dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaAttaching Theories of Consciousness to Bohmian Quantum Mechanics
| Authors | Don N. Page |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/9507006 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9507006 |
Abstract
The de Broglie-Bohm theory of quantum mechanics (here simply called Bohmian Mechanics or BM) [1-10] is an augmentation of ``bare'' quantum mechanics (the bare theory being given by an algebra of operators and a quantum state that sets the expectation values of these operators) that includes a definite history or Bohmian trajectory. This definite trajectory gives BM a somewhat more classical flavor than most other forms of quantum mechanics (QM) (though the trajectory certainly has highly nonlocal and other nonclassical aspects in its evolution), but to see whether or not this makes a difference for observations by conscious beings, one needs to attach theories of conscious perceptions to BM and other forms of QM. Here I shall propose various forms of theories of consciousness for BM, which I shall call {\it Sensible Bohmian Mechanics} (SBM), and compare them with a proposal I have made for a theory of consciousness attached to bare QM, which I call {\it Sensible Quantum Mechanics} (SQM) [11-15]. I find that only certain special forms of SBM would give essentially similar predictions as SQM, though a wider class might be in practice indistinguishable to any single observer. I also remain sceptical that a viable complete form of SBM will turn out to be as simple a description of the universe as a viable complete form of SQM, but of course it is too early to know yet what the form of the simplest complete theory of our universe is.
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"abstract": "The de Broglie-Bohm theory of quantum mechanics (here simply called Bohmian\nMechanics or BM) [1-10] is an augmentation of ``bare\u0027\u0027 quantum mechanics (the\nbare theory being given by an algebra of operators and a quantum state that\nsets the expectation values of these operators) that includes a definite\nhistory or Bohmian trajectory. This definite trajectory gives BM a somewhat\nmore classical flavor than most other forms of quantum mechanics (QM) (though\nthe trajectory certainly has highly nonlocal and other nonclassical aspects in\nits evolution), but to see whether or not this makes a difference for\nobservations by conscious beings, one needs to attach theories of conscious\nperceptions to BM and other forms of QM. Here I shall propose various forms of\ntheories of consciousness for BM, which I shall call {\\it Sensible Bohmian\nMechanics} (SBM), and compare them with a proposal I have made for a theory of\nconsciousness attached to bare QM, which I call {\\it Sensible Quantum\nMechanics} (SQM) [11-15]. I find that only certain special forms of SBM would\ngive essentially similar predictions as SQM, though a wider class might be in\npractice indistinguishable to any single observer. I also remain sceptical that\na viable complete form of SBM will turn out to be as simple a description of\nthe universe as a viable complete form of SQM, but of course it is too early to\nknow yet what the form of the simplest complete theory of our universe is.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/9507006",
"authors": [
"Don N. Page"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph",
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"title": "Attaching Theories of Consciousness to Bohmian Quantum Mechanics",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9507006"
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