Elusive Consciousness

Author(s): Narendra Bhandari, Surendrasingh Pokharana, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Bose-Einstein condensation is a phenomenon predicted for a group of identical atoms having an integral value of spin (known as Bosons) which condense into one single state when the temperature decreases. Here the wave function of all the atoms overlaps and the whole group act as one single unit where the identities of individual atoms disappear and they all merge into a small space. They have lowest . possible energy state known"zero point energy" arising due to Heisenberg's of uncertainty principle. In this situation, the whole is more than the individual parts, effectively losing the individual identities. The laser is an example of Bose Einstein's condensation in which all photons have the same energy that is have same frequency.
Herbert Frohlich (1986) suggested that biological systems can behave like Bose Einstein condensates due to the presence of the so called Biological oscillators which are there in a non-equilibrium state at constant temperature (due to the presence of external source of energy like Sun light). Such biological oscillators are present in all living matter due to the presence of water and biomolecules which have dipoles. These biological oscillators, like a laser, can amplify signals and encode information, generated by some external stimuli.
Umezawa and Ricciardi: Quantum Field Theory (QFT) and Quantum Brain Dynamics(QBD)
In 1967 Luigi Maria Ricciardi and Horoomi Umezawa suggested a model of consciousness base on Quantum Field Theory (QFT). This model starts with the work of Froehlich on Bose-Einstein condensates. The functions of the brain are seen as a consequence of collective quantum order states. For example, memory is associated to "vacuum states". In QFT vacuum states are the lowest level of energy in which, by definition, no particle is present. The stability of vacuum states make them ideal as a unit of memory. Umezawa and Ricciardi underline that one of the properties of vacuum states is that of developing correlations and order which can extend to the macroscopic level, producing fields which can effect the neural system. According to Umezawa, consciousness would be the result of the sum of quantum processes, while the neural systems would be limited to the transmission of macroscopic signals. This model is somewhat alike the Jain concept of soul and karmas. Thus when all karmas disappear, a pure vacuum state comes which has all knowledge like memory of a ground state. Excitations are just like karmas. For details see Pokharna (1977).
Nick Herbert: pervasive consciousness