Mind Efforts, Quantum Zeno Effect and Environmental Decoherence

Abstract

In this article we present the mathematical formalism of Quantum Zeno Effect (QZE) and explain how the QZE arises from suppression of coherent evolution due to external strong probing action. Then we prove that the model advocated by Henry Stapp, in which mind efforts are able to exert QZE upon brain states, is not robust against environmental decoherence if the mind is supposed not to violate the Born rule and to act only locally at the brain. The only way for Stapp to patch his proposal would require postulation of mind efforts acting globally on the brain and the entangled environment, which would be regression to a theory predicting paranormal Psi effects. Our arguments, taken together with the lack of scientifically valid confirmation of paranormal Psi effects such as telekinesis, imply that Stapp's model does not have the potential to assist neuroscientists in resolving the mind-brain puzzle.

No-go Theorem for Stapp’s Quantum Zeno Model of Mind-Brain Interaction

“…Increasing the time until breakdown seems to be possible only by manipulating the basis in which the environmental decoherence occurs. However, as already discussed in detail in Georgiev (2012a) direct mind manipulation of the environment would imply the existence of paranormal Psi effects. Since I regard paranormal Psi research as 'pseudoscience', I aim at only showing that either Stapp's model violates quantum information theory, or else, it implies paranormal Psi effects.…”

“…In this last section, I will answer to various issues raised by Stapp in his reply (Stapp, 2012) to my previous work (Georgiev, 2012a). Most of these issues are of limited importance, and do not concern the implications of my no-go theorem on the feasibility of Stapp's quantum Zeno model in the presence of environmental decoherence.…”

“…Next, in Section 3, I will expose an error in a recent calculation done by Stapp, who confused quantum oscillations in quantum Zeno effect with classical oscillatory dynamics observed in brain local field potential recordings (Stapp, 2014). At the end, in Section 4 I will reply to Stapp's comments (Stapp, 2012) on my previous work (Georgiev, 2012a).…”

“…I was not able to find a direct statement in von Neumann's textbook that suggests the 'abstract ego' can act with projection operators onto the brain density matrix. Even if Stapp is able to help finding such a passage in von Neumann's work, this would only mean that now both Stapp and von (Georgiev, 2012a;2015) Stapp then argues that both statements can be true. Due to the importance of this topic, I have already dedicated a whole Section 2.1 to discuss why the scheme of local projections needs to be able to reverse the effects of environmental decoherence in order to achieve quantum Zeno effect, and I have provided in Section 2.3 evidence from performed Monte Carlo simulations, showing that quantum Zeno effect does not work in the presence of environmental decoherence contrary to Stapp's claim that it works.…”

“…Environmental decoherence destroys the quantum Zeno effect 2.1. A general no-go theorem for arbitrary dimensional quantum system Previously, I have proven a theorem according to which local projection operators cannot decrease the quantum entropy of a 'coarse-grained' twolevel quantum brain (Georgiev, 2012a). At that time, I thought that Stapp would readily recognize the importance of the two-level theorem because Stapp himself has been using a binary division of the brain Hilbert space into 'Yes' and 'No' subspaces (Schwartz et al, 2005;Stapp 2001;2011).…”