Stuart Hameroff, an anesthesiologist and professor at the University of Arizona, along with physicist Sir Roger Penrose, developed the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) theory of consciousness. This theory proposes that consciousness arises from quantum processes within the brain, specifically in structures called microtubules inside neurons. Orch OR combines ideas from quantum physics, neuroscience, and philosophy to address the "hard problem" of consciousness—how subjective experience (qualia) emerges from physical processes. Let’s break down the theory, its key components, and its implications.
Core Idea of Orch OR
Orch OR suggests that consciousness is not merely a product of classical neural computation (as in traditional neuroscience models) but instead results from quantum computations in microtubules, orchestrated by biological processes and culminating in moments of objective reduction (OR). These quantum events are proposed to be the basis of conscious experience.
No comments
Life appears to oppose the Second Law of Thermodynamics because living organisms create and maintain highly ordered structures—such as cells, tissues, and entire bodies—in a universe where the Second Law dictates that entropy (disorder) should increase over time in an isolated system. However, this opposition is only apparent, not real. Life doesn’t violate the Second Law; instead, it operates within its constraints by leveraging energy flows and open systems. Let’s explore how this works.
