Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site oakhill.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!ut-sally!oakhill!davet From: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Newsgroups: net.philosophy Subject: Re: Quantum mechanics and free will Message-ID: <393@oakhill.UUCP> Date: Sun, 21-Apr-85 02:50:48 EST Article-I.D.: oakhill.393 Posted: Sun Apr 21 02:50:48 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 23-Apr-85 00:36:27 EST References: <362@aesat.UUCP> <5272@utzoo.UUCP> <137@ubvax.UUCP> <5343@utzoo.UUCP> <341@boulder.UUCP> Reply-To: davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) Organization: Motorola Inc. Austin, Tx Lines: 32 In article <347@boulder.UUCP> geoff@boulder.UUCP (Geoffrey Clemm) writes: >In article ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) writes: > >>* Single quantum events can and do cause macroscopic effects. The >> breakdown of causality is not confinined to the microscopic. > >This misconception is at the heart of many quantum mechanical fallacies. >Very little of the quantum mechanical "randomness" is visible in our normal >experiences. ... This may or may not be true. The complexity of the brain is such that in many respects a great deal of the processes are "idling" so to speak. At other times (maybe all the time?) our consciousness awareness(i.e. what we are thinking or cognitive about at any give moment) seems to be a delicate balance between a vast number of competing impulses. It just may be possible that there are quantum influences whic actually determine tjust what implulses get to make up our final "awareness" from momemnt to moment. The idea of brain as random event generator has been suggested as one method for paranormal images to make their "impingements" into our everyday consciousness. If the speculation that quantum events can impact thought processes is accurate, then the very fact that you picked up your morning paper before sipping your coffee instead of after and therefore read more than you would have otherwise thus noticing your neighbor was in a minor accident which allowed you to contact them earlier could all be directly attributable to "quantum interference." There have been studies done which indicate just these effects. Motorola Semiconductor Inc. Dave Trissel Austin, Texas {ihnp4,seismo,gatech}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet