new paradigm physics

NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS Modern Biology and the

New Physics of the Mind-Body Connection

Alex Hankey PhD

Haninge, Stockholm, 29 October 2010

NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS

Physical Model of the Mind-Body Connection

Questions: Can we discuss consciousness scientifically?What kind of physical system could be used

to couple Mind and Matter?What are the key elements of its physics?

NEW PARADIGM PHYSICSTALK ON ‘MIND-BODY CONNECTION’:

1. Universe: Info Registered in Consciousness2. Psi – objectivity + Psi fluctuations – Subjectivity

(Psi Fluctuations Observable at Critical Points)3. Consciousness – Self-Knowledge / Self-Referral 4. Feedback Instability: Self-referral Property5. Complexity Biology: Kauffman’s ‘Edge of Chaos’6. Mind-Body Connection at ‘Feedback Instability’

“God and the Devil are in the Detail”


“A BEAUTIFUL MIND”John Forbes Nash

“I AM LOOKING FOR THE KEY IDEA”

“God and the Devil are in the Detail”


BASIC PERSPECTIVEWhat We Cannot Understand

Points to the Need for New Physics

! Physics as New as Relativity !“God and the Devil are in the Detail”


EXTRAS FOR ANOTHER TIMECritical Point Renormalization

Independence of ‘Mind’ & ‘Body’ Soul Spinglass – Neural Network Theorem

Higher Order Critical Points? Catastrophe Theory Morphogenesis ?


Physical Model of the Mind-Body Connection

Basic Motivation: D’Espagnat: Reality not Strongly Objective

If not only Objective, is Subjective possible?If so, where does Subjectivity fit in Physics?

A PHYSICAL MODEL FORTHE MIND-BODY CONNECTION

BACKGROUND• Biophysics of Complementary Medicine• Investigating Feedback Instabilities

– Use in Regulatory Systems • Prigogine type chemical systems– Regulation not Morphogenesis• Excitations: unusual Information States

BACKGROUND

Biophysics of Complementary Medicine• CAM systems work because:

– they concern system regulation• All disease stems from regulatory failure– Regulatory overload stress • Regulation On / Off Genetic switching– Genetic damage Wrong Off switching• Forms of Switching:Equilibrium – Phase Transition – Critical ‘Critical’ maximizes sensitivity & reliability

BACKGROUND

Biophysics of Complementary Medicine• Genetic & Epigenetic Theories of Disease

– Epigenetics concern Genetic regulation

• Is the Gene functional Yes No• Is the Gene functioning Yes No

– Consequences are functionally equivalentGenetic Epigenetic correspondence

Regulatory Failure as Disastrous as Mutation

BACKGROUND

• Biophysics of Complementary Medicine • Instability is preferred locus cf complexity

– Instability fluctuations are excitations• Form Unusual Information States

– Feedback loops attached!Interpret feedback loop as self observation• Consciousness has Self Knowledge• Possible ‘Reflectors’ of consciousness?

Mind-Body Problem History 1

• Descartes: Mind-Body Duality– Mechanics Rules Solar System – Galilean Inertia– Occult forces not needed to drive the Planets– Spiritual influences dispensed with on Physical level

• Spiritual forces act in some higher realm– Distinct separation between ‘Mind’ and ‘Matter’– Body is Mechanical • Separation of Mind and Body = Mind-Body Duality

• Mind-Body-Matter relationship still a mystery

Mind-Body Problem History 2

• Philosophy : ‘Self’ dismissed – Awareness equivalent• Embodiment – Mind is only Matter – Only material functions need to be investigated• Trivializes the problem – fails to tackle it

• Modern Neuroscience – Popper and Eccles, Francis Crick etc.– David Chalmers: it is a Real Problem• “Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness”

Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness

• The Hard and Easy Problems • Easy Problem(s)– Neuroscience yields structure-function relationships – Mental functions explained in terms of processing– These can never explain the core experience

• Hard Problem is Experience – Subjectivity – Experience is always ‘my experience’ – Ego involved– Experience iff there is something it is like …. (Nagel)– Penrose’s ‘Emperor’s New Mind’• What does it feel like to be a computer?


• Phenomenal Experience is the Hard Problem– Reductive Explanations have not worked– Cannot reduce Subjective Experience to mere

Structure-Function relationships– Can not give it a mere physical explanation – An ‘extra ingredient’ is necessary• Start with a new approach• Accept experience as given a priori • Construct a non-reductive theory


• Building a Non-Reductive Theory of Experience• Such a Theory requires underlying principles – Structural Coherence– Organizational Invariance – “Double Aspect” Property of Information• Need an Information Space• Information States must reflect experience• Construct a non-reductive theory

• These form basic requirements of such a theory


Chalmers 3 PrinciplesDouble Aspect Property of Information

Isomorphism between physical information space and phenomenal information space

PhysicalInformation

Space

PhenomenalInformation

Space


Chalmers 3 PrinciplesDouble Aspect Property of Information

Isomorphism between the Physical Information Space and the Phenomenal Information Space

Same Abstract Information Space embedded in Information Processing & Phenomenal experience


Chalmers 3 Principles

Unique feature of the proposed information space – satisfies ‘self-knowledge’ condition

Uniquely Satisfied by the Proposed Theory

PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

• Scaling behavior – Kadanoff• Scaling relationships – Widom Griffiths Fisher• Scaling for Correlation Length – Josephson• Renormalization Group D = 4 – e – Wilson• Higher Order CP’s – Chang, Hankey, Stanley

• Experimental Verification of Various formulae


•

Liquid Gas Phase Diagram with Critical Point

Critical Region

Unstable


KEY PROERTIES 1• Instability in macroscopic physical variable• Due to failure of Stabilizing Vibrations

EXAMPLE: Gas – Liquid Critical Point


KEY PROERTIES 1Gas – Liquid Critical Point:

• Group Velocity of Sound Waves becomes Zero+ + +

Divergent Specific Heats, Compressibilities etc.


Destabilization of Normal Modes • Normal Mode Group Velocity becomes Zero • Degrees of Freedom do not go away• Effective Potential becomes singular• .V varies as xe where e > 2, possibly e > 4 • Fluctuations have Energy, Momentum

They Scatter Particles / Contribute to Specific Heat / Produce Gas Pressure


Properties of Fluctuations• Energy Spectrum – scatter photons / neutrons• Should interact as LOCAL FIELDS• Conservation of Energy Momentum • .Must Obey a Local Field Theory (Mystery) eg

Yfl = {(ynm2) - | ynm|2}/ |ynm|

??Strange Commutation Relation??


• Feedback Instability: Partially Coherent• Interpret Excitations as quanta / pseudo

• High Temperature System exhibiting

Partial Quantum Coherence !!! Sufficient to Satisfy Domash / Penrose:Consciousness associated w. ‘Coherent

States’

Conditions for Emergence of Consciousness

•Complexity Biology • Optimal function at “The Edge of Chaos”• Self-Organized Criticality in Biosystems?• Critical Feedback Instabilities as attractors• Special Form: Critical Regulation • Competitive Environments force

occurrence• Consciousness then emerges• cf Churning of the Cosmic Ocean

Solution of “Mind-Matter Problem”

Distinction between Mind and Matter maintained1. Matter is represented by normal quantum fields2. Mind is represented by Self-Observing Systems

The clear distinction between the two systems means that the two cannot be confusedPossible that one is a function of the other

This proposed solution maintains Cartesian DualityMay also mean that

Mind is a kind of Harmonic of Matter!

Solution of “Mind-Body Problem”

Predicts that Mind emerges from Physical whenbio-regulation holds system at feedback instability1. Kauffman et al. showed this to be the case

Macrophage Function, PNAS Feb 20082. Even single cells can function this way

Brian Ford: Single Cell Intelligence (New Sci 2010)Amoebae construct shells of eg Silica Crystals! Paramecium engages in courtship & mating

Modern Biology and the New Physics of the Mind-Body Connection

Thank You


Mind-Body Problem Extras 1

From Genetic Networks to Cortices1. Cortices Regulate underlying organism function

In earliest neural nets – they mimic genetics They can mimic critical points of arbitrary order2. Spin glasses Neural Nets Spin glasses support critical points of higher orderHence: Neural nets can model critical instabilities


From Genetic Networks to Cortices

3. Higher cortices model and regulate lower onesVisceral Cortex 1 – Paleocortex 3 – Neocortex 5

4. Cortex Models of PanchamayokoshasEG. Visceral Cortex – Manomayokosha

Palaeocortex – VigyanamayokoshaNeocortex - Anandamayokosha


Additional Bonuses1. Variable Feedback in Sensory pathways.

Offers explanation for Observations on Meditation

‘Mantra naturally fading away’ increases feedback

Hence Auditory Thresholds Decrease (TO RECORD LEVELS)


Additional Bonuses1. Variable Feedback in Sensory pathways.

Increased feedback between thalamus and cortexProduced by assigning more cortex to signal processingBut this will increase Cortical Coherence

Hence EEG Conherence Increases(TO RECORD LEVELS)


Variable Feedback Sensory Pathways

As Feedback increases, it can reach the Instability

Then an internally generated signal can be generated.

This may offer an explanation for the “Cosmic Om” In the Visual Pathway,, a bright light would be seen.

(OFFERS EXPLANATION FOR SAMADHI PHENOMENA)


Variable Feedback Sensory Pathways

Feedback Instability can couple to a Consciousness

Offers a possible explanation for Vedic “Devatas”Auditory Pathway – ‘Indra’

Visual Pathway – ‘Agni ‘


Additional Bonuses Locate related instabilities in Quantum Cosmology

Manifestation of Universe may depend on Instability causing Initial Symmetry Breaking and Inflation

? WHAT NAME FOR THE CONSCIOUSNESS ?? THAT CAN COUPLE HERE ?

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