Can quantum analogies help us to understand the process of thought
Paavo Pylkkänen
University of Skövde and University of Helsinki
In Globus, G., Pribram, H. & Vitiello, G. Eds. Brain and Being John Benjamins
The author looks at human thought processes with particular reference to the ideas of David Bohm. Bohm is indicated to have thought that while logical thought was important for the scientific effort, it might be a subset of more general thought processing, just as classical physics can be seen as a subset of quantum physics. Bohm considered that the basic thinking process was not logical. This was why new ideas could appear suddenly, often after a long period of unsuccesful but more logical work. He saw this as analogous to the quantum jump. Thus there might be a quantum-like general thinking process, which at a later stage has to be justified by more logical processes. Bohm thought it likely that quantum processes were involved in cognition, and that this accounted for the quantum-like nature of a lot of cognition. While most brain processes were admitted to be describable by classical physics, Bohm thought that there might be certain areas that were so finely balanced as to be described quantum mechanically. Further, in some altered states of consciousness, classical processes might play only a minor part, and this would allow holistic features to predominate.
References:-
Bohm, D. (1951) Quantum Theory Prentice-Hall Reprinted: Dover science books
Bohm, D. (1980) Wholeness and the Implicate Order Routledge
Bohm, D. (1990) A new theory of the relation of mind and matter Philosophical Psychology, 3 (2), 271-286
Bohm, D. & Hiley, B. (1993) The Undivided Universe
Fodor, J. & Pylyshyn, Z. (1988) Connectionism and cognitive architecture In Pinker, S. & Mehler, J. Eds. Connections and Symbols, pp. 3-71 MIT Press
Globus, G. (1995) The Postmodern Brain John Benjamins
Globus, G. (2003) Quantum closures and disclosures John Benjamins
Hiley, B. (2004) Information quantum theory and the brain In Globus, G., Pribram, K. & Vitiello, G. eds. Brain and Being John Benjamins
Husserl, E. (1913/1976) General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology George Allen & Unwin
Penrose, R. (1994) Shadows of the Mind Oxford University Press
Plotnitsky, A. (2002) After Bohr and Derrida Duke University Press
Pylkkänen, P. & Vaden, T. Eds. (2001) Dimensions of Consciousness John Benjamins
Smolensky, P. (1988) On the proper treatment of connectionism Behavioural and Brain Sciences
Strawson, P. (1966) Essay on Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason Routledge
Van Loocke, P. Ed. (2001) The Physical Nature of Consciousness John Benjamins
Vitiello, G. (2001) My Double Unveiled John Benjamins
