Is the Brain Really Operating in a Quantum Way?

  • Medical
  • Thread starter TheWiseGecko
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Brain
In summary, the brain operates in a quantum way, but for many purposes, including decision making, it functions as a classical system. Different areas of the brain are specialized for different tasks, but they still communicate and integrate information. While your teacher may have simplified things for an introductory course, it is not fair to dismiss her as stupid without seeking further clarification and understanding.
  • #1
TheWiseGecko
1
0
I heard in psychology class today that the brain supposedly doesn't operate in a quantum way. Not sure what my teacher meant about that, but my class is stupid and so is she. The textbook and my teacher even claim that parts of the brain are highly specialized into areas for different tasks with little or no help from other parts. They claim mental tasks are highly isolated. The more you read research on the brain the more you realize this is not the case.

Anyways, in this issue of Discover Magazine http://discovermagazine.com/2009/mar/26-unlocking-brain-secrets-and-powers/article_view?b_start:int=1&-C=

It basically says that your brain calculates all possible actions and outcomes then inhibits all of them with inhibitory neurons except for the chosen action. So basically the brain functions as a wave, then with certainty the wave function collapses with the help of the inhibitory neurons.

Isn't this how quantum mechanics supposedly works? You know, the part about wave function, certainty, etc.? There are even studies trying to find quantum tunneling or entanglement in the brain, and glial cells are even involved in a complex process in which packets of individual atoms of calcium burst during mental processes.

What do you guys think on this matter?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
  • #2
TheWiseGecko said:
I heard in psychology class today that the brain supposedly doesn't operate in a quantum way. Not sure what my teacher meant about that, but my class is stupid and so is she. The textbook and my teacher even claim that parts of the brain are highly specialized into areas for different tasks with little or no help from other parts. They claim mental tasks are highly isolated. The more you read research on the brain the more you realize this is not the case.

Anyways, in this issue of Discover Magazine http://discovermagazine.com/2009/mar/26-unlocking-brain-secrets-and-powers/article_view?b_start:int=1&-C=

It basically says that your brain calculates all possible actions and outcomes then inhibits all of them with inhibitory neurons except for the chosen action. So basically the brain functions as a wave, then with certainty the wave function collapses with the help of the inhibitory neurons.

Isn't this how quantum mechanics supposedly works? You know, the part about wave function, certainty, etc.? There are even studies trying to find quantum tunneling or entanglement in the brain, and glial cells are even involved in a complex process in which packets of individual atoms of calcium burst during mental processes.

What do you guys think on this matter?

The brain of course operates in a quantum way, just like a chair or table. But for many purposes, like planning the seating arrangement at dinner, we can use "chair" and "table" as if they were classical objects, so we say that chairs and tables are "not quantum mechanical" for dinner seating plans. In the same way, how the brain makes descisions is "not quantum mechanical" if we are able to devise a classical theory that predicts the process to a useful degree of accuracy.

Let's say you want to fly from San Francisco to New York, and via a route with the shortest flight time and fewest stops consistent with a price less than $500. You can write a program that looks up all the possible routes on Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets etc and chooses the best option. Although the semiconductors in the computer are quantum mechanical, we don't describe a Dell desktop as a quantum computer, since it implements classical logical operations, not quantum mechanical ones - a Dell desktop cannot carry out Grover's or Shor's algorithms. Thus with respect to decision making, your brain is just as classical as a Dell desktop.
 
Last edited:
  • #3
atyy already answered the main part of your question. I'll just add that you shouldn't assume your teacher is stupid. There are functional areas of the brain. While there is communication among them, and integration of information from them, damaging anyone of them is sufficient to produce a notable dysfunction, which may be what your teacher is talking about. She may also be keeping things simple for an introductory course, knowing that advanced courses will fill in the details if you pursue the subject further. We all lie to our students a bit in intro courses, because you can't always explain the details in either the time allotted to the class nor with the limited background of the majority of students. If you're curious about more detail, ask to meet with her outside of classtime before dismissing her competency in the subject.
 

1. How does the brain operate quantumly?

The brain operates quantumly through a process called quantum cognition, which involves the use of quantum principles such as superposition and entanglement to explain how the brain processes information and makes decisions.

2. What are the implications of the brain operating quantumly?

The implications of the brain operating quantumly are still being studied and debated. Some scientists believe that quantum cognition can provide a better understanding of consciousness and how we perceive reality. Others argue that the brain operates classically and quantum principles have no significant impact.

3. Is there evidence to support the idea of the brain operating quantumly?

There is some evidence to support the idea of the brain operating quantumly. Studies have shown that certain biological processes, such as photosynthesis in plants, involve quantum effects. However, the evidence for quantum cognition in the brain is still inconclusive and requires more research.

4. Can quantum computing help us understand how the brain operates?

Quantum computing has the potential to help us understand how the brain operates by simulating complex quantum processes that are difficult to study in traditional computers. However, it is still a developing technology and its application to studying the brain is limited.

5. How does the concept of quantum cognition differ from traditional theories of the brain?

Quantum cognition differs from traditional theories of the brain in that it suggests that the brain operates using quantum principles, rather than classical ones. This challenges the widely accepted idea that the brain functions solely on the basis of classical physics and raises questions about the nature of consciousness and decision-making.

Similar threads

Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Biology and Medical
Replies
22
Views
5K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
Replies
13
Views
515
Replies
31
Views
7K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
2
Views
920
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
3
Replies
76
Views
5K
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
604
Replies
7
Views
3K
Back
Top