Transcript Physics From Consciousness Don Hoffman Thanks to Bruce Bennett, Jon Merzel, Chetan Prakash, Phat Vu.

Physics From Consciousness
Don Hoffman
Thanks to Bruce Bennett, Jon Merzel, Chetan Prakash, Phat
Vu
Plan
•
Consciousness fundamental
•
Conscious observer, agent
•
Fundamental postulates
•
Dynamics of agents: 1D, 2D, 3D
•
Agents -> Physics: Symmetries
•
Relativistic spin half particles
•
Discrete space-time
Science
Top Open Questions
•
What is the universe made of?
•
What is the biological basis of consciousness?
McGinn
Mind
We know that brains are the de facto causal
basis of consciousness, but we have, it seems,
no understanding whatever of how this can be
so.
Postulate 1
Ontological Postulate
All that exists is consciousness and its
contents.
Mind-Body Problem
•
Physicalist: Describe precisely how
consciousness arises from, or is identical to,
certain types of physical systems.
•
Conscious Realist: Describe precisely how
conscious agents construct physical objects and
their properties.
Shape From Motion
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•Input:
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2D motions of dots
•Output:
3D cylinder in rigid motion
•Ullman:
3 views of 4 points
Ullman’s SFM Theorem
Given 3 orthographic views of 4 non-coplanar points
•
The views almost surely have
no rigid 3D interpretations.
•
If the views have any rigid
interpretations, then they
almost surely have precisely
2.
Ullman’s SFM Observer
Conscious Observer
X, Y measurable
spaces
E, S events
p measurable map
q markovian kernel
Observer Thesis
Every synchronic perceptual capacity,
regardless of modality, can be described
as an instance of a conscious observer.
Fundamental Conscious Act:
Create new conscious
experiences.
NEW
GIVEN
Fundamental Conscious Act
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Postulate 2
Experience Postulate
Conscious observers create new experiences.
Conscious Observers
&
Macroscopic Physical Objects
•
Objects
•
Color
•
Motion
•
Shape
Multimodal User Interface
MUI
The conscious perceptual experiences of an
agent are a multimodal user interface between
that agent and an objective world.
Pinker
How the Mind Works
We are organisms, not angels, and our minds
are organs, not pipelines to the truth. Our minds
evolved by natural selection to solve problems
that were life-and-death matters to our
ancestors, not to commune with correctness.
Postulate 3
Action Postulate
Conscious agents act by moving on a state
space of conscious observers.
Postulate 4
Physics Postulate
Physics represents stabilities of
the dynamics of conscious agents.
Dynamics In One Dimension
•Approach:
•Depart:
Stable: Invariant measure
Unstable: No invariant measure
Dynamics In One Dimension
Dynamics In One Dimension
Dynamics In One Dimension
Transition Probability
Look Probability
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Nearer Agent --> Higher probability
•
Agent Distances --> No-Look
probability
Dynamics In Two Dimensions
Dynamics In Two Dimensions
Dynamics In Two Dimensions
Dynamics In Two Dimensions
Agent Dynamics In 2D
Dynamics In Two Dimensions
Dynamics In Two Dimensions
Agent Dynamics in 3D
Agent Dynamics in 3D
Agent Dynamics in 3D
Particle Accelerator Experiment
Eight Agents in 3D
Agent Dynamics in 4D
Postulate 5
Unity Postulate
Conscious agents in stable dynamics create a
new unified consciousness.
Agent Dynamics in 3D
Spin Transformation: SL(2,C)
Spin Action on Agents
Stereographic Projection
To Argand Plane
Celestial Sphere
Lorentz Invariance
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Jonathan Doolin
Spin To Minkowski
Spin To Minkowski
Spin Theorem 1
Every spin transformation corresponds to a unique
restricted Lorentz transformation; conversely every
restricted Lorentz transformation corresponds to two
spin transformations, one being the negative of the
other.
Spin Theorem 2
Every unitary spin transformation corresponds to a
unique proper rotation of S+; conversely every proper
rotation of S+ corresponds to two unitary spin
transformations, one being the negative of the other.
Unitary Spin in Euler Angles
Lorentz Boost
w = relativistic doppler factor
r = log w is the rapidity
v = tanh r is the velocity factor
Internal Spin
No Effect on Minkowski
Lee Smolin
Three Roads To Quantum Gravity
The apparent smoothness of space and time
are illusions; behind them is a world composed
of discrete events, which can be counted. (p.62)
Brian Greene
The Fabric of the Cosmos
... space, like electrons, comes in discrete,
indivisible chunks. (p.491)
... the very fabric of space and time is
composed of more fundamental spaceless and
timeless entities. (p.493)
Physics From Consciousness
Don Hoffman
Thanks to Bruce Bennett, Jon Merzel, Chetan Prakash, Phat
Vu