Justin Riddle Podcast

In episode 12 of the quantum consciousness series, Justin Riddle explores what it means to create a theory of everything. Theories in physics explain natural phenomena; and yet, the two most predominant theories, general relativity and quantum mechanics, are fundamentally incompatible at the moment. How do we gravitize quantum mechanics or quantize gravity in order to bridge this apparent divide? Next, we discuss how humans are able to prove mathematical statements using simple visualization techniques that appear to exceed the capacity of digital computers. Roger Penrose calls this ability to ascertain mathematical truth “noncomputation.” Geometry plays a fundamental role as math prodigies use visualization techniques to solve complex numeric problems and physicists dream up novel geometric shapes, like the amplituhedron, to solve physics equations with increased elegance and simplicity. Roger Penrose speculates that our ability to access geometric forms is possible through resonance with a Platonic world of forms that is universally accessible. All of this begs the question, is geometry some magical catch-all to explain reality? Can love be described geometrically? There appears to be something missing in the geometric description… but what is it?

In episode 11 of the Quantum Consciousness series, Justin Riddle pitches a novel model of quantum computers as undergoing Bayesian learning to generate a model of how the world works and to guide future behavior. To get started, we talk about the act of observation in the double-slit experiment. When you look at which slit the photon traveled through then the wave function was destroyed and the photon behaved like a particle. The act of observing the wave function collapsed it! But what is observation? Is this merely the extraction of information? Roger Penrose would suggest that the atoms that compose the measuring device interacted with the photon and that interaction collapsed the wave function. It doesn't matter if "you," the experimenter, saw the result of the observation. The example of Schrodinger's cat further emphasizes the confusion that arises when we treat superpositions as knowledge and not as reality. What then is knowledge? How do we infer the future? One solution comes from Bayesianism, which provides an update rule for how we can test our theories on how the world works by collecting data and updating our theories based on this data. Artificial Intelligence has made great use of this simple update rule to create a predictive model of future events and to make an action plan for what to do next. Interestingly, Quantum Bayesianism proposes that the probability distributions of wave functions can be modeled using Bayesian principles. At the end of the video, we speculate that the cycling between digital computation and quantum computation might implement some form of Bayesian learning whereby digital information is acquired and then an internal model of the world is updated in the quantum computation phase. With each collapse of the wave function, the quantum computer could learn from the environment and then plan its future actions.

In episode 10 of the Quantum Consciousness series, Justin Riddle explains that mathematics does not have a firm foundation in first order logic. While it seems intuitive that mathematics should be able to be described by simple principles, there is no simple way to explain how humans can comprehend mathematics. What happens when we try to use first order logic to explain how first order logic works? Well, we run into paradox: situations that are impossible to resolve and do not make any sense. For example, take the liar’s paradox, “this sentence is false.” There is no way to make sense of this sentence, because it leads to paradox. The content of the sentence is not supposed to refer to the truth value of the statement itself. Similarly, you cannot use first order logic to refer to the truth value of first order logic itself. Sets cannot describe sets (Bertrand Russell’s set paradox). And most dramatically, digital computers cannot even describe digital computers (Alan Turing’s halting problem). All of this leads Roger Penrose to conclude that “humans are not using a knowably sound algorithm to ascertain mathematical truth.” While we can understand things and learn mathematics, it’s really not clear how this is possible and something more than digital computers are required! Quantum mechanics offers a novel lens to this problem as the first order logic that appears in particles also has a supervening wavefunction that does not appear to follow the rules of first order logic. I don’t have the answer for you, but I sure have a lot of questions for you to consider!

In episode 9 of the Quantum Consciousness series, Justin Riddle discusses metaphysical models that rely on three aspects. The topics for today include: how the mind creates a mapping between syntax and semantics, Plato’s allegory of the cave and its relationship to the Matrix film trilogy, and a discussion of ways that the entanglement web and David Bohm’s pilot-wave might serve as a scientific basis for mathematics and universal concepts. To summarize this episode, David Chalmers pitches the model of “naturalistic dualism” that describes a domain of syntax (symbols and data without any meaning) and a domain of semantics (meaning beyond any symbolic representation). Syntax and semantics are independent from each other (Physical and Platonic Worlds) and are only connected via a mapping between the two that passes through the individual person and their culture (Mental World). In communication, a syntax is shared that attempts to relate meaningful concepts and through long-form conversation the mapping between two people can be aligned. Similar to Chalmer’s semantics, Plato believed in a “world of forms” that contained concepts and meaning. The Physical World is merely a shadow projected onto a cave wall and our goal as a philosopher is to seek out truth. The Matrix trilogy presents the allegory of the cave as the protagonist breaks free from a dream world projected into his mind through his biological perception. In each of these theories, it is relatively simpler to think about how the physical world might be implemented in physics, but the Platonic world of forms and meaning is much more difficult. Does quantum physics provide a novel solution? Quantum entanglement is the shared superposition of two systems that defies classical notions of space and time. David Bohm’s theory of hidden variables suggests that even after the collapse of the wave function, entanglement might leave an impression such that each system is unique and a hidden web of connections between systems exists under the surface. This “implicate order” permeates the background of the universe and could serve as a foundation for building an access bridge to universal concepts. Bohm speculated that at the scale of the entire universe a single “pilot-wave” is guiding all quantum computers within the universe towards the future and systematically determining the output of every single wave function collapse.

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.

In episode 7 of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle introduces the fundamental mysteries surrounding metaphysics. What is reality? Do you exist? Are concepts real independently of humans or are they creatively constructed? The topics for discussion are behavioralism, functionalism, and the emergence of "physicality" from a universe of wave-functions.

In episode 6 of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle explores the nature of quantum computers and compares their function to digital computers. How does quantum computation vastly outperform digital computation? Why is digital computation still required? Can quantum computers run exponentially large search algorithms in polynomial time? Will we have to merge our conscious minds with our technology to keep up with it?

In episode 5 of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle answers the question, what is a digital computer? An understanding of how digital computers work is essential to discussing consciousness. Fundamental to the digital computer is the creation of solid states within a universe teeming with quantum fluctuations. Topics for today: Alan Turing's model of a computer, David Marr's three levels of analysis of information processing, the creation and maintenance of solid-states, how digital computation highlights the measurement principle of quantum mechanics, logic gates within central processing units, de-mystifying computer software, and the limitations of automation.

In episode 4 of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle discusses prevalent interpretations or "theories" of quantum mechanics. First is the many worlds hypothesis that claims we live in a multiverse. The problem is there is no point of making choices when all possible realities occur. There is no collapse of the wave function and superpositions are different universes. Alternatively, when systems interacts with each other they might collapse the wave function by virtue of their interaction. But Einstein question: would the moon cease to exist if we did not look at it? There may need to be an explanation for superposition without any external influence; furthermore, this is quite a chaotic process and the universe is full of order. Third, the self-collapse of the wave function was proposed by Roger Penrose to arise once a superposition evolves into sufficient complexity. This form of collapse may be especially poised to produce an increase in order. Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff suggest this form of collapse is the substrate of proto-consciousness and might be selected for and 'orchestrated' in biological systems. Finally, the spaceless/timeless domain of entanglement has been suggested to serve a "holomovement" of the universe by David Bohm and Henry Stapp to serve as a collective feedback loop. Carl Jung and Wolfgang Pauli speculated that if entanglement relationships found their way into the physical world they might be perceived as synchronicity. We sure go off the deep end with this one!

In the third episode of Quantum Consciousness, Justin Riddle discusses three principles of quantum mechanics and how they relate to the three-world model. First, the measurement principle describes how a wave-function is reduced into a discrete physical state. Second, the superposition principles reveals that a system enters into a probability distribution of multiple states between measurements. Finally, the entanglement principle suggests that when quantum systems that share a mixed superposition are separated in space, their wave-functions are inextricably connected. To illustrate these principles in action, the double-slit experiment is presented, superfluids & superconductors are explored, and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox is discussed.