Killing Science Fiction: Why Conscious States Cannot Be Copied or Repeated

TL;DR

This paper argues that conscious states are inherently unique and cannot be copied, duplicated, or simulated, challenging physicalist assumptions and resolving various philosophical and science fiction paradoxes.

Contribution

It introduces the Unique History Theorem, demonstrating that conscious states are uniquely determined by their physical history, preventing copying or duplication.

Findings

Conscious states cannot be uploaded or simulated by digital computers.

Physical duplication of a brain does not produce identical conscious states.

Conscious states are inherently unique and cannot be repeated or created de novo.

Abstract

Several philosophical problems arising from the physics of consciousness, including identity, duplication, teleportation, simulation, self-location, and the Boltzmann Brain problem, hinge on one of the most deeply held but unnecessary convictions of physicalism: the assumption that brain states and their corresponding conscious states can in principle be copied. In this paper I will argue against this assumption by attempting to prove the Unique History Theorem, which states, essentially, that conscious correlations to underlying quantum mechanical measurement events must increase with time and that every conscious state uniquely determines its history from an earlier conscious state. By assuming only that consciousness arises from an underlying physical state, I will argue that the physical evolution from a first physical state giving rise to a conscious state to a second physical state giving rise to a later conscious state is unique. Among the consequences of this theorem are that: consciousness is not algorithmic and a conscious state cannot be uploaded to or simulated by a digital computer; a conscious state cannot be copied by duplicating a brain or any other physical state; and a conscious state cannot be repeated or created de novo. These conclusions shed light on the physical nature of consciousness by rendering moot a variety of seemingly paradoxical philosophy and science fiction problems.