Can Roger Penrose Explain Consciousness Through Physics?
The Nobel Laureate physicist makes clear that he only wants a theory of human consciousness if the explanation comes down to physicsNobel Physics Laureate Roger Penrose was featured recently in Forbes on a topic of lifelong interest for him, consciousness. He is convinced that a solution to the famously hard problem of consciousness lies in physics, particularly in fundamental physics. The central problem in quantum mechanics — the physics of the very smallest particles of our universe — is that they exist only in a probable state until they are measured. That has led to a variety of interesting theories, including the thesis that such collapses generate alternative universes and the thesis that the measurement actually causes the collapse. Penrose, who has been working with anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff on a theory of consciousness (Orch OR) for decades, has little use for Read More ›