2002/06/11 by Richard A. Mould, Richard A Mould, Mould, Richard A · 1 citation
Medicine · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Biofield Effects and Biophysics #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.quant-ph/0206064
21 pages, 1 figure, v2. - v5., reword rules, stylistic changes
openalex publication_date 2002/06/11 · arxiv created 2003/07/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We examine the role of a conscious observer in a typical quantum mechanical measurement. Four rules are given that govern stochastic choice and state reduction in several cases of continuous and intermittent observation. It is found that consciousness always accompanies a state reduction leading to observation, but its presence is not sufficient to 'cause' a reduction. The distinction is clarified and codified by the rules that are given below. This is the first of several papers that lead to an experimental test of the rules, and of the "parallel principle" that is described elsewhere. Key words: Brain states, boundary conditions, consciousness, conscious observer, environment, decoherence, macroscopic superposition, measurement, state reduction, state collapse, von Neumann.