意识的微管引力说:彭罗斯关于意识的物理学解读

The Theory about Microtubule and Gravity of Consciousness:Penrose’s Understanding of Consciousness in Physics

不同于神经科学家们所坚持的意识计算主义方法,当代著名的量子物理学家罗杰·彭罗斯却坚持从量子力学的方法来处理意识问题。彭罗斯不认同哥本哈根学派对于量子测量问的坍缩解释,提出测量过程中的客观还原论解释,重新定义了意识和波函数坍缩的关系。不仅如此,在深刻分析人脑神经元微管结构的基础上,彭罗斯还指出,微管中存在着产生量子客观还原或波函数坍缩的生物条件。为此,他将客观还原论引入微管结构中,与斯图亚特·哈梅洛夫一起提出了其解释意识的OrchOR模型,在意识研究领域产生了深远的影响。然而,由于彭罗斯并没有构建一个完全物理学意义上的意识理论,他的OrchOR模型在意识产生的因果解释上显得比较模糊,特别是难以得到相关实验的证实。因而,彭罗斯关于意识的物理学解读还存在许多不足,有待进一步探讨。

Different from the neuroscientists’computation method of consciousness,Roger Penrose,the famous quantum physicist nowadays,insists that the understanding of consciousness should take the method of quantum mechanics.Since he didn’t agree with the collapse of wave function theory about quantum measurement problem of Copenhagen group,Penrose put forward the Objective Reduction theory about quantum measurement problem,thus redefined the relationship between consciousness and wave function.Meanwhile,based on analyzing the microtubules structures in human brain,Penrose claimed there should be proper biological conditions for objective reduction or collapse of wave function produced in microtubules.Therefore,he induced the OR theory into microtubules and put forward the Orch OR model with Stuart Hameroff,which aroused great impacts in the field of consciousness.Meanwhile,it seems that Penrose didn’t create a total physical theory of consciousness,and the interpretation of cause and effects in his Orch OR model was not clear.What’s more,none of the evidence has been found in experiments currently to support Orch OR model.Therefore,there are still many shortcomings in Penrose’s understanding about consciousness in the physical point of view,which needs to be discussed further more.