Dear Sir,
You have rightly observed that “Consciousness is composed of qualia and free-will, and both need new physics”. Qualia are variously defined as the qualities that are accessible to us when we introspect - that which together make up the phenomenal character of the experience, properties of sense data or the subjective or qualitative properties of experiences - a quality or...
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Dear Sir,
You have rightly observed that “Consciousness is composed of qualia and free-will, and both need new physics”. Qualia are variously defined as the qualities that are accessible to us when we introspect - that which together make up the phenomenal character of the experience, properties of sense data or the subjective or qualitative properties of experiences - a quality or property as perceived or experienced by a person. Qualia are also defined as intrinsic non-representational properties or properties of experiences that are also ineffable, nonphysical, and ‘given’ to their subjects incorrigibly. This leads to our response to the external impulse: first either attraction or repulsion or indeterminate. These generate the readiness potential, which executes the command issued by our freewill. In general terms, it implies observation or measurement, its cognition, and response. To that extent, it is physics. But since it is not directly related to the external physical world, but our internal process and response, it is not covered by the present day physics. It needs new physics.
Our ancients called these Guna, which literally means quality by which we measure something. They divided these qualities into 17 universal and 7 emergent qualities. Apart from freewill, they assigned four qualities to measure consciousness, which are really basic responses to experiences or external stimuli – that which leads to generation of pleasure, pain, happiness, sorrow, etc.
You have also rightly observed that “Free-will is based also on quantum consciousness”. But there is a need for caution here because the word “quantum consciousness” could mislead. It is not quantized consciousness in the generally understood sense in quantum theories. The basic difference between quantum and classical is the difference between unit and composite characteristics. Quantum particles exhibit unitary characteristics. Classical objects exhibit composite non-linear characteristics. However, everything related to consciousness is linear. While the objects of perception may differ, the content of the perception: “I know this (the received impulse) is like that (concept experience by me earlier which was called by this name). Hence this (object) is that”. This format is universal in all cognitions by all living beings at all times and all places. However, “concept experience by me earlier which was called by this name” could be different for different persons. This unitary experience can be called quantum consciousness.
The neuron is the cell that has the property of being electrically excitable, thus making it possible to convey information to other such cells. You have examined it at length. But one must note how the neurons behave just before death and immediately after death. Although neurons are the longest living cells in the body, large numbers of them die during migration and differentiation. The lives of some neurons can take abnormal turns. Some diseases of the brain are the result of the unnatural deaths of neurons. Dead brain cells, or neurons, are eliminated through phagocytosis, a process performed by scavenger cells in the body called phagocytes. Medical study into near-death and out-of-body experiences has discovered that some awareness may continue even after the brain has shut down completely – when the energy that activates the cells is gone. This shows that neurons are part of a conscious process, but cannot explain consciousness on their own. The existence of external observers are proved from the universalization of perception: all healthy persons perceive the same thing as is proved by their identical description of the individual experience.
The mechanism of free-will is completely in accordance with quantum mechanics, but whether freewill itself can be so explained is debatable. Command and control functions are different from execution and instrumentalities.
Time is not the same as a clock. It arises from our concepts of interval and sequence. The sequentially ordered intervals between objects are space and that for events is time. Since intervals have no markers to describe them, we use alternative symbolism of the boundary objects or events to define space and time respectively. In the absence of matter (objects), there can be no event (changes in objects). Thus, there will be no time. Regarding dimension, kindly visit our essay.
You are right about panpsychism and emergent consciousness, though it may not be related to carbon atoms only. Think of electricity. We all know about it, but no one has “seen” it. We know about it from its effects. The same electricity appears as light, air, cold, hot, etc., based on the instrument through which it reveals itself. Similarly, Consciousness is all pervading, but appears differently depending upon the medium through which it is revealed.
We enjoyed your essay thoroughly.
Regards,
basudeba
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