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Slide 2 History Brain Mind Classical Approach Classical Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Physics Quantum Physics Slide 3 Introduction Importance of Brain studies The issues of Mind or Consciousness Free will Unity of consciousness Slide 4 The Amazing Brain History 2000 B.C.500 B.C.400 B.C. Egyptians considered the brain to be worthless. Alcmaeon favored the head over the heart. Hippocrates took a similar view as Alcmaeon. Slide 5 350 B.C. The Amazing Brain History 2 nd cent. Aristotle believed the brain is designed to cool blood. Galen was the first to speculate that particular functions are carried out in specific parts of the brain. Slide 6 The Amazing Brain History 17 th cent. Thomas Williss studies became the first scientific investigation of the brain and the nervous system. 18 th cent. Galvani and Volta showed that electricity could activate nerve and muscles. Slide 7 The Amazing Brain History Santiago Ramon y Cajal examined nerve cells under a microscope. 19 th cent.20 th cent. Emil du-bois Reymond: Nerves and muscles generate electrical impulses. Slide 8 The Amazing Brain Neurons Slide 9 The Amazing Brain Neurons Insects neurons are more complicated! Cajal: connectionist view. Slide 10 The Amazing Brain Neurons Slide 11 The Amazing Brain Neurons Slide 12 Slide 13 The Mind Is the mind physical or something else? What is the relationship between the mind and the brain? Slide 14 The Mind Class of Theory Name of TheoryPhysical Universe Causal Direction Mental Universe MonismIdealismNoneNo causalityMind PhysicalismBodyNo causalityNone DualismClassical DualismBodyMind ParallelismBodyNo causalityMind Epiphenomenalism BodyMind InteractionismBodyMind Slide 15 History Brain Mind Classical Approach Classical Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Physics Quantum Physics Slide 16 16 Classical approach Worldview of classical physics Classical brain What is consciousness? Unsolved problems Slide 17 In classical physics events are deterministic. 17 Worldview of classical physics Slide 18 18 Worldview of classical physics Chaos: Edward Lorenz (1917-2008) The Butterfly Effect Unpredictable Pluto Deterministic Chaos Slide 19 19 Classical Brain InputOutput Slide 20 20 Classical Brain We are automatons. Slide 21 Consciousness is an illusion. 21 What is consciousness? Slide 22 Consciousness is emergent. 22 What is consciousness? Slide 23 Unsolved problem: Unity of Consciousness 23 Slide 24 History Brain Mind Classical Approach Classical Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Physics Quantum Physics Slide 25 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 25 Slide 26 Treatment of OCD cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) Jeffrey M. Schwartz Mindfullness 26 Henry P. Stapp Slide 27 The birth of Quantum Mechanics 19 October, 1900 Max Planck introduced quanta of light. 27 Slide 28 Weird Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it. -Neils Bohr I am now convinced that theoretical physics is actual philosophy. -Max Born The double slit experiment is the heart of quantum mechanics. Richard Feynman 28 Slide 29 Double slit experiment 29 Slide 30 More double slit experiment 30 Slide 31 And still more double slit experiment Electrons Ions Buckyballs 31 Slide 32 Heisenbergs uncertainty principle 32 Slide 33 33 Fuzzy state Measurement principle Slide 34 Superposition 34 Slide 35 35 Interpretations of quantum mechanics How quantum mechanics informs our understanding of nature: The Copenhagen interpretation Many worlds Von Neumann. Slide 36 Goodbye classical physics Observer John Wheeler, 1978, theoretical Alain Aspect, 2009, experimental and Verified! No phenomenon is a phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon. John A. Wheeler Physical reality what is Our knowledge what is knowable 36 Slide 37 Von Neumann interpretation (the orthodox interpretation) Process I Actualization of states Process II Schrodinger equation 37 Slide 38 History Brain Mind Classical Approach Classical Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Approach Quantum Physics Quantum Physics Slide 39 The quantum brain 39 Slide 40 Agent: Mind Mind carries out process I Unity of consciousness 40 Slide 41 41 What is mind for gods sake? It doesnt matter. We can only know what is knowable. Erwin Schrodingers view on the knowledge limitation problem: This is a marvel than which only one is greater; one that, if intimately connected with it, yet lies on a different plane. I mean the fact that wepossess the power of acquiring considerable knowledge about it. this knowledge may advance to little short of a complete understanding of the first marvel. The second may be well beyond human understanding. Slide 42 Free will Quantum Zeno effect State A Repeated measurement Freeze 42 State AState B Schrodinger equation Slide 43 43 Free will Attention must be paid. Binocular rivalry via quantum Zeno effect Slide 44 Critics Weakness of will Quantum mechanical difficulties 44 Slide 45 Conclusion Classical physics Vs. Consciousness 45 Slide 46 References Michael S. Sweeny, Brain, The Complete mind Jay Friedenberg, Gordon Silverman, Cognitive science Jeffrey M. Schwartz, The Mind and The Brain Jeffrey M. Schwartz, Henry P. Stapp, Q UANTUM P HYSICS I N N EUROSCIENCE A ND P SYCHOLOGY : A N EW M ODEL W ITH R ESPECT T O M IND /B RAIN I NTERACTION David J. R. Bourget, Quantum Leaps in Philosophy of Mind NewScientist, April 6-12, 2013 Scientific American Mind, May-June, 2012, p 22-27 Henry P. Stapp, The Quantum-Classical and Mind-Brain Linkages: The Quantum Zeno Effect in Binocular Rivalry 46 Slide 47