Emergent Consciousness: From the Early Universe to Our Mind

TL;DR

This paper explores the analogy between the early universe's quantum state during inflation and the emergence of consciousness in the human brain, linking quantum information, gravity, and self-reduction models.

Contribution

It extends previous work by analyzing the universe as a superposed quantum state and connects it to brain processes through Penrose's OR model, proposing a novel analogy.

Findings

Universe during inflation as a superposed quantum state of 10^9 registers

Self-reduction aligns with Penrose's Objective Reduction model

Parallel between early universe quantum states and brain's quantum processes

Abstract

In a previous paper (gr-qc/9907063) we described the early inflationary universe in terms of quantum information. In this paper, we analize those results in more detail, and we stress the fact that, during inflation, the universe can be described as a superposed state of quantum registers. The self-reduction of the superposed quantum state is consistent with the Penrose's Objective Reduction (OR) model. The quantum gravity threshold is reached at the end of inflation, and corresponds to a superposed state of 10^9 quantum registers. This is also the number of superposed tubulins-qubits in our brain, which undergo the Penrose-Hameroff's Orchestrated Objective Reduction, (Orch OR), leading to a conscious event. Then, an analogy naturally arises between the very early quantum computing universe,and our mind.