Consciousness and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics

Paavo Pylkkänen; Gustaf Malmberg

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/3017/1/012052

Consciousness and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

The idea that consciousness is somehow needed to collapse the wave function
was emphasized especially by Eugene Wigner in 1961 and has recently been discussed
by e.g. David Chalmers and Kelvin McQueen. We revisit the reasons why the idea was
proposed in the first place and briefly consider Chalmers and McQueen’s discussion.

Original language	English
Article number	012052
Journal	Journal of Physics : Conference Series
Volume	3017
Number of pages	7
ISSN	1742-6588
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/3017/1/012052
Publication status	Published - 2025
MoE publication type	A4 Article in conference proceedings
Event	DICE2024 Eleventh International Workshop: Spacetime - Matter - Quantum Mechanics: “Quo vadis, fisica?” - Castello Pasquini, Castiglioncello, Tuscany, Italy Duration: 16 Sept 2024 → … Conference number: 11 https://osiris.df.unipi.it/∼elze/DICE2024.html

Fields of Science

611 Philosophy
114 Physical sciences

Access to Document

10.1088/1742-6596/3017/1/012052Licence: CC BY

2025_Pylkkanen_Malmberg_Consciousness_and_Measurement_publishedFinal published version, 1.2 MBLicence: CC BY

Quantum Te: Finnish Quantum Flagship
Zimborás, Z. (Project manager), Crognaletti, G. (Participant), Heinonen, V. P. (Participant), Kundu, A. (Participant), Maniscalco, S. (Participant), Meijer, A. (Participant), Nadal Gisbert, S. (Participant), Nelson, P. M. (Participant), Nikkanen, L. J. (Participant) & Pylkkänen, P. (Participant)
Academy of Finland
01/01/2024 → 30/04/2028
Project: Research Council of Finland: Finnish Flagship Programme
Appearance and Reality in Physics
Pylkkänen, P. (Project manager), Styrman, A. (Participant) & Wuokko, S. (Participant)
Tuntematon rahoittaja
01/05/2023 → 31/12/2027
Project: Other funder

Cite this

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title = "Consciousness and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics",

abstract = "The idea that consciousness is somehow needed to collapse the wave function was emphasized especially by Eugene Wigner in 1961 and has recently been discussed by e.g. David Chalmers and Kelvin McQueen. We revisit the reasons why the idea was proposed in the first place and briefly consider Chalmers and McQueen{\textquoteright}s discussion.",

keywords = "611 Philosophy, consciousness, mental causation, 114 Physical sciences, wave function collapse, quantum measurement, quantum state",

author = "Paavo Pylkk{\"a}nen and Gustaf Malmberg",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1088/1742-6596/3017/1/012052",

language = "English",

volume = "3017",

journal = "Journal of Physics : Conference Series",

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AU - Malmberg, Gustaf

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PY - 2025

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N2 - The idea that consciousness is somehow needed to collapse the wave function was emphasized especially by Eugene Wigner in 1961 and has recently been discussed by e.g. David Chalmers and Kelvin McQueen. We revisit the reasons why the idea was proposed in the first place and briefly consider Chalmers and McQueen’s discussion.

AB - The idea that consciousness is somehow needed to collapse the wave function was emphasized especially by Eugene Wigner in 1961 and has recently been discussed by e.g. David Chalmers and Kelvin McQueen. We revisit the reasons why the idea was proposed in the first place and briefly consider Chalmers and McQueen’s discussion.

KW - 611 Philosophy

KW - consciousness

KW - mental causation

KW - 114 Physical sciences

KW - wave function collapse

KW - quantum measurement

KW - quantum state

U2 - 10.1088/1742-6596/3017/1/012052

DO - 10.1088/1742-6596/3017/1/012052

M3 - Conference article

SN - 1742-6588

VL - 3017

JO - Journal of Physics : Conference Series

JF - Journal of Physics : Conference Series

M1 - 012052

T2 - DICE2024 Eleventh International Workshop

Y2 - 16 September 2024

ER -

Consciousness and the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics

Abstract

Fields of Science

Access to Document

Projects

Quantum Te: Finnish Quantum Flagship

Appearance and Reality in Physics

Cite this