The distinction between living and non living: a quantum computational perspective

The distinction between living and non

living: a quantum computational

perspective

Monendra Grover

Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, NOIDA, UP, India Present Address: National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa, New Delhi, India

Abstract: Quantum computations in microtubules have been proposed to generate consciousness. The tubulins in the microtubules are thought to act as qubits and are arranged in the form of Quantum Cellular Automata (QCA) or Quantum Hopfield Networks (QHNs). Though matter both in the non living form and living form is arranged in the form of QCA or QHNs, the difference in the complexity and coherence may lead to the difference in the living and non living. I propose that Class IV computations have the highest consciousness vector followed by class II and Class I computations.

Quantum Computation and Consciousness in the human brain

The consciousness in human brain has been proposed due to a series of quantum computations in microtubules which are shielded from decoherence to reach threshold for objective reduction (OR), the Penrose quantum gravity solution to the measurement problem. The tubulins in the microtubules are proposed to behave as qubits and have been envisaged to be arranged in the form of QCA (Quantum Cellular Automata) or QHNs (Quantum Hopfield Networks). Tubulin conformational states and dipoles are regulated by London forces within the tubulin so that tubulins may exist as quantum superpositions of different conformational states in the process acting as quantum levels or qubits. In the superposition tubulin qubits communicate and compute by entanglement with other tubulin qubits. The interiors of dendrites alternate between two phases characterized by polymerization pattern of actin protein. The first phase is the sol phase, in this phase the actin is depolymerized and microtubules process information in a classical manner (tubulin bits). In the second phase as the actin polymerizes, the cytoplasm in the dendrites enters a semisolid gel phase, the microtubules become isolated from environment and enter quantum superposition in which tubulins function as qubits, in contrast to the bits in the sol phase. Quantum states of the gel phase of the tubulin are isolated from environmental-decoherence by various biological mechanisms. During quantum gel phase, tubulin qubits represent preconscious information-superpositions of various possibilities. These preconscious tubulins reach threshold for Penrose OR, for example after 25 ms. Each 25 ms OR events choose 1011 tubulin bit states that compute through microtubule automata to govern neurophysiological events in the brain. (Hameroff, 2006).

Law of Complexity/Consciousness

In this context it is important to note the Law of Complexity/Consciousness. The Law of Complexity/Consciousness is the tendency in matter to become more complex over time and become more conscious at the same time. The law was first formulated by paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Teilhard (Chardin, 1959) holds that at all times and everywhere, matter is approaching more complexity, as observed in the evolutionary history of the earth. Matter evolved towards higher complexity, from inanimate matter, to plant-life, to animal-life, and ultimately to human-life. Thus there is a continual increase of both complexity and consciousness. Teilhard proposes that the Law of Complexity/Consciousness is valid even today as observed in the socialization of mankind. As human beings continue to come into closer contact with one another, their methods of interaction lead to better organized social networks, which contributes to an overall increase in consciousness. Teilhard postulates a critical threshold, Omega Point, in which mankind will have reached its highest point of complexity and thus its highest point of consciousness. Nathaniel Branden, originator of Bio-Centric Psychology, also proposed that as life advances from simplicity to complexity, consciousness evolves from the vegetative through the animal to the natural human self-consciousness, (Branden, 1969).

Theory of Universal Automatism and Law of Complexity/Consciousness

Monendra Grover / International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST)

It has been proposed that “It is possible to view every process that occurs in nature or elsewhere as computation” (Wolfram, 2002). This has been termed as “Universal Automatism”. The computations have been divided into Class I, Class II, Class III and Class IV computations. Class One computations enter a constant state, Class two computations generate a repetitive or nested pattern, and Class III patterns produce messy, random looking crud and Class IV produce gnarly, interacting, nonrepeating patterns. Class I computations have been proposed to be least complex, followed by Class II, Class IV and Class III. Since the mental processes are proposed to be Class IV computations I propose that matter associated with Class IV computations are associated with highest magnitude of consciousness vector. According to me the computations associated with other classes relate to lower magnitude of consciousness vector. This is consistent with the Tielhard’s Law of Complexity/Consciousness mentioned above. Also it has been mentioned above that tubulins in the microtubules in the brain behave as qubits which are arranged in the form of QCA (or QHNs). Therefore these may form a subset of Class IV automata. However, this remains to be experimentally determined.

Quantum Hopfield Networks and Consciousness in non living matter

The fundamental particles can behave as qubits (Lloyd, 2006). The particles in the non living matter in turn can be envisaged to be organized into QCAs or QHNs. However in contrast to the QCAs in the brain (as described above) non-living QCAs have a lower magnitude of consciousness vector, (Grover, 2011). Therefore it is pertinent to examine why the QCA/QHNs in the non living matter generate consciousness field with low magnitude or different (from the living matter) direction of the consciousness vector. The answer may lie in the Tielhard’s law which states that consciousness increases with complexity. It is notable that I have postulated earlier that Class IV computation may be associated with higher magnitude of consciousness vector. This is also consistent with Penrose-Hameroff’s assertion that the bigger the superposition (in the brain) the less the time for reduction. The same is evident from the equation describing the QHNs (Behrman et al. 2006)

   

 

   

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

















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 

QHN

S

t

S

t

Sj

t

t

t

S

t

L

,

1

1

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In this equation L function for the QHN is defined as the integral of the Hamiltonian over the imaginary time loop, divided by β. The inverse temperature β is the total length of the path the qubit has to travel, from its initial point out into the world and then back. ζ is the tunneling term that is given by the expression ζ = -1/2[tanh(βK/n]. The variable t is used to label the inverse temperature ranging from 0 to β, which is a discrete variable, ranging from 0 to n-1. The functions {Sj} refer to the instantaneous values assumed by each of the

qubits j (total N qubits) i.e., the eigenvalues of the operators σz(t) for each of the j qubits. Thus {Sj(t)}is a

microstate of the system. The σz(t) describes all possible paths for each of the j qubits.α is the Coulombic

interaction between all the pairs of qubits in an array. The QHN starts out at some initial state after assuming an initial dipole value to each qubit. The output of each neuron is updated according to its weighted inputs. The updating procedure of the network converges to a stable state achieving a local minimum. This final state is the output of the network. Thus according to the equation above the more the qubits, the more the value of Σ{Sj},

which leads to more negative value of LQHN which means more stable state of the Quantum Hopfield network.

The equation also shows that coherence will lead to more negative values for LQHN. Thus more coherence means

a more stable network.

Universal Consciousness and Universe as a quantum computer

It has been proposedthat the universe exists as an interconnected network of consciousness, with each conscious organism linked to every other. Sometimes this is thought of as forming a collective consciousness which spans the universe, (Semple, 2008). Carl Jung also hypothesized about collective unconscious. A Canadian psychiatrist Richard M. Bucke developed a theory which claimed that universal consciousness lies in a state above and beyond Self-consciousness, the natural state of man's consciousness, and the animal consciousness lies below (Bucke, 2007). It has been proposed by Zizzi (Zizzi, 2006) that inflation of the universe can be visualized as superposition of universes. At the end of the inflation, analogous with the Penrose’s objective reduction (OR) model one universe is selected by a mechanism called self reduction. The quantum gravity threshold of objective reduction (OR) is reached at the end of inflation and it corresponds to a superposed states 109 _{quantum registers. This is reminiscent of qubits in our brain-the superposed tubulins}

which undergo the Penrose-Hameroff orchestrated objective reduction (OR) leading to a conscious event. Thus universe may also be proposed to be conscious.

Monendra Grover / International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST)

Since the fundamental particles can behave as qubits and the universe is composed of fundamental particles, the universe can be envisaged as a vast QCA. The consciousness vector of the living organisms as well as the universe has a high magnitude of the consciousness vector. The future work may focus on deducing the properties of the QCAs which show higher consciousness vector. These QCAs as mentioned above would be a subset of Class IV computations. The organization principles of this subset of the QCA may lead to the novel clues about the consciousness. However it may be interesting to note that though universe may exhibit consciousness the universe may not be classified as living organism. To classify the universe as a living organism would be perhaps too anthropocentric.

Coherence and consciousness

The relevance of quantum theory to consciousness may be at the level of ordered water throughout the cell, layered at surfaces of membranes, organelles, and in particular the cytoskeleton (Jibu et al, 1994; and references therein). The relevance of quantum phenomenon can also be seen at the level of proteins. Conrad (1992, 1994) describes quantum coherence among dipoles and hydrogen bonds throughout each protein coupled to its conformation and function. Frohlich's (1968; 1970; 1975) model predicts that assemblies of proteins may be pumped into quantum coherence (akin to a Bose-Einstein condensate, Marshall,1989).

It is notable that if quantum theory is relevant to consciousness, the superposition at the level of proteins and surrounding water, in which the protein conformational shape and consequently function are coupled to quantum events, are probably relevant.

Coherence not only at the levels mentioned above is important but coherence at the levels of neurons and the whole brain are also important. These synchronies are important not only for ‘normal’ consciousness but also for higher levels of consciousness.

The above description refers to the ‘normal’ consciousness. However higher states of consciousness have been proposed in human beings, as well as universe (Grover, 2011). The sleep in human beings is characterized by drowsy, disorganized neural activity. However the orderly EEG patterns found during the Transcendental Meditation (higher state of consciousness) indicate coherence between different regions of the brain, (Travis et al. 2002). Thus the coherence is least in the nonliving matter, followed by living matter, ‘normal’ consciousness in humans, and higher states of consciousness in human beings, universe and higher states of consciousness of universe.

Conclusions

As mentioned earlier in the article the complexity has been proposed to be linked with consciousness. It has been proposed that consciousness may be directly related to coherence. Thus the coherence and complexity are related with consciousness. This can be seen in progression of consciousness from non living organisms to living organisms (having several states of consciousness) and finally the universe.

References

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[15] Marshall, I.N. (1989) Consciousness and Bose- Einstein condensates. New Ideas in Psychology 7:73 83.

Monendra Grover / International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST)

[16] Travis F.; Tecce J., Arenander A., Wallace R.K. (2002), Patterns of EEG coherence, power, and contingent negative variation characterize the integration of transcendental and waking states . Biological Psychology, 61(3):293-319

[17] Behrman, E.C., Gaddam, K., Steck, J.E. and Skinner, S.R. (2006) Microtubules as a Quantum Hopfield Network. In The Emerging Physics of Consciousness, Tuszynski, J.A. (Ed.) ,Springer

Monendra Grover / International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST)