WCW and the notion of intentional free will

The preparation of an article about number theoretic aspects of TGD forced to go through various related ideas and led to a considerable integration of the ideas. In this note ideas related directly to consciousness and cognition are discussed.

1. Adelic approach strongly suggests the reduction of NMP to number theoretic physics somewhat like second law reduces to probability theory. The dimension of extension rationals characterizing the hierarchy level of physics and defined an observable measured in state function reductions is positive and can only increase in statistical sense. Therefore the maximal value of entanglement negentropy increases as new entangling number theoretic degrees of freedom emerge. h_eff/h=n identifiable as factor of Galois group of extension characterizes the number of these degrees of freedom for given space-time surfaces as number of its sheets.
   
   
2. State function reduction is hitherto assumed to correspond always to a measurement of density matrix which can be seen as a reaction of subsystem to its environment. This makes perfect sense at space-time level. Higher level measurements occur however at the level of WCW and correspond to a localization to some sector of WCW determining for instance the quantization axes of various quantum numbers. Even the measurement of h_eff/h=n would measure the dimension of Galois group and force a localization to an extension with Galois group with this dimension. These measurements cannot correspond to measurements of density matrix since different WCW sectors cannot entangle by WCW locality. This finding will be discuss in the following.
   
   

The notion of self can be seen as a generalization of the poorly defined definition of the notion of observer in quantum physics. In the following I take the role of skeptic trying to be as critical as possible.

The original definition of self was as a subsystem able to remain unentangled under state function reductions associated with subsequent quantum jumps. The density matrix was assumed to define the universal observable. Note that a density matrix, which is power series of a product of matrices representing commuting observables has in the generic case eigenstates, which are simultaneous eigenstates of all observables. Second aspect of self was assumed to be the integration of subsequent quantum jumps to coherent whole giving rise to the experienced flow of time.

The precise identification of self allowing to understand both of these aspects turned out to be difficult problem. I became aware the solution of the problem in terms of ZEO (ZEO) only rather recently (2014).

1. Self corresponds to a sequence of quantum jumps integrating to single unit as in the original proposal, but these quantum jumps correspond to state function reductions to a fixed boundary of causal diamond CD leaving the corresponding parts of zero energy states invariant - "small" state function reductions. The parts of zero energy states at second boundary of CD change and even the position of the tip of the opposite boundary changes: one actually has wave function over positions of second boundary (CD sizes roughly) and this wave function changes. In positive energy ontology these repeated state function reductions would have no effect on the state (Zeno effect) but in TGD framework there occurs a change for the second boundary and gives rise to the experienced flow of time and its arrow and self: self is generalized Zeno effect.
   
   
2. The first quantum jump to the opposite boundary corresponds to the act of "free will" or birth of re-incarnated self. Hence the act of "free will" changes the arrow of psychological time at some level of hierarchy of CDs. The first reduction to the opposite boundary of CD means "death" of self and "re-incarnation" of time-reversed self at opposite boundary at which the the temporal distance between the tips of CD increases in opposite direction. The sequence of selves and time reversed selves is analogous to a cosmic expansion for CD. The repeated birth and death of mental images could correspond to this sequence at the level of sub-selves.
   
   
3. This allows to understand the relationship between subjective and geometric time and how the arrow of and flow of clock time (psychological time) emerge. The average distance between the tips of CD increases on the average as along as state function functions occur repeatedly at the fixed boundary: situation is analogous to that in diffusion. The localization of contents of conscious experience to boundary of CD gives rise to the illusion that universe is 3-dimensional. The possibility of memories made possibly by hierarchy of CDs demonstrates that this is not the case. Self is simply the sequence of state function reductions at same boundary of CD remaining fixed and the lifetime of self is the total growth of the average temporal distance between the tips of CD.
   
   

One can identify several rather abstract state function reductions selecting a sector of WCW.

1. There are quantum measurements inducing localization in the moduli space of CDs with passive boundary and states at it fixed. In particular, a localization in the moduli characterizing the Lorentz transform of the upper tip of CD would be measured. The measured moduli characterize also the analog of symplectic form in M⁴ strongly suggested by twistor lift of TGD - that is the rest system (time axis) and spin quantization axes. Of course, also other kinds of reductions are possible.
   
   
2. Also a localization to an extension of rationals defining the adeles should occur. Could the value of n=h_eff/h be observable? The value of n for given space-time surface at the active boundary of CD could be identified as the order of the smallest Galois group containing all Galois groups assignable to 3-surfaces at the boundary. The superposition of space-time surface would not be eigenstate of n at active boundary unless localization occurs. It is not obvious whether this is consistent with a fixe value of n at passive boundary.
   

   The measured value of n could be larger or smaller than the value of n at the passive boundary of CD but in statistical sense n would increase by the analogy with diffusion on half line defined by non-negative integers. The distance from the origin unavoidably increases in statistical sense. This would imply evolution as increase of maximal value of negentropy and generation of quantum coherence in increasingly longer scales.
   
   

3. A further abstract choice corresponds to the the replacement of the roles of active and passive boundary of CD changing the arrow of clock time and correspond to a death of self and re-incarnation as time-reversed self.
   
   

Can one assume that these measurements reduce to measurements of a density matrix of either entangled system as assumed in the earlier formulation of NMP, or should one allow both options. This question actually applies to all quantum measurements and leads to a fundamental philosophical questions unavoidable in all consciousness theories.

1. Do all measurements involve entanglement between the moduli or extensions of two CDs reduced in the measurement of the density matrix? Non-diagonal entanglement would allow final states states, which are not eigenstates of moduli or of n: this looks strange. This could also lead to an infinite regress since it seems that one must assume endless hierarchy of entangled CDs so that the reduction sequence would proceed from top to bottom. It looks natural to regard single CD as a sub-Universe.
   

   For instance, if a selection of quantization axis of color hypercharge and isospin (localization in the twistor space of CP₂) is involved, one would have an outcome corresponding to a quantum superposition of measurements with different color quantization axis!
   

   Going philosophical, one can also argue, that the measurement of density matrix is only a reaction to environment and does not allow intentional free will.
   
   

2. Can one assume that a mere localization in the moduli space or for the extension of rationals (producing an eigenstate of n) takes place for a fixed CD - a kind of self measurement possible for even unentangled system? If there is entanglement in these degrees of freedom between two systems (say CDs), it would be reduced in these self measurements but the outcome would not be an eigenstate of density matrix. An interpretation as a realization of intention would be approriate.
   
   
3. If one allows both options, the interpretation would be that state function reduction as a measurement of density matrix is only a reaction to environment and self-measurement represents a realization of intention.
   
   
4. Self measurements would occur at higher level say as a selection of quantization axis, localization in the moduli space of CD, or selection of extension of rationals. A possible general rule is that measurements at space-time level are reactions as measurements of density matrix whereas a selection of a sector of WCW would be an intentional action. This because formally the quantum states at the level of WCW are as modes of classical WCW spinor field single particle states. Entanglement between different sectors of WCW is not possible.
   
   
5. If the selections of sectors of WCW at active boundary of CD commute with observables, whose eigenstates appear at passive boundary (briefly passive observables) meaning that time reversal commutes with them - they can occur repeatedly during the reduction sequence and self as a generalized Zeno effect makes sense.
   

   If the selections of WCW sectors at active boundary do not commute with passive observables then volition as a choice of sector of WCW must change the arrow of time. Libet's findings show that conscious choice induces neural activity for a fraction of second before the conscious choice. This would imply the correspondences "big" measurement changing the arrow of time - self-measurement at the level of WCW - intentional action and "small" measurement - measurement at space-time level - reaction.
   

   Self as a generalized Zeno effect makes sense only if there are active commuting with passive observables. If the passive observables form a maximal set, the new active observables commuting with them must emerge. The increase of the size of extension of rationals might generate them by expanding the state space so that self would survive only as long at it evolves. Self would die and re-incarnate when it could not generate any new observables communicating with those assignable to active boundary to be measured. From personal experience I can say that ageing is basically the loss of the ability to make new choices. When all possible choices are made, all observables are measured or self-measured, it is time to start again.
   

   Otherwise there would be only single unitary time evolution followed by a reduction to opposite boundary. This makes sense only if the sequence of "big" reductions for sub-selves can give rise to the time flow experienced by self: the birth and death of mental images would give rise to flow of time of self.
   
   

The overall conclusion is that the notion of WCW is necessary to understand intentional free will. One must distinguish between measurements at WCW level as localizations, which do not involved measurement of density matrix and measurements space-time level reducible to measurements of density matrix (taking the density matrix to be function of product of commuting observables one can measure all these observables simultaneously by measuring density matrix. WCW localizations correspond to intentional actions - say decision fixing quantization axis for spin and space-time reductions correspond to state function reductions at the level of matter. By reading Krishnamurti I learned that eastern philosophies make a sharp distinction between behavior as mere reactivity and behavior as intentional actions which are not reactions. Furthermore, death and reincarnation happen when self has made all choices.

For details see the chapter Negentropy Maximization Principle or the article Re-examination of the basic notions of TGD inspired theory of consciousness.

For a summary of earlier postings see Latest progress in TGD.

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