NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS

1. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS Modern Biology and the New Physics of the Mind-Body Connection Alex Hankey PhD Haninge, Stockholm, 29 October 2010

2. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS Physical Model of the Mind-Body Connection Questions: Can we discuss consciousness scientifically? What kind of physical system could be used to couple Mind and Matter? What are the key elements of its physics?

3. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS TALK ON ‘MIND-BODY CONNECTION’: 1. Universe: Info Registered in Consciousness 2. Psi – objectivity + Psi fluctuations – Subjectivity (Psi Fluctuations Observable at Critical Points) 3. Consciousness – Self-Knowledge / Self-Referral 4. Feedback Instability: Self-referral Property 5. Complexity Biology: Kauffman’s ‘Edge of Chaos’ 6. Mind-Body Connection at ‘Feedback Instability’ “God and the Devil are in the Detail”

4. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS TALK ON ‘MIND-BODY CONNECTION’: “A BEAUTIFUL MIND” John Forbes Nash “I AM LOOKING FOR THE KEY IDEA” “God and the Devil are in the Detail”

5. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS TALK ON ‘MIND-BODY CONNECTION’: BASIC PERSPECTIVE What We Cannot Understand Points to the Need for New Physics ! Physics as New as Relativity ! “God and the Devil are in the Detail”

6. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS EXTRAS FOR ANOTHER TIME Critical Point Renormalization  Independence of ‘Mind’ & ‘Body’ Soul Spinglass – Neural Network Theorem Higher Order Critical Points ? Catastrophe Theory  Morphogenesis ?

7. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS Physical Model of the Mind-Body Connection Basic Motivation: D’Espagnat:Reality not Strongly Objective If not only Objective, is Subjective possible? If so, where does Subjectivity fit in Physics?

8. BACKGROUND • Biophysics of Complementary Medicine • Investigating Feedback Instabilities • – Use in Regulatory Systems • Prigogine type chemical systems • – Regulation not Morphogenesis • Excitations: unusual Information States A PHYSICAL MODEL FOR THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION

9. Biophysics of Complementary Medicine • CAM systems work because: • – they concern system regulation • All disease stems from regulatory failure • – Regulatory overload  stress • Regulation  On / Off Genetic switching • – Genetic damage  Wrong Off switching • Forms of Switching: • Equilibrium – Phase Transition – Critical • ‘Critical’ maximizes sensitivity & reliability BACKGROUND

10. Biophysics of Complementary Medicine • Genetic & Epigenetic Theories of Disease • – Epigenetics concern Genetic regulation • Is the Gene functional YesNo • Is the Gene functioning YesNo • – Consequences are functionally equivalent • Genetic  Epigenetic correspondence • Regulatory Failure as Disastrous as Mutation BACKGROUND

11. BACKGROUND • Biophysics of Complementary Medicine • Instability is preferred locus cf complexity • – Instability fluctuations are excitations • Form Unusual Information States • – Feedback loops attached! • Interpret feedback loop as self observation • Consciousness has Self Knowledge • Possible ‘Reflectors’ of consciousness?

12. Mind-Body Problem History 1 • Descartes: Mind-Body Duality • Mechanics Rules Solar System – Galilean Inertia • Occult forces not needed to drive the Planets • Spiritual influences dispensed with on Physical level • Spiritual forces act in some higher realm • Distinct separation between ‘Mind’ and ‘Matter’ • Body is Mechanical • Separation of Mind and Body = Mind-Body Duality • Mind-Body-Matter relationship still a mystery

13. Mind-Body Problem History 2 • Philosophy : ‘Self’ dismissed – Awareness equivalent • Embodiment • Mind is only Matter • Only material functions need to be investigated • Trivializes the problem – fails to tackle it • Modern Neuroscience • Popper and Eccles, Francis Crick etc. • David Chalmers: it is a Real Problem • “Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness”

14. Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness • The Hard and Easy Problems • Easy Problem(s) • Neuroscience yields structure-function relationships • Mental functions explained in terms of processing • These can never explain the core experience • Hard Problem is Experience – Subjectivity • Experience is always ‘my experience’ – Ego involved • Experience iffthere is something it is like …. (Nagel) • Penrose’s ‘Emperor’s New Mind’ • What does it feel like to be a computer?

15. Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness • Phenomenal Experience is the Hard Problem • Reductive Explanations have not worked • Cannot reduce Subjective Experience to mere Structure-Function relationships • Can not give it a mere physical explanation • An ‘extra ingredient’ is necessary • Start with a new approach • Accept experience as given a priori • Construct a non-reductive theory

16. Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness • Building a Non-Reductive Theory of Experience • Such a Theory requires underlying principles • Structural Coherence • Organizational Invariance • “Double Aspect” Property of Information • Need an Information Space • Information States must reflect experience • Construct a non-reductive theory • These form basic requirements of such a theory

17. Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness Chalmers 3 Principles Double Aspect Property of Information Isomorphism between physical information space and phenomenal information space Physical Information Space Phenomenal Information Space

18. Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness Chalmers 3 Principles Double Aspect Property of Information Isomorphism between the Physical Information Space and the Phenomenal Information Space Same Abstract Information Space embedded in Information Processing & Phenomenal experience

19. Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness Chalmers 3 Principles Unique feature of the proposed information space – satisfies ‘self-knowledge’ condition Uniquely Satisfied by the Proposed Theory

20. Scaling behavior – Kadanoff • Scaling relationships – Widom Griffiths Fisher • Scaling for Correlation Length – Josephson • Renormalization Group D = 4 – e – Wilson • Higher Order CP’s – Chang, Hankey, Stanley • Experimental Verification of Various formulae PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

21. Critical Region Unstable PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES Liquid Gas Phase Diagram with Critical Point

22. KEY PROERTIES 1 • Instability in macroscopic physical variable • Due to failure of Stabilizing Vibrations • EXAMPLE: Gas – Liquid Critical Point PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

23. KEY PROERTIES 1 • Gas – Liquid Critical Point: • Group Velocity of Sound Waves becomes Zero • + + + • Divergent Specific Heats, Compressibilities etc. PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

24. Destabilization of Normal Modes • Normal Mode Group Velocity becomes Zero • Degrees of Freedom do not go away • Effective Potential becomes singular • .V varies as xe where e > 2, possibly e > 4 • Fluctuations have Energy, Momentum • They Scatter Particles / Contribute to • Specific Heat / Produce Gas Pressure PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

25. Properties of Fluctuations • Energy Spectrum – scatter photons / neutrons • Should interact as LOCAL FIELDS • Conservation of Energy Momentum • .Must Obey a Local Field Theory (Mystery) eg • Yfl = {(ynm2) - | ynm|2}/ |ynm| • ??Strange Commutation Relation?? PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

26. Feedback Instability: Partially Coherent • Interpret Excitations as quanta / pseudo • High Temperature System exhibiting • Partial Quantum Coherence !!! • Sufficient to Satisfy Domash / Penrose: • Consciousness associated w. ‘Coherent States’ PHYSICS OF INSTABILITIES

27. Complexity Biology • Optimal function at “The Edge of Chaos” • Self-Organized Criticality in Biosystems? • Critical Feedback Instabilities as attractors • Special Form: Critical Regulation • Competitive Environments force occurrence • Consciousness then emerges • cf Churning of the Cosmic Ocean Conditions for Emergence of Consciousness

28. Solution of “Mind-Matter Problem” Distinction between Mind and Matter maintained • Matter is represented by normal quantum fields • Mind is represented by Self-Observing Systems The clear distinction between the two systems means that the two cannot be confused Possible that one is a function of the other This proposed solution maintains Cartesian Duality May also mean that Mind is a kind of Harmonic of Matter!

29. Solution of “Mind-Body Problem” Predicts that Mind emerges from Physical when bio-regulation holds system at feedback instability • Kauffman et al. showed this to be the case Macrophage Function, PNAS Feb 2008 2. Even single cells can function this way Brian Ford: Single Cell Intelligence (New Sci 2010) Amoebae construct shells of eg Silica Crystals! Paramecium engages in courtship & mating

30. NEW PARADIGM PHYSICS Modern Biology and the New Physics of the Mind-Body Connection Thank You

31. Mind-Body Problem Extras 1 From Genetic Networks to Cortices • Cortices Regulate underlying organism function In earliest neural nets – they mimic genetics They can mimic critical points of arbitrary order 2. Spin glasses  Neural Nets Spin glasses support critical points of higher order Hence: Neural nets can model critical instabilities

32. Mind-Body Problem Extras 2 From Genetic Networks to Cortices 3. Higher cortices model and regulate lower ones Visceral Cortex 1 – Paleocortex 3 – Neocortex 5 4. Cortex Models of Panchamayokoshas EG. Visceral Cortex – Manomayokosha Palaeocortex – Vigyanamayokosha Neocortex - Anandamayokosha

33. Mind-Body Problem Extras 3 Additional Bonuses • Variable Feedback in Sensory pathways. Offers explanation for Observations on Meditation ‘Mantra naturally fading away’ increases feedback Hence Auditory Thresholds Decrease (TO RECORD LEVELS)

34. Mind-Body Problem Extras 3 Additional Bonuses • Variable Feedback in Sensory pathways. Increased feedback between thalamus and cortex Produced by assigning more cortex to signal processing But this will increase Cortical Coherence Hence EEG Conherence Increases (TO RECORD LEVELS)

35. Mind-Body Problem Extras 3 Variable Feedback Sensory Pathways As Feedback increases, it can reach the Instability Then an internally generated signal can be generated. This may offer an explanation for the “CosmicOm” In the Visual Pathway,, a bright light would be seen. (OFFERS EXPLANATION FOR SAMADHI PHENOMENA)

36. Mind-Body Problem Extras 3 Variable Feedback Sensory Pathways Feedback Instability can couple to a Consciousness Offers a possible explanation for Vedic “Devatas” Auditory Pathway – ‘Indra’ Visual Pathway – ‘Agni ‘

37. Mind-Body Problem Extras 4 Additional Bonuses Locate related instabilities in Quantum Cosmology Manifestation of Universe may depend on Instability causing Initial Symmetry Breaking and Inflation ? WHAT NAME FOR THE CONSCIOUSNESS ? ? THAT CAN COUPLE HERE ?