? Yes! the centrosome!
Maybe consciousness is a quantum effect involving centrosomes.

I kid you not.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Oct 18th, 2006 at 11:35:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Object Blogging (4.00 / 2)

I like that: science of the gaps. Sort of like a god of the gaps but with less impressive robes.

I'll point out, for the general edification of those reading rather than for your benefit, that classical computation considers a very small class of devices that don't seem to be anything like the brain. And we don't really understand the details of those devices anyway.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 18th, 2006 at 11:41:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Object Blogging (none / 0)

Right now, I can't remember to what extent Penrose discussed classical chaos in computing devices.

Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Oct 18th, 2006 at 11:46:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Object Blogging (none / 0)

I'm trying to think what I read and where: it was talking about phenomena inside neurons that were on a very small scale but influential.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Oct 18th, 2006 at 11:43:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Object Blogging | 161 comments (161 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

. Home
. About
. Contact
. New User Guide
. FAQ
. ET Editorial Guidelines
. Search
. Search (Google)

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Recommended Diaries

Recent Diaries

Socratic Economics XII: Utopian Government Finance
by Zwackus - May 25
76 comments

A Star is Born
by ChrisCook - May 23
23 comments

$1,000,000,000,00
0 or what we must remember
by Metatone - May 19
69 comments

The balance of anger and fear
by Frank Schnittger - May 17
43 comments

Stable pricing is to metaphysics as variable pricing is to...
by Upstate NY - May 16
8 comments

A little American intercine battling
by rootless2 - May 14
27 comments

Another NRW election
by DoDo - May 13
118 comments

Bundesrat saves PV (and loses Röttgen)
by DoDo - May 12
18 comments

The mainstream German Magazine Spiegel asks, has the US mixed ...
by Democrats Ramshield - May 10
27 comments

Short Term Climate Forces: Black Carbon, Methane, and...
by gmoke - May 9

Twenty days of Crisis for Cameron
by ceebs - May 9
22 comments

SYRIZA and the Eurocrats: a letter of intent
by talos - May 9
363 comments

French Parliamentary Elections: a look under the hood
by Bernard - May 8
59 comments

Sunday Train: The Rock Island Line is a Mighty Fine Iowa...
by BruceMcF - May 6
18 comments

Greece election day II - Election diary and info
by talos - May 6
129 comments

Greece: Election day I - some background
by talos - May 6

The Change They Believe In
by ARGeezer - May 5
152 comments

The Rubble Of Neoliberalism
by afew - May 3
100 comments

Why haven't we had WWIII yet?
by Migeru - Apr 30
258 comments

More Diaries...

Occasional Series

Click for full list