Table of Contents
Preface vii
Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xv
List of Figures xxiii
1 Introduction: From quantum mechanics to mystery of consciousness 1
1.1 Questions to be answered 2
1.2 Two spheres of knowledge 3
1.3 Super-intuition: Where do right solutions come from? 5
1.3.1 Super-intuition in life and in science 5
1.3.2 Parallel alternatives (parallel worlds): what does this mean 7
1.3.3 Consciousness and quantum mechanics 8
1.4 Principle of life is not derived from but is added to science 11
1.5 Graphic presentation of the relation between the two spheres 13
1.6 Toward theory of consciousness 15
1.6.1 Mystical features of consciousness are compatible with quantum mechanics 15
1.6.2 Quantum mechanics is incomplete without consciousness 17
1.6.3 Theory of consciousness from quantum mechanics 20
Miracles produced by consciousness (psychic experience) 25
2 Miracles and mysticism in spiritual experience of mankind 27
2.1 Historical background 27
2.1.1 Religion 28
2.1.2 Oriental philosophies 28
2.1.3 Esoterica 29
2.2 Psychic and parapsychology 30
2.2.1 Edgar Cayce 30
2.2.2 Health by the autosuggestion 31
2.2.3 Telepathy, clairvoyance etc 33
2.3 Miracles in science: Scientific insights 34
Parallel worlds and consciousness 37
3 Quantum reality as parallel classical worlds (for physicists) 39
3.1 Introduction 40
3.1.1 Consciousness and quantum mechanics: From Pauli and Jung to contemporary authors 40
3.2 An observer's consciousness and quantum paradoxes 41
3.2.1 Special features of quantum measurements 41
3.2.2 Paradoxicality of quantum mechanics 41
3.2.3 Wigner friend paradox 43
3.3 Reduction and decoherence in a measurement 46
3.3.1 Reduction 46
3.3.2 Entanglement 46
3.3.3 Decoherence 47
3.4 Quantum correlations and quantum reality 48
3.4.1 EPR effect and Bell's inequalities 49
3.4.2 Quantum games 55
3.4.3 Quantum reality from various viewpoints 59
3.5 Measurement problem: stages of investigation 62
3.5.1 Formulation of the problem 62
3.5.2 Enthusiasm and optimism 63
3.5.3 Marginalization 63
3.5.4 Everett's "Many-Worlds" interpretation 64
3.6 "Many-Worlds" interpretation and separation of alternatives 66
3.6.1 Relative states 66
3.6.2 Separation of the alternatives by consciousness 67
3.6.3 Discussion of the Everett's concept 69
3.7 Conclusion: Subjective aspect in quantum mechanics 72
4 Consciousness in parallel worlds 75
4.1 Parallel worlds (classical alternatives) as quantum reality 76
4.2 Consciousness: classical vision of quantum reality 78
4.2.1 Consciousness as separation of classical alternatives 78
4.2.2 Consciousness is common for physics and psychology 79
4.3 At the edge of consciousness 81
4.3.1 EEC: Consciousness is the separation of alternatives 82
4.3.2 Subjective probabilities and probabilistic miracles 87
4.3.3 More precise formulations and examples 92
4.3.4 Relation to religion and oriental philosophies 95
4.4 The need for the new methodology 96
4.4.1 Inclusion of subjective 97
4.4.2 Only subjective is important 99
4.5 Quantum correlations and telepathy in EEC 100
4.6 Conclusion 102
4.6.1 The problem of the century 103
4.6.2 Solution through the Everett's concept 103
4.6.3 Main points of EEC 104
5 Consciousness and life in parallel worlds: Details for physicists 107
5.1 Representation of alternative scenarios by path corridors 107
5.1.1 Continuous measurements and corridors of paths 108
5.1.2 Evolution of a continuously measured system 109
5.2 Why alternatives are classical: prerequisite to the existence of life 110
5.2.1 Classicality of alternatives corresponds to the experience 111
5.2.2 Classicality of the alternatives from EEC 111
5.2.3 Modelling of "quantum concept of life" on quantum computers 113
6 "Three great problems in physics" according to Vitaly Ginzburg 115
6.1 Introduction 116
6.2 'Ginzburg's problems' 117
6.3 Relations among "the three great problems" 120
6.4 Copenhagen interpretation: state reduction 122
6.5 Measurement as an interaction: entanglement and decoherence 124
6.6 Everett's ('many-worlds') interpretation: no reduction 128
6.7 Extended Everett Concept (EEC): definition of consciousness 131
6.7.1 Identity of consciousness and alternative separation 131
6.7.2 Consequences of the identification 132
6.8 Extended Everett Concept (EEC): relations between "three problems" 135
6.9 Conclusion 138
Parallel Scenarios and Sphere of Life 141
7 Evolution of life: goal instead of cause (for physicists) 143
7.1 Introduction 144
7.1.1 Main ideas of Extended Everett's Concept 144
7.1.2 Scenarios favorable for life 145
7.2 Life as the postcorrection in the criterion of survival 147
7.2.1 Notion of postcorrection 147
7.2.2 Simplest example of postcorrection 148
7.2.3 Interpretation in terms of "life sphere" 149
7.2.4 Postcorrection in terms of EEC 150
7.2.5 Other issues to be accounted 151
7.3 Collective strategy of survival 152
7.4 Various criteria for postcorrection 154
7.4.1 Postcorrection providing super-intuition 157
7.5 Conclusion 160
8 Life in terms of alternative scenarios instead of parallel worlds 165
8.1 Alternative worlds and alternative scenarios 165
8.2 Evolution governed by goals 166
8.3 "Principle of life" 167
8.4 Life principle as the generalization of the antropic principle 167
8.4.1 Providence, karma, God 168
8.4.2 The answers of super-consciousness depend on the conscious life criteria 169
Speculations or further development of the concept 171
9 Escaping global crisis and life after death 173
9.1 Global crisis and eluding it (hell and paradise) 173
9.1.1 The global crisis: technical aspect 174
9.1.2 Corrupted consciousness as an origin of the crisis 175
9.1.3 Change of consciousness for preventing the catastrophe 175
9.1.4 Resolution of the crisis: paradise and hell at Earth 176
9.1.5 Life sphere: making the concept more precise 177
9.1.6 The Fall and the tree of knowledge 178
9.2 Soul and life after death of body 178
9.2.1 Soul before and after death of the body 179
9.2.2 Estimate of life criteria and judgment on the spent life 180
9.2.3 Estimate of life criteria - more details 181
9.3 Karma and reincarnations 183
Summing up the results 185
10 Main points of the Quantum Concept of Life (QCL) 187
10.1 Logical scheme of the quantum concept of life 187
10.1.1 Quantum reality 187
10.1.2 Quantum Concept of Consciousness (QCC) 189
10.1.3 Quantum Concept of Life (QCL) 190
10.1.4 Quantum Concept of Life (QCL) in terms of scenarios (sphere of life and the principle of life) 190
10.1.5 The extended scientific methodology must include the subjective 191
10.2 Consequences 191
10.2.1 Super-intuition 191
10.2.2 Miracles 205
10.3 Discussion 211
10.3.1 Consciousness and the laws of natural sciences 211
10.3.2 Quantum computer: model for consciousness (for physicists) 212
11 Conclusion: Science, philosophy and religion meet together in theory of consciousness 215
11.1 Why QCC is necessary, or how to learn to believe? 215
11.2 Science and mystics 218
11.2.1 Why physicists do not believe in the miracles 218
11.2.2 'Soft'embedding of life into the objective world 220
11.2.3 Quantum paradoxes are compensated by mystical features of consciousness 221
11.2.4 Buddhism 223
11.3 Science and religion are compatible 224
11.3.1 Basic aspects of various confessions 225
11.3.2 Science and religion need each other 225
11.4 Philosophical viewpoint 226
11.4.1 Wigner 226
11.4.2 Objective and subjective 228
11.4.3 Material and ideal 230
11.5 From quantum mechanics to consciousness 231
11.5.1 Pauli and Jung 231
11.5.2 Penrose 233
11.5.3 Why Quantum Concept of Consciousness was successful 235
11.6 Second Quantum Revolution 238
Bibliography 241
Index 245
