In episode 8 of the Quantum Consciousness series, Justin Riddle asks the question: will we see a revival of mind-body dualism in the coming age of quantum computers interacting with digital computers? To explore this topic, Rene Descartes process of methodological doubt is explained. First, we must doubt the physical world a merely a dream. Second, we must doubt our sense of logic and rationality as manipulated by an Evil Deceiver that is able to override the Platonic world. Then, we are left with our mental experience, which cannot be doubted. These philosophical concepts may find parallels in the realization that the universe is fundamentally an interaction between particle-like and wave-like states. By extension, computer technology is moving towards a cyclic process of digital computation followed by quantum computations. The holistic nature of a wavefunction contrasted by the localized nature of digital-physical states is reminiscent of the framework proposed in mind-body dualism.
