Is Brain in a Superfluid State? Physics of Consciousness

TL;DR

This paper models consciousness as a quantum field with a self operator, proposing that self-awareness emerges from a phase transition similar to superfluidity, with implications for understanding brain states.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum field framework for consciousness and models self-awareness as a phase transition akin to superfluidity in physics.

Findings

Self-awareness develops as neural connectivity reaches a critical point.

Consciousness is described as a response function of quantum operators.

The brain's transition to self-awareness resembles a superfluid phase transition.

Abstract

The article "Physics of Consciousness" treats mind as an abstract Hilbert space with a set of orthogonal base vectors to describe information like particles, which are considered to be the elementary excitation of a quantum field. A non-Hermitian operator of Self is introduced to create these information like particles which in turn will constitute a coherent information field. The non - zero average of this self operator is shown to constitute our basic I. Awareness and consciousness is described very simply as a response function of these operators to external world. We show with a very simple neural model how a baby less than two years old develop self-awareness as the neural connectivity achieves a critical value. The all-important I is the basic cognitive order parameter of each human brain and is a result of thermodynamic phase transition from a chaotic disordered state to a symmetry broken coherent ordered state, very akin to physics of superfluidity.