It was the eminent French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes who first suggested that the human mind may operate outside of the physical realm. He called it his mind-matter duality theory. The idea was that the human brain was above the physical world and could use its power to influence it. The “father of modern philosophy,” may have been more prescient than he’d ever realize.
Currently, a theoretical physicist is gearing up to test this theory in modern form. Lucien Hardy of the Perimeter Institute in Canada, will use an EEG machine, to see if the mind operates on the quantum level or outside of it. The results could have vast implications for our understanding of consciousness and free will.
The experiment centers on the concept of quantum entanglement. Here, particles influence each other, even when far apart. Photons are light particles. Say using a laser, you shoot them through a crystal. Two photons suddenly become entangled. Afterwards, they’re move quite a distance apart. If you interact with one photon it affects the other, instantaneously, no matter their distance from one another.
In the 1930’s, Einstein—puzzled by this, called it a “spooky action at a distance.” One problem is that acting upon one particle causes changes in the other faster than the speed of light, something relativity states is impossible.
Another weird effect, when we measure the spin of one entangled particle, the other always has the opposite spin, be it just around the corner from its partner or across the galaxy. This is as if measuring one influences the spin of the other at a rate faster than the speed of light. Is it true or is something else going on? This is one of the greatest mysteries of quantum physics.
In 1964, famed physicist John Bell developed an experiment to test the spin of entangled particles, to find out if they held some kind of hidden information, as Einstein thought, or if the particles actually communicated with each other at a rate faster than the speed of light. He developed the Bell test to evaluate the spin of entangled particles. Here, particles are separated. One goes to location A and the other to location B.
The spin of each is evaluated at each station. Since the angle of the measurement is taken at random, it isn’t possible to know the settings at any location beforehand. Each time particles are measured like this, when one registers a certain spin, say clockwise, the other always comes up its opposite.
According to Dr. Lucien, an experiment based off of the Bell test should be able to tell us if the human brain operates within quantum mechanics or outside of it. He’s recruiting 100 participants. Each will have their brain attached to an EEG machine through a skull cap covered with sensors. These record brainwaves.
Hardy wrote, “The radical possibility we wish to investigate is that, when humans are used to decide the settings (rather than various types of random number generators), we might then expect to see a violation of Quantum Theory in agreement with the relevant Bell inequality.” Participants will be 100 km. (approx. 62 mi.) apart. The signals from these caps will be used to change the settings on a measuring device.
If the measurements don’t match up as expected, it could challenge our current understanding of physics. “ you only saw a violation of quantum theory when you had systems that might be regarded as conscious, humans or other animals,” Hardy writes, it could mean that the consciousness is able to supersede natural law.
This would give a tremendous boost in the notion of free will, as a person’s will would literally defy the laws of physics. Yet, “It wouldn’t settle the question,” according to Hardy. Prevailing physics and neuroscience theories have favored predeterminism in recent decades. This experiment may also offer insight into human consciousness, where it stems from inside the brain, and even what it might be.
What are the implications if we find out the human mind operates outside of quantum physics?
The study fits into the fledgling field of quantum biology, which is shaking up our understanding of traditional biology in quite a number of ways. For instance, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and at Washington University, in St. Louis, have found quantum effects operating within photosynthesis.
Biophysicist Luca Turin has a theory, based on quantum physics, to explain how our sense of smell works. Others in quantum biology theorize about how antioxidants and enzymes work, among other processes.
Splintering off of this is quantum neuroscience. Researchers here are looking at how quantum mechanics might explain the processes of the brain. Stuart Hameroff is a practicing anesthesiologist, and the director of the Center for Consciousness Studies, at the University of Arizona. He’s offered a theory using quantum mechanics to explain how anesthesia works.
According to Dr. Hameroff, consciousness may also be born on the quantum level. Physicist Matthew Fisher at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has proposed a way in which the brain might operate as a quantum computer. Hardy’s experiment could support Hameroff and even Fisher’s conclusions.
Others have doubted the claim. Since a quantum computer is very volatile system, any interference can cause decoherence, where the particles form a giant lump and no longer perform calculations. Critics argue that the human brain is awash in a host of different biochemicals and processes. So how could a quantum computer-like system operate there?
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Mwanafalsafa na mwanahisabati wa Ufaransa René Descartes alikuwa wa kwanza kueleza kwamba akili ya binadamu inaweza kufanya kazi nje ya ulimwengu wa kimwili. Aliiita nadharia yake ya utatu wa akili na vitu. Wazo lilikuwa kwamba ubongo wa mwanadamu ulikuwa juu ya ulimwengu wa kimwili na ungeweza kutumia nguvu zake kuuvunja. Huenda "baba ya falsafa ya kisasa", alikuwa na uwezo wa kuona mambo kimbele kuliko alivyojua. Kwa sasa, mwanafizikia mmoja wa nadharia anajitayarisha kupima nadharia hiyo katika namna ya kisasa. Lucien Hardy, Mtafiti wa Perimeter Institute, Canada, ametoa taarifa kwamba watafiti wa utafiti huo watatumia mashine ya EEG kugundua kama akili ya binadamu inafanya kazi katika kiwango cha quantum au nje ya kiwango hicho. Matokeo hayo yanaweza kuwa na matokeo makubwa kwa uelewa wetu wa fahamu na hiari. Jaribio hilo linakazia dhana ya kuunganishwa kwa quantum. Hapa, chembe huathiriwa na nyingine, hata zikiwa mbali sana. Photoni ni chembechembe za nuru. Kwa mfano, unaweza kutumia laser na risasi ya risasi ya risasi ya risasi ya risasi ya risasi ya risasi ya risasi. Picha mbili za picha kwa ghafula huunganishwa. Baada ya hapo, wao ni hoja mbali sana mbali. Ikiwa unaingiliana na fotoni moja huathiri nyingine, mara moja, bila kujali umbali wao kutoka kwa kila mmoja. "Ashine alishangaa na hili na kuliita ""shughuli ya kutisha kwa umbali,"" tatizo moja ni kwamba kuathiri chembe moja husababisha mabadiliko katika nyingine kwa kasi ya mwanga, kitu ambacho nadharia ya upendeleo inasema haiwezekani." "Hata hivyo, kuna athari nyingine ya ajabu: wakati tunapopima mzunguko wa chembe moja iliyounganishwa, nyingine huwa na mzunguko kinyume, iwe ni karibu na mwenzake au katika galaksi nzima.""" Hii ni kama kupima moja huathiri spin ya nyingine kwa kiwango cha haraka zaidi kuliko kasi ya mwanga. Je, ni kweli au kuna jambo jingine linalotokea? Hii ni mojawapo ya mafumbo makubwa zaidi ya fizikia ya quantum. Mnamo mwaka wa 1964, mwanasayansi maarufu John Bell alianzisha jaribio la kupima mzunguko wa chembechembe zilizofungwa ili kujua kama zina habari fulani iliyofichwa, kama vile Einstein alidhani, au kama chembechembe hizo kwa kweli zinawasiliana kwa kasi ya kasi kuliko mwanga. Alitengeneza jaribio la Bell ili kutathmini mzunguko wa chembechembe zilizozunguka. Hapa, chembe hizo hutofautiana. Moja huenda kwenye eneo A na nyingine kwenye eneo B. Mzunguko wa kila moja hutathminiwa katika kila kituo. Tangu pembe ya kipimo ni kuchukuliwa kwa nasibu, si inawezekana kujua mipangilio katika eneo lolote mapema. Kila mara chembe zinapopimwa kwa njia hii, wakati moja inarekodi mzunguko fulani, sema kwa mwelekeo wa saa, nyingine daima inakuja kinyume chake. Kwa mujibu wa Lucien, majaribio ya Bell yatatuambia kama ubongo wa binadamu unafanya kazi ndani ya quantum mechanics au nje yake. Yeye ni kuajiri washiriki 100. Kila mmoja ataunganisha ubongo wake na mashine ya EEG kupitia kofia ya fuvu la kichwa iliyofunikwa na sensorer. Vipande hivi vya rekodi vya mawimbi ya ubongo. "Hardy aliandika, ""Uwezekano mkubwa tunataka kuchunguza ni kwamba, wakati wanadamu ni kutumika kuamua mipangilio (mbele ya aina mbalimbali ya jenereta random idadi), tunaweza kisha kutarajia kuona ukiukaji wa nadharia ya quantum katika makubaliano na muhimu Bell usawa.""" (karibu. 62 mi.) mbali. Ishara kutoka caps hizi itatumika kubadilisha mipangilio juu ya kifaa cha kupima. Ikiwa vipimo havipatani kama inavyotarajiwa, inaweza kutisha uelewa wetu wa sasa wa fizikia. "Hata hivyo, kama unaweza kuona ukiukaji wa nadharia ya quantum wakati una mifumo ambayo inaweza kuchukuliwa kama akili, binadamu au wanyama wengine, ""Hardy anaandika, inaweza kumaanisha kwamba ufahamu ni uwezo wa kuchukua nafasi ya sheria ya asili." Hii ingetoa msukumo mkubwa katika dhana ya hiari ya bure, kama mapenzi ya mtu ingekuwa kihalisi kupinga sheria za fizikia. Hata hivyo, "Haingesuluhisha swali hilo", kulingana na Hardy. Nadharia za fizikia na sayansi ya neva ambazo zimetawala zimependelea nadharia ya kuamua kimbele katika miongo ya hivi karibuni. Majaribio haya yanaweza pia kutoa ufahamu wa ufahamu wa binadamu, ambapo unatokana na ndani ya ubongo, na hata nini inaweza kuwa. Ni nini athari ikiwa tutagundua kwamba akili ya binadamu inafanya kazi nje ya fizikia ya quantum? Utafiti huo unalingana na uwanja mpya wa biolojia ya quantum, ambayo inabadilisha uelewa wetu wa biolojia ya jadi kwa njia kadhaa. Kwa mfano, watafiti wa Chuo Kikuu cha California, Berkeley, na Chuo Kikuu cha Washington, St. Louis, wamegundua athari za quantum zinazofanya kazi ndani ya photosynthesis. Mwanabiolojia Luca Turin ana nadharia, inayotegemea fizikia ya quantum, inayoeleza jinsi hisi yetu ya kunusa inavyofanya kazi. Wengine katika biolojia ya quantum wana nadharia kuhusu jinsi antioxidants na enzymes zinavyofanya kazi, miongoni mwa michakato mingine. Kugawanyika kwa hii ni sayansi ya neva ya quantum. Watafiti hapa wanachunguza jinsi mitambo ya quantum inavyoweza kueleza michakato ya ubongo. Stuart Hameroff ni mtaalamu wa anesthesiologist, na mkurugenzi wa Kituo cha Mafunzo ya Ujuzi, katika Chuo Kikuu cha Arizona. Yeye ametoa nadharia kwa kutumia quantum mechanics kueleza jinsi anesthesia kazi. Kulingana na Dakt. Hameroff, fahamu zaweza pia kuzaliwa katika kiwango cha quantum. Mwanasayansi wa sayansi ya fizikia Matthew Fisher wa Chuo Kikuu cha California, Santa Barbara, ametoa nadharia ya kuunda kompyuta ya quantum. Jaribio la Hardy lingeweza kuunga mkono hitimisho la Hameroff na hata Fisher. Wengine wametilia shaka madai hayo. Kwa kuwa kompyuta ya quantum ni mfumo wa kutoeleweka sana, kuingiliana yoyote inaweza kusababisha decoherence, ambapo chembe huunda kundi kubwa na hazifanyi hesabu tena. Wakosoaji husema kwamba ubongo wa mwanadamu umejaa kemikali na michakato mbalimbali ya kibiolojia. Kwa hiyo mfumo unaofanana na kompyuta ya quantum ungewezaje kufanya kazi huko? Kuwa wa kwanza kuchapisha ujumbe!