How Long is a Piece of Time?: Phenomenal Time and Quantum Coherence – Toward a Solution

1. How Long is a Piece of Time?: Phenomenal Time and Quantum Coherence – Toward a Solution Chris Davia (DPhil Student) Supervisor - Dr Ron Chrisley COGS – Department of Informatics University of Sussex - UK chris-davia@hotmail.co.uk

2. Talk Outline • A few words about the aim of the talk • Examining the problem using a thought experiment • Quantum mechanics – Solitons and BEC’s • A Quantum Solution • Concluding remarks

4. Any particular rate at which we run the film represents an equivalent perspective upon the physical events taking place X1 X2 X8

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6. Classical Perspective Film rate = A ?

7. Classical Perspective Film rate = Ax4 Neural events are observed to take place 4 times as fast ?

8. The Classical Approach Each rate at which the film is shown affords us a completely consistent perspective on the physical events taking place. Why should one temporal rate show a consistent relationship between physical events and mental events (experience) and not another? ? Being consistent and different, each temporal perspective suggests an alternative possibility of the relation between physical and mental states. x1 x4 x100 From symmetry, asymmetry?

9. Quantum Mechanics and the brain Relevant to the current argument is research that points to the possibility that dynamic systems may give rise macroscopic states that resemble a phenomenon termed a Bose-Einstein condensate. For example, studies into the behavior complex networks like the World Wide Web, suggest that, under certain conditions, a change in the overall dynamic behavior of the network may occur that is a classical analogue of a Bose-Einstein condensate and is mathematically modeled in the same way (Bianconi & Barabasi, 2001). Also, pioneering work examining the complex interaction of neurons suggests the possibility that macroscopic quantum states similar to a BEC may also occur in the brain (Frohlich, 1968) Barabasi, A. (2002). Linked: The new science of networks. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Frohlich, H, Long Range Coherence and Energy Storage in Biological Systems, Int. J. Quantum Chem., v.II, 641-649 (1968) Freeman, W. J., Vitiello, G., Nonlinear brain dynamics as macroscopic manifestation of the underlying many-body field dynamics, Submitted 17 November 2005 to Physics of Life Reviews "Solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate," D.L. Feder, Optics & Photonics News 12, 38-39 (December 2000).

10. The sensation transition-zone for fusion "Lalanne (in 1876) [..] pointed out that the frequency of stimulus fusion in the tactile, auditory, and visual modality equals 18 Hz. Lalanne conjectured a common, yet unknown, mechanism behind this."Measuring tactile stimulus fusion” Quoting Raul Kompass in: Jewett, D.L et al, Human sensory-evoked responses differ coincident with either"fusion-memory" or "flash-memory", as shown by stimulus repetition-rate effects. BMC Neuroscience 2006, 7:18 doi:10.1186/1471-2202-7-18 Lalanne L: Sur la duree de la sensation tactile [On the duration of tactile sensations] Note Comptes Rendus del’Acadenue des Sciences Paris 1876, 39(2-3):1314–1316.

11. More evidence pointing to 18Hz (or 55.6ms) as being critical for Temporal perceptual binding “Brecher (1932), [..]using an ascending method of limits, found in 14 subjects that the fusion thresholds in vibration perception occur, on the average, at a critical period of 55.3 ms or, in terms of frequency, 18Hz” From - Geissler, HG; Kompass, R Temporal Constraints on Binding? – Evidence from Quantal State Transitions in Perception Visual Cognition, 8(3-5), 2001, pp. 679 - 696 The Brecher GA: The emergence and biological significance of the subjective time unit perceptual moment. (in German: Die Entstehung und biologische Bedeutung der subjektiven Zeiteinheit—des Moments. Zeitschrift fur vergleichende Physiologie. 1932, 18:204–243. For continuous auditory threshold of 18Hz see also - von Bekesy, G. (1960): Experiments in hearing; McGrawHill, New York

12. A Fly in the Ointment? – 16Hz or 18Hz? [Professor Helmer] Frank (in Nørretranders, 1991, pp. 139) took a different approach. Viewing consciousness as having a fixed capacity, then the rate at which its contents could be changed becomes all important. Beginning with pulses of sound, Frank discovered that the smallest perceptible time frame (subjektives Zeitquant - psychological moment abbreviated to SZQ) approximates to 1/16 of a second. If pulses occur with a frequency greater than 16Hz then humans lose the perception of individual pulses and perceive instead a continuous tone. He found that the same was true for images. From - An Investigation Into Student Left-Right Brain Orientation - Results And Considerations of A Pilot Survey. S.Benson and C.Standing Edith Cowan University, 100, Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6065. Nørretranders, T (1991) The User Illusion, Cutting Consciousness Down to SizePub. Viking Penguin (translated by Sydenham, J. 1998)

13. More Evidence for 16 Hz (62ms) As a result of the airing of a television program (Pocket Monsters) which involved the use of flashing images a large number of induced epileptic fits in young Japanese children was reported. This led to research into it’s cause. “The alternation frequency employed in the animation was 12Hz. Although not quite the worst frequency for inducing photosensitive illness, it is close: some 78% of photosensitive people respond to IPS stimulation at this rate The worst is 16Hz, to which 89% respond. “ Photosensitivity, Broadcast Guidelines and Video Monitoring Simon Clippingdale, Haruo Isono NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Science & Technical Research Laboratories l-lo-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8510 ITC (1994): Independent Television Commission, UK. Guidance - Note, Use of Flashing Images or Repetitive Patterns including ITC Guidelines, Draft V. Harding, G.F.A. (1998). TV can be bad for your health. Nature Medicine, 4,265267Harding GF, Harding PF. Televised material and photosensitive epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1999;40(suppl 4):65–69.

14. More Evidence for 16 Hz (62ms) “Flicker fusion is key in all technologies for presenting moving images, nearly all of which depend on presenting a rapid succession of static images (e.g. the frames in a cine film or a digital video file. If the frame rate falls below the flicker fusion threshold for the given viewing conditions, flicker will be apparent to the observer, and movements of objects on the film will appear jerky. For the purposes of presenting moving images, the human flicker fusion threshold is usually taken as 16Hz.” UC Berkley - Department of Art Practice “research shows […..] that modulations at rates above 16Hz are not required for speech intelligibility [Drullman et al].“ TWO-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-RESOLUTION ANALYSIS OF SPEECH SIGNALS AND ITS APPLICATION TO SPEECH RECOGNITION C. P. Chan, Y.W. Wong, Tan. Lee and P.C. Ching Department of Electronic Engineering The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong - Rob Drullman, Joost M. Festen, and Reinier Plomp. “Effect of temporal envelope smearing on speech reception”, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 95(2):1053-1064, February 1994.

15. The Significance of the Data Although there may be disagreement concerning the critical frequency (18Hz or 16Hz), I suggest that evidence of fusion across sensory modes is very significant. But, what are these observations pointing to? There seems little doubt that that these finding will be important for our understanding of temporal experience. Also, the evidence seems to suggest some fundamental neural process that underpins or supports other neural processes. For the purposes of the argument that follows we shall assume that these findings are evidence of an underlying BEC soliton.

16. BEC’s and Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle “The uncertainty principle puts limits on what is knowable about anything, including atoms. The more precisely you know an atom's location, the less well you can know its velocity, and vice versa. That is why the condensate peak is not infinitely narrow. If it were, we would know that the atoms were in the exact centre of the trap and had exactly zero energy. According to the uncertainty principle, we cannot know both these things simultaneously.” Eric A. Cornell and Carl E. Wieman Birth of a Bose-Einstein condensate Velocity distribution providing observable evidence for Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle Professor Tilman Esslinger – Quantum Optics Group at the ETH Zurich

17. BEC’s and Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle Although highly complex – the BEC soliton is a wave function. As such it embodies characteristics of any quantum probability wave function. In addition to the uncertainty between position and momentum, the wave function also describes the uncertainty between energy and time. So, a BEC soliton is a four dimensional phenomenon with extension in time. The degree of this extension is determined by the Uncertainty Principle.

18. Conscious States and the Fractal Catalytic Model Conscious states are thought to be solitonic solutions to the boundary conditions imposed upon the brain by the body and the senses Boundary conditions determined by the physical state of the body At any point in time a conscious state (a BEC soliton) may correspond to a point in a solution space Soliton Solution space A continuous but changing experience may be represented as a continuous trajectory in the solution space Environmental boundary conditions structure the brain via the senses

19. Soliton Solution space Changing experiences In a similar way that a soliton in the pacific (a tsunami) may ‘adapt’ to variations in the depth of the water by changing its structure, so, it is proposed, a BEC soliton in the brain represents a varying solution to the boundary conditions imposed upon the brain by the body and the environment via the senses. A changing trajectory in the solution space equates to varying experience

20. Boundary conditions determined by the physical state of the body Soliton Solution space Environmental boundary conditions structure the brain via the senses Conscious States and the Fractal Catalytic Model The Most Simple Conscious States Permitted by the Model A continuous but unchanging experience may be represented as a single point in the solution space – a BEC soliton? A sine wave above 16Hz is experienced as an unchanging and continuous phenomenon. How do we understand such unchanging experiences?

21. Varying Experiences Depicted below is a representation of a simple temporal structure with a very low frequency. This structure is imposed upon the nervous system by the senses. Associated with this temporal structure we may imagine two distinct solitonic solutions. T The representation of the solitonic solutions show the uncertainty in time of the wave function. In this case the uncertainty in time is smaller than the temporal structure We may experience this as a series of clicks

22. Non-Varying Experiences - A Conjecture Depicted below is a representation of a simple temporal structure with a high frequency. This frequency falls below the uncertainty of the solitonic ‘carrier wave’ If such a temporal structure permits an non-varying solution then it will correspond to a non-varying experience. T The suggestion is that the uncertainty in time associated with the wave function of the solitonic carrier wave demarcates the boundary between varying and non-varying experiences associated with temporally structured stimuli.

23. A Quantum Approach If a conscious state may be correlated with a BEC in the form of an unvarying soliton then, no matter at what rate we run the film, the brain state appears exactly the same. x1 x4 x100 The asymmetry disappears

24. Some Thoughts About Quantum Uncertainty If consciousness is to be correlated with a BEC soliton then surely there arise problems associated with the suggested interaction with the environment. Can we not consider such interactions as measurements? If so, then any interaction with the environment which effectively fell below the threshold of the spatial or temporal uncertainty of the wave function would cause it to collapse. However, this largely depends upon the type of interaction. In lasers, for example, this problem does not occur because energy is supplied to the laser via a two stage process. Energy is first ‘pumped’ into the system which excites electrons. The subsequent release of this energy is stimulated by the coherent light itself. Frohlich proposed that a similar process may be operating in the brain. Frohlich, H, Long Range Coherence and Energy Storage in Biological Systems, Int. J. Quantum Chem., v.II, 641-649 (1968)

25. Some Thoughts About Quantum Uncertainty To support the ideas of Frohlich, we may point to evidence that suggests that we do not passively sense the word around us. The brain is not ‘hard wired’ to the structures in the environment and the body via the senses. Dynamic feedback processes between the senses and the nervous system suggest that the nervous system plays an important role in determining if a potential stimulus is ‘sensed’ or not. This being said, interactions between the environment and the proposed BEC soliton cannot violate the Uncertainty Principle. In as far as there are limitations regarding what information may be obtained about a quantum coherent phenomenon, it necessarily follows that there are limitations about what information the quantum coherent phenomenon may contain about its environmental boundary conditions that it is a solution to.

26. T Some Thoughts About Quantum Uncertainty So, given the possibility that the neural correlate of consciousness is a BEC soliton, and given the possibility that there may be unique solitonic solutions determined by temporal structures which fall below the uncertainty in time associated with its wave function, then those solutions cannot embody information that could be used to distinguish individual temporal components of the stimulus within the BEC’s solitons temporal uncertainty. This accords well with the phenomenology of continuous experience. Although we may be able to experience a high frequency stimulus, we are unable to distinguish its small scale structure. Limit of Discernability?

27. The Bottom Line If we accept that there is a close relation between the way that we experience sound and the way that we experience time, then we may conclude that the primary factor that determines the apparent ‘rate’ at which we experience time is the uncertainty in time associated with the wave function of the BEC soliton. Also, time is one small part of a broader philosophical enquiry that addresses the questions how, and what does it mean to represent and experience an ‘external’ space and time. The answers to these questions may reside in the fact that we do not represent space and time at all. Experience may be essentially spatial and temporal because the underlying correlate of consciousness is a spatial and temporal phenomenon – a BEC soliton.