Time and Consciousness in a Quantum World

TL;DR

This paper explores the emergence of time from a timeless quantum space, linking consciousness, quantum mechanics, and panpsychism, proposing a toy model and discussing quantum cognition and philosophical implications.

Contribution

It introduces a toy-model for the emergence of time from a timeless quantum space and discusses its relation to consciousness and quantum cognition within a panpsychist framework.

Findings

Proposes a toy-model for time emergence from a timeless quantum space.

Links consciousness with the emergence of time in a quantum context.

Discusses quantum cognitive models and panpsychist perspectives.

Abstract

We address the relation between two apparently distinct problems: The quest for a deeper understanding of the nature of consciousness and the search for time and space as emergent structures in the quantum mechanical world. We also advance a toy-model proposal of emergence of time from a timeless unus mundus quantum-like space by using Aharonov's two state formalism of quantum mechanics. We further speculate on these issues within a quantum cognitive perspective with particular interest in two recent papers on this emerging field of science. One (Aerts et al) entails (as we argue) a panpsychist top-down approach to the problem of consciousness. The second paper (Blutner et al) proposes a quantum cognitive model for Jung's psychological type structure. We discuss these concepts and their relation with our main thesis, that time is a measure of individuality. One of our central motivations is to provide arguments that allows the mainstream physicist to take seriously a panpsychist worldview, a position that has been openly forwarded by many modern philosophers.