This paper proposes a mechanism producing quantum coherence in microtubules and questions, how this quantum coherence is scaled up to include the cerebral cortex. Microtubules are part of the cytoskeleton in all cells. In neurons, they are thought to play a key role in consciousness. The Orch-OR theory of consciousness maintains that consciousness—qualia, the feeling of life itself—requires quantum processes, and that Turing machine algorithms, though capable of astonishing calculations, lack insight and understanding. "Insight" as Gödel’s incompleteness argument suggests may not be demonstrable by an algorithmic process. Consciousness (Chalmer’s explanatory gap) may depend on more than calculation. In the current consciousness paradigm, quantum coherent microtubules are considered the primary unit of "computation" rather than neurons and the synapses between neurons.
Table of Contents
1- Vicinal Water and Quantum Coherence in Microtubules
2- Scaling up the Quantum Property of the Microtubule to the Cerebral Cortex/Brain
3- Symmetry Breaking and Self-Synthesis
4- Phyllotaxis, the Phi Connectome and Bandyopadhyay’s Sphere-Spiral Fractal Structure
5- The Phi Connectome—Formation
7- Information Transmission Delays in the Brain and Consciousness
8- Paradoxical Results in Measurements of the ‘Time’ of Conscious States
9- The Cellular Automaton and Quantum Coherent States
10. Formation of Microtubules in Prokaryotes and Self-Synthesis of the Phi Connectome
11. Microtubule polarity in axons, soma, dendrites, and the phi connectome
12. Phi Connectome Connectivity—Quantum or Electromagnetic Field?
13. Discussion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines the mechanisms behind quantum coherence in microtubules and explores how these properties are scaled up to the level of the cerebral cortex through the "phi connectome," a frequency fractal structure. It investigates how non-algorithmic quantum processes and information transmission patterns influence conscious experience and biological organization.
- Quantum coherence in microtubules mediated by vicinal water
- The phi connectome as a self-synthesizing frequency fractal
- Symmetry breaking and the emergence of complexity in biological systems
- Mechanisms of information transmission and time-delay buffering in the brain
- The relationship between quantum processes and the Orch-OR theory of consciousness
Excerpt from the Book
1- Vicinal Water and Quantum Coherence in Microtubules
Five dipolar water molecules form a tetrahedral structure in which the van der Waals forces are balanced such that the tetrahedron has an overall neutral charge.[6] Figures 3,4, and 5 illustrate the interaction of vicinal water tetrahedra with tubulin molecules.
Illustrating how microtubules become quantum coherent. 1. Vicinal water tetrahedra are formed by relatively weak van der Waals/hydrogen bonding between bipolar water molecules. 2. Distortion of the tetrahedron, by femtosecond asymmetries of the tetrahedral shape and/or interaction between the tetrahedron and tubulin molecules, results in a 3. mutual change in shape and electrical neutrality of the tetrahedron, and polarization of the tubulin molecule. [Hammeroff has pointed out, that the hydrophobic ends of protein molecules are protected from ‘noise’ in external hydrophilic ionic compartments because they are buried within hydrophobic regions of the folded tubulin molecule. Therefore, it may be that the mutual change in shape of the vicinal water tetrahedron and tubulin molecule is more important than a change in electrical neutrality of the vicinal water tetrahedron.] 4. Metabolic heat ‘jiggles’ or randomizes the tetrahedra, 5. producing a quasicrystal in which distant parts of the quasicrystal are correlated, i.e. in quantum linear superposition. 6. Mutual interactions between vicinal water tetrahedra and tubulin molecules result in a quantum coherent microtubule, i.e. a macroscopic coherent quantum object in which the individual tubulin molecules are in linear superposition, analogous to a Bose-Einstein condensate, as found in lasers, superfluidity, and superconductivity. It is probably important that vicinal water tetrahedra present a flattened 2-D face to tubulin molecules. This 2-dimensional relationship may be important in order to permit quantum correlation. Despite possible collapse of the quantum state of the microtubule by, e.g., action potentials, microtubular quantum coherence is continually maintained by metabolic heat. [4] It has been said that the brain is too warm, wet, and noisy to be a quantum mechanical system. Nonetheless, it is this very combination of metabolic heat Brownian motion noise, and vicinal water ‘wetness’ that enable and maintain quantum coherence of the microtubule.
Chapter Summaries
1- Vicinal Water and Quantum Coherence in Microtubules: Explains how vicinal water tetrahedra within microtubules facilitate quantum coherence and how metabolic heat maintains this state.
2- Scaling up the Quantum Property of the Microtubule to the Cerebral Cortex/Brain: Discusses the Fibonacci-based architecture of microtubules and how these patterns scale up to form the "phi connectome" in the brain.
3- Symmetry Breaking and Self-Synthesis: Details how random motion and entropy drive symmetry breaking in thermodynamic systems, leading to the emergence of complex, ordered structures.
4- Phyllotaxis, the Phi Connectome and Bandyopadhyay’s Sphere-Spiral Fractal Structure: Connects botanical patterns of phyllotaxis to the structural organization of the phi connectome in biological systems.
5- The Phi Connectome—Formation: Describes how wire systems designed with golden ratio diameters minimize noise and interference, providing an analogy for biological connectomes.
7- Information Transmission Delays in the Brain and Consciousness: Explores how circuitous neural pathways serve as buffers, potentially creating the time windows necessary for objective reduction in consciousness.
8- Paradoxical Results in Measurements of the ‘Time’ of Conscious States: Analyzes the discrepancy between external physical time and the internal time of conscious events, suggesting a quantum origin.
9- The Cellular Automaton and Quantum Coherent States: Proposes that cellular automata models, coordinated by electromagnetic fields, provide insight into microtubule information transmission.
10. Formation of Microtubules in Prokaryotes and Self-Synthesis of the Phi Connectome: Speculates on the de novo formation of microtubules in primitive organisms through metabolic processes.
11. Microtubule polarity in axons, soma, dendrites, and the phi connectome: Contrasts the uniform polarity in axons with the mixed polarity in dendrites and somas, arguing this optimizes information processing.
12. Phi Connectome Connectivity—Quantum or Electromagnetic Field?: Compares the roles of quantum entanglement and electromagnetic fields in maintaining the phi connectome's structural and functional coherence.
13. Discussion: Synthesizes the paper's findings, linking the phi connectome to consciousness and broader cosmological patterns.
Keywords
Microtubules, Quantum Coherence, Phi Connectome, Consciousness, Vicinal Water, Quasicrystals, Fractal, Phyllotaxis, Orch-OR Theory, Metabolic Heat, Information Transmission, Golden Ratio, Symmetry Breaking, Neural Networks, Resonance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core proposition of this paper?
The paper proposes a mechanism for quantum coherence within microtubules, facilitated by vicinal water, and demonstrates how this coherence is scaled up through a fractal "phi connectome" to produce conscious experience in the cerebral cortex.
What is the "phi connectome"?
The phi connectome is a self-synthesizing, spatiotemporal frequency fractal structure based on the golden ratio (phi). It interconnects biological structures from the microtubule level up to the entire brain, allowing for efficient information flow.
How is quantum coherence maintained in the brain's "warm and wet" environment?
The author argues that metabolic heat, noise, and the specific physical properties of vicinal water act in combination to maintain, rather than collapse, the quantum coherent state of microtubules.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The study relies on theoretical physics, biological observation, and analogy, integrating concepts from quantum mechanics (Orch-OR theory), information theory, fractal geometry, and experimental evidence regarding microtubule formation and resonance.
What is the significance of the phi ratio in this model?
The phi ratio serves as an irrational, noise-resistant foundation for resonance and information transmission. Structures based on the phi ratio minimize interference and are robust against resonant destruction, making them ideal for complex biological and computational systems.
How does the brain handle information transmission delays?
The paper suggests that anatomically longer, circuitous neural pathways act as a time-delay buffer, extending the duration of quantum superpositions to meet the temporal requirements for conscious moments ("BINGs").
What role do gap junctions play in the phi connectome?
Gap junctions facilitate quantum tunneling between cells, allowing for the entanglement of cellular components and supporting the synchronization of the phi connectome across the brain and body.
How are "conscious moments" defined in this theory?
Conscious moments, referred to as "BINGs," are defined as moments of orchestrated objective reduction (Orch-OR), where the quantum state collapses into a classical configuration, creating an experience of proto-consciousness.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. Marshall Goldberg (Autor:in), 2020, Heat-Induced Quasicrystal Formation in Vicinal Water. Quantum Coherence in Microtubules and the Phi Connectome, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/961537
