Table Of ContentB. Alan Wallace
HIDDEN
THE COLUMBIA SERIES IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION
The Columbia Series in Science and Religion is sponsored by
DIMENSIONS
the Center for the Study of Science and Religion (CSSR) at
Columbia University. It is a forum for the examination of issues
that lie at the boundary of these two complementary ways of
comprehending the world and our place in it. By examining
the intersections between one or more of the sciences and one
or more religions, the CSSR hopes to stimulate dialogue and
encourage understanding.
THE UNIFICATION
Robert Pollack
The Faith of Biology and the Biology of Faith
OF PHYSICS
B. Alan Wallace, ed.
Buddhism and Science: Breaking New Ground AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Lisa Sideris
Environmental Ethics, Ecological Theory, and Natural Selection:
Suffering and Responsibility
Wayne Proudfoot, ed.
William James and a Science of Religions: Reexperiencing The Varieties
of Religious Experience
Mortimer Ostow
Spirit, Mind, and Brain: A Psychoanalytic Examination of Spirituality
and Religion
Columbia
B. Alan Wallace
University
Contemplative Science: Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge
Philip Clayton and Jim Schaal, editors Press n
Practicing Science, Living Faith: Interviews with Twelve Scientists New York
B. Alan Wallace
HIDDEN
THE COLUMBIA SERIES IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION
The Columbia Series in Science and Religion is sponsored by
DIMENSIONS
the Center for the Study of Science and Religion (CSSR) at
Columbia University. It is a forum for the examination of issues
that lie at the boundary of these two complementary ways of
comprehending the world and our place in it. By examining
the intersections between one or more of the sciences and one
or more religions, the CSSR hopes to stimulate dialogue and
encourage understanding.
THE UNIFICATION
Robert Pollack
The Faith of Biology and the Biology of Faith
OF PHYSICS
B. Alan Wallace, ed.
Buddhism and Science: Breaking New Ground AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Lisa Sideris
Environmental Ethics, Ecological Theory, and Natural Selection:
Suffering and Responsibility
Wayne Proudfoot, ed.
William James and a Science of Religions: Reexperiencing The Varieties
of Religious Experience
Mortimer Ostow
Spirit, Mind, and Brain: A Psychoanalytic Examination of Spirituality
and Religion
Columbia
B. Alan Wallace
University
Contemplative Science: Where Buddhism and Neuroscience Converge
Philip Clayton and Jim Schaal, editors Press n
Practicing Science, Living Faith: Interviews with Twelve Scientists New York
CONTENTS
44‘
"Ipt-tol
Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex Preface and Acknowledgments vii
Copyright © 2007 Columbia University Press
All rights reserved I The Unnatural History of Science (cid:9) 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wallace, B. Alan. 2 The Many Worlds of Naturalism (cid:9) 16
Hidden dimensions : the unification of physics and consciousness /
B. Alan Wallace. 3 Toward a Natural Theory of Human Consciousness (cid:9) 27
p. cm. — (The Columbia series in science and religion)
Includes bibliographical references and index. 4 Observing the Space of the Mind (cid:9) 36
ISBN-13: 978.0-231-4150-5 (cloth : ak paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-231-51220.6 (electronic) 5 A Special Theory of Ontological Relativity (cid:9) 5o
1. Consciousness. 2. Quantum theory. 3. Physics—Philosophy. 4.
Psychophysics. 5. Buddhism. I. Title. 6 High-Energy Experiments in Consciousness (cid:9) 58
BF3n.W26668 2007
126-dc22 7 A General Theory of Ontological Relativity (cid:9) 7o
2006036326
e 8 Experiments in Quantum Consciousness (cid:9) 85
Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and 9 Perfect Symmetry (cid:9) 1o8
durable acid-free paper.
This book is printed on paper with recycled content. Notes 123
Designed by Lisa Hamm
Bibliography 139
Printed in the United States of America
c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4, 3 2 Index 149
VICTORIA
UNIVERSITY OF INFLLINGTON
CONTENTS
44‘
"Ipt-tol
Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex Preface and Acknowledgments vii
Copyright © 2007 Columbia University Press
All rights reserved I The Unnatural History of Science (cid:9) 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wallace, B. Alan. 2 The Many Worlds of Naturalism (cid:9) 16
Hidden dimensions : the unification of physics and consciousness /
B. Alan Wallace. 3 Toward a Natural Theory of Human Consciousness (cid:9) 27
p. cm. — (The Columbia series in science and religion)
Includes bibliographical references and index. 4 Observing the Space of the Mind (cid:9) 36
ISBN-13: 978.0-231-4150-5 (cloth : ak paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-231-51220.6 (electronic) 5 A Special Theory of Ontological Relativity (cid:9) 5o
1. Consciousness. 2. Quantum theory. 3. Physics—Philosophy. 4.
Psychophysics. 5. Buddhism. I. Title. 6 High-Energy Experiments in Consciousness (cid:9) 58
BF3n.W26668 2007
126-dc22 7 A General Theory of Ontological Relativity (cid:9) 7o
2006036326
e 8 Experiments in Quantum Consciousness (cid:9) 85
Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and 9 Perfect Symmetry (cid:9) 1o8
durable acid-free paper.
This book is printed on paper with recycled content. Notes 123
Designed by Lisa Hamm
Bibliography 139
Printed in the United States of America
c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4, 3 2 Index 149
VICTORIA
UNIVERSITY OF INFLLINGTON
PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
past 4.00 years, the physical sciences have undergone two great
OVER THE
revolutions, the first beginning with Copernicus and the second beginning
at the turn of the twentieth century with the development of the theories
of quantum mechanics and relativity. Since the mid-nineteenth century,
the life sciences have been radically transformed by one great revolution,
initiated by Charles Darwin. In contrast to those two fields of objective sci-
ence, the mind sciences, which first appeared in the late nineteenth cen-
tury, have yet to produce a single great revolution. One could say that the
Copernican revolution took roughly 15c) years to come to completion in the
laws of classical physics formulated by Isaac Newton, and the Darwinian
revolution took about the same time to come to fruition in the Human Ge-
nome Project at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
The second revolution in physics, however, has not been completed, for
no one has successfully unified the great insights of quantum physics and
the general theory of relativity. Fundamental problems remain. One of the
central unsolved mysteries is the measurement problem, which has to do
with the nature and significance of making a measurement of a quantum
system. Before such a measurement, or observation, occurs, a quantum
system is described in terms of abstract wave functions, or probability
waves. Particles, such as electrons and photons, have no definite location
and in fact do not even exist as discrete entities unless and until they are
measured—they exist only as mathematical abstractions. Yet somehow
these nebulous entities are measured with instruments of technology, with
which they causally interact. Then these intangible quantum phenomena
PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
past 4.00 years, the physical sciences have undergone two great
OVER THE
revolutions, the first beginning with Copernicus and the second beginning
at the turn of the twentieth century with the development of the theories
of quantum mechanics and relativity. Since the mid-nineteenth century,
the life sciences have been radically transformed by one great revolution,
initiated by Charles Darwin. In contrast to those two fields of objective sci-
ence, the mind sciences, which first appeared in the late nineteenth cen-
tury, have yet to produce a single great revolution. One could say that the
Copernican revolution took roughly 15c) years to come to completion in the
laws of classical physics formulated by Isaac Newton, and the Darwinian
revolution took about the same time to come to fruition in the Human Ge-
nome Project at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
The second revolution in physics, however, has not been completed, for
no one has successfully unified the great insights of quantum physics and
the general theory of relativity. Fundamental problems remain. One of the
central unsolved mysteries is the measurement problem, which has to do
with the nature and significance of making a measurement of a quantum
system. Before such a measurement, or observation, occurs, a quantum
system is described in terms of abstract wave functions, or probability
waves. Particles, such as electrons and photons, have no definite location
and in fact do not even exist as discrete entities unless and until they are
measured—they exist only as mathematical abstractions. Yet somehow
these nebulous entities are measured with instruments of technology, with
which they causally interact. Then these intangible quantum phenomena
turn into the objectively real, elementary building blocks of the physical tal events, let alone allows specific neural processes to take on this dual
universe. No one yet knows how this transition from mathematical ab- identity. This is the so-called hard problem, and it has been unresolved
straction to concrete reality takes place, but in some way the observer—the since scientists first began studying the mind. Mental phenomena remain
person who designs and conducts experiments—plays a key role in bring- as much an enigma to cognitive scientists as the observer is to modern
ing the quantum world to life. physicists.
Things get even stranger when quantum mechanics, a theory of the A central hypothesis of this book is that the measurement problem in
subatomic realm, is applied to cosmology. According to the equations of quantum mechanics, the time problem in quantum cosmology, and the
the new field of quantum cosmology, without reference to an observer, the hard problem in brain science are all profoundly related. If this is true, it
universe as a whole is frozen into immobility. Physicists try to solve this implies that a solution to any one of them requires a solution to the other
so-called time problem by dividing the world into two domains: a subjec- two. Chapter i sets forth the proposition that the mind sciences have failed
tive observer with his dock and other measuring devices and the rest of to mature to the point of a revolution because they have failed to adopt
the objective universe. But it turns out that the quantum mechanical wave a fundamental strategy that has been key to the success of physics and
function of the rest of the universe depends on the designated time of the biology. While physicists and biologists have devised highly sophisticated
observer. And the notion of an observer necessarily implies the presence means of directly observing physical processes and living organisms, cog-
of consciousness, without which no observation ever takes place. nitive scientists have failed to develop rigorous ways of directly observing
So quantum mechanics implies that consciousness may play a crucial mental phenomena. This exclusion, or at least marginalization, of subjec-
role in the formation and evolution of the universe as we know it. But most tively experienced mental events from objective observation has resulted
researchers in psychology and brain science regard consciousness as noth- in a "blind spot" in the scientific view of reality.
ing more than an emergent property of the brain, with no significance for Scientists' insistence that consciousness and all other mental phenom-
the universe at large. The fundamental assumptions about the nature of ena must be physical is rooted in a naturalistic metaphysical framework,
the mind according to modern science are largely rooted in the mecha- which maintains that only physical processes exert causal influences in
nistic worldview of classical physics that dominated the late nineteenth nature. In chapter 2, various interpretations of naturalism are examined,
century. And even today, students of the cognitive sciences are generally leading to the startling condusion that no one really seems to know what
not required to study twentieth-century physics. The widespread, virtually is meant by "physical"! While neuroscientists commonly regard this as an
unchallenged assumption in the discipline is that neither quantum me- unproblematic issue, the more deeply physicists probe the nature of mass-
chanics nor relativity theory is relevant to the macroscopic, slow-moving energy and space-time, the more elusive the concept of matter becomes.
phenomena in the brain that are relevant to the mind. Particularly in quantum physics, the objective, physical status of the ma-
Many scientific studies indicate that mental phenomena—such as terial world independent of any system of measurement appears highly
subjectively experienced desires, thoughts, emotions, and memories— suspect.
influence brain function and behavior. In response to this empirical evi- Chapter 3 develops a more natural theory of human consciousness
dence, a growing number of cognitive scientists conclude that mental based not on the outdated assumptions of classical physics but in response
phenomena are real, but they insist that in order to causally interact with to some of the keenest insights of contemporary physicists, including
the brain, the mind must be physical. However, subjectively experienced Freeman Dyson, John Wheeler, Paul C.W. Davies, Andrei Linde, and Mi-
mental phenomena lack any physical characteristics and cannot be detect- chael B. Mensky. A central premise of this theory is that quantum phys-
ed with any of the physical instruments of technology, even though many ics, despite mainstream assumptions to the contrary, has great relevance
specific brain functions have been identified that causally contribute to to understanding mind-brain interactions and the role of the mind in the
the generation of mental processes. Some scientists and philosophers of universe.
mind envision brain functions as having a dual identity, as both objective While astronomers have developed and refined the telescope to explore
physical processes and subjective mental events. But they offer no explana- the depths of space and biologists have used microscopes to probe the na-
tion of what about the brain enables it to generate or even influence men- ture of cells and genes, sophisticated means of exploring the space of the
VIII (cid:9) PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (cid:9) IX
turn into the objectively real, elementary building blocks of the physical tal events, let alone allows specific neural processes to take on this dual
universe. No one yet knows how this transition from mathematical ab- identity. This is the so-called hard problem, and it has been unresolved
straction to concrete reality takes place, but in some way the observer—the since scientists first began studying the mind. Mental phenomena remain
person who designs and conducts experiments—plays a key role in bring- as much an enigma to cognitive scientists as the observer is to modern
ing the quantum world to life. physicists.
Things get even stranger when quantum mechanics, a theory of the A central hypothesis of this book is that the measurement problem in
subatomic realm, is applied to cosmology. According to the equations of quantum mechanics, the time problem in quantum cosmology, and the
the new field of quantum cosmology, without reference to an observer, the hard problem in brain science are all profoundly related. If this is true, it
universe as a whole is frozen into immobility. Physicists try to solve this implies that a solution to any one of them requires a solution to the other
so-called time problem by dividing the world into two domains: a subjec- two. Chapter i sets forth the proposition that the mind sciences have failed
tive observer with his dock and other measuring devices and the rest of to mature to the point of a revolution because they have failed to adopt
the objective universe. But it turns out that the quantum mechanical wave a fundamental strategy that has been key to the success of physics and
function of the rest of the universe depends on the designated time of the biology. While physicists and biologists have devised highly sophisticated
observer. And the notion of an observer necessarily implies the presence means of directly observing physical processes and living organisms, cog-
of consciousness, without which no observation ever takes place. nitive scientists have failed to develop rigorous ways of directly observing
So quantum mechanics implies that consciousness may play a crucial mental phenomena. This exclusion, or at least marginalization, of subjec-
role in the formation and evolution of the universe as we know it. But most tively experienced mental events from objective observation has resulted
researchers in psychology and brain science regard consciousness as noth- in a "blind spot" in the scientific view of reality.
ing more than an emergent property of the brain, with no significance for Scientists' insistence that consciousness and all other mental phenom-
the universe at large. The fundamental assumptions about the nature of ena must be physical is rooted in a naturalistic metaphysical framework,
the mind according to modern science are largely rooted in the mecha- which maintains that only physical processes exert causal influences in
nistic worldview of classical physics that dominated the late nineteenth nature. In chapter 2, various interpretations of naturalism are examined,
century. And even today, students of the cognitive sciences are generally leading to the startling condusion that no one really seems to know what
not required to study twentieth-century physics. The widespread, virtually is meant by "physical"! While neuroscientists commonly regard this as an
unchallenged assumption in the discipline is that neither quantum me- unproblematic issue, the more deeply physicists probe the nature of mass-
chanics nor relativity theory is relevant to the macroscopic, slow-moving energy and space-time, the more elusive the concept of matter becomes.
phenomena in the brain that are relevant to the mind. Particularly in quantum physics, the objective, physical status of the ma-
Many scientific studies indicate that mental phenomena—such as terial world independent of any system of measurement appears highly
subjectively experienced desires, thoughts, emotions, and memories— suspect.
influence brain function and behavior. In response to this empirical evi- Chapter 3 develops a more natural theory of human consciousness
dence, a growing number of cognitive scientists conclude that mental based not on the outdated assumptions of classical physics but in response
phenomena are real, but they insist that in order to causally interact with to some of the keenest insights of contemporary physicists, including
the brain, the mind must be physical. However, subjectively experienced Freeman Dyson, John Wheeler, Paul C.W. Davies, Andrei Linde, and Mi-
mental phenomena lack any physical characteristics and cannot be detect- chael B. Mensky. A central premise of this theory is that quantum phys-
ed with any of the physical instruments of technology, even though many ics, despite mainstream assumptions to the contrary, has great relevance
specific brain functions have been identified that causally contribute to to understanding mind-brain interactions and the role of the mind in the
the generation of mental processes. Some scientists and philosophers of universe.
mind envision brain functions as having a dual identity, as both objective While astronomers have developed and refined the telescope to explore
physical processes and subjective mental events. But they offer no explana- the depths of space and biologists have used microscopes to probe the na-
tion of what about the brain enables it to generate or even influence men- ture of cells and genes, sophisticated means of exploring the space of the
VIII (cid:9) PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (cid:9) IX
