研究意识问题的物理学途径

Physical approaches to the study of consciousness

文章介绍了物理学理论和技术在研究意识问题中的应用进展。首先列出意识活动的一些主要特性,其次介绍新的仪器技术在确定意识的脑功能定位上的研究成果。最后介绍物理学的理论(特别是量子理论)在解释意识的机制上的作用,介绍信息理论在意识复杂性计算方面的应用。

Various physical approaches, both theoretical and technological, to the study of consciousness are reviewed briefly. The main characteristics for describing consciousness are first summarized, then recent research results using new physical methods for locating the areas of conscious activity in the brain are presented. Finally, certain theoretical hypotheses from physics, especially quantum theory, for exploring the mechanism of consciousness in the brain are described. The use of information theory to compute the complexity of consciousness is also discussed.