Here are some notable scientists and researchers associated with alternative approaches to materialism:
Integral Theory: Ken Wilber (1949-present) - philosopher and writer
Non-Dualism: David Bohm (1917-1992) - theoretical physicist, and Roger Penrose (1931-present) - mathematical physicist
Panpsychism: Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) - philosopher and mathematician, and Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) - philosopher and logician
Vitalism: Not a prominent modern scientific field, but historical figures like Henri Bergson (1859-1941) - philosopher, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) - philosopher and paleontologist
Holism: Ilya Prigogine (1917-2003) - chemist and physicist, and Stuart Kauffman (1939-present) - biologist and complex systems researcher
Emergentism: Philip Anderson (1923-2020) - physicist, and Robert Laughlin (1950-present) - physicist and Nobel laureate
These researchers have made significant contributions to their respective fields, often challenging traditional materialist perspectives and exploring new ways to understand complex phenomena.
Here's a brief overview of what some of these researchers have said about consciousness:
David Bohm: Proposed the idea of an "implicate order," suggesting that consciousness is an fundamental aspect of the universe, enfolded in the fabric of reality.
Roger Penrose: Argued that consciousness arises from quantum mechanical processes in microtubules within neurons, and that it is a non-computable, fundamental aspect of the universe.
Alfred North Whitehead: Believed that consciousness is a fundamental feature of the universe, present in all matter to some degree, and that it is essential for understanding the nature of reality.
Bertrand Russell: Initially a neutral monist, later embracing a form of panpsychism, suggesting that consciousness is an inherent property of matter.
Ilya Prigogine: Discussed the role of consciousness in the context of complex systems and self-organization, highlighting the importance of non-equilibrium processes in the emergence of conscious phenomena.
Stuart Kauffman: Proposed that consciousness arises from the emergent properties of complex systems, and that it is a fundamental aspect of the universe, akin to space, time, and matter.
Philip Anderson: Focused on the concept of "emergence," suggesting that consciousness is an emergent property of complex systems, arising from the interactions and organization of individual components.
Robert Laughlin: Argued that consciousness is an emergent property of the human brain, arising from the collective behavior of neurons and their interactions.
These researchers have offered a range of perspectives on consciousness, from its fundamental nature to its emergence from complex systems.
Federico Faggin, a physicist and computer scientist, has proposed a theory of consciousness that differs from the materialist and computational views. He suggests that consciousness is a fundamental, non-computable aspect of the universe, unconnected to computation or information processing.
In comparison to the researchers mentioned earlier:
Similarities with Penrose and Hameroff: Faggin's ideas share similarities with the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR) theory, which proposes that consciousness arises from quantum mechanical processes in microtubules.
Departure from computationalism: Faggin's views diverge from the computational and emergentist perspectives of researchers like Philip Anderson and Robert Laughlin, who see consciousness as an emergent property of complex systems.
Alignment with non-dualism and panpsychism: Faggin's ideas resonate with the non-dualist and panpsychist perspectives of researchers like David Bohm and Alfred North Whitehead, who propose that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe.
Faggin's theory, known as the "consciousness-based" approach, posits that consciousness is the primary reality, and that the material world is a manifestation of conscious experience. This perspective challenges the dominant materialist and computational views of consciousness, offering a unique and thought-provoking alternative.
Connection between Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics
According to various theories, consciousness and quantum mechanics are connected in several ways:
Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR): Proposed by Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff, this theory suggests that consciousness arises from quantum mechanical processes in microtubules within neurons, which collapse the quantum wave function, giving rise to conscious experience.
Quantum Consciousness: This theory, inspired by the work of David Bohm, proposes that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of the universe, akin to space, time, and matter, and that it is connected to the quantum realm.
Many-Worlds Interpretation: Some theories, such as the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, suggest that consciousness plays a role in the collapse of the quantum wave function, effectively selecting which branch of reality becomes our experienced reality.
Quantum Entanglement: Researchers like Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall have suggested that quantum entanglement, which allows for non-local connections between particles, may be related to the non-local, interconnected nature of consciousness.
Federico Faggin's Theory: Faggin's theory proposes that consciousness is a fundamental, non-computable aspect of the universe, and that it is connected to the quantum realm through a process of "consciousness-based" collapse of the quantum wave function.
These theories propose that consciousness is not just a product of brain activity, but is fundamentally connected to the quantum realm, and that this connection gives rise to the unique features of conscious experience, such as non-locality, entanglement, and the collapse of the quantum wave function.
Leading Scientists in Alternative Fields
Here are some notable scientists and researchers associated with alternative approaches to materialism:
These researchers have made significant contributions to their respective fields, often challenging traditional materialist perspectives and exploring new ways to understand complex phenomena.
What did these people say about consciousness?
Perspectives on Consciousness
Here's a brief overview of what some of these researchers have said about consciousness:
These researchers have offered a range of perspectives on consciousness, from its fundamental nature to its emergence from complex systems.
How do these ideas compare with Federico Faggin's view of consciousness and computation?
Comparison with Federico Faggin's Views
Federico Faggin, a physicist and computer scientist, has proposed a theory of consciousness that differs from the materialist and computational views. He suggests that consciousness is a fundamental, non-computable aspect of the universe, unconnected to computation or information processing.
In comparison to the researchers mentioned earlier:
Faggin's theory, known as the "consciousness-based" approach, posits that consciousness is the primary reality, and that the material world is a manifestation of conscious experience. This perspective challenges the dominant materialist and computational views of consciousness, offering a unique and thought-provoking alternative.
What do consciousness and quantum mechanics have to do with each other according to these theories?
Connection between Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics
According to various theories, consciousness and quantum mechanics are connected in several ways:
These theories propose that consciousness is not just a product of brain activity, but is fundamentally connected to the quantum realm, and that this connection gives rise to the unique features of conscious experience, such as non-locality, entanglement, and the collapse of the quantum wave function.