Physics in Mind: A Quantum View of the Brain

No one can escape a sense of awe when reflecting on the workings of the mind: we see, we hear, we are aware of the world around us. But what is the mind? In "Physics in Mind," eminent biophysicist Werner R. Loewenstein seeks and answer in the mechanisms of physics. Bringing information theory—the idea that all information can be quantified and encoded in bits—to bear on recent advances in the neurosciences, Loewenstein reveals inside the brain a web of immense computational power capable of rendering a coherent representation of the world outside. He posits that quantum mechanics could be fundamental to our mind's ability to almost instantaneously process staggering amounts of information. Wide-ranging and brimming with insight, "Physics in Mind" will revolutionize our understanding of how the mind works.

“Physics World "This book is a fantastic journey for any reader, but especially for a physicist. In Loewenstein's account, life is a delicate dance between the bits of information and quantized chunks of energy that drive all biological processes. Accordingly, he takes us on an intellectual rollercoaster ride.... Loewenstein is an engaging writer, one who spices his prose with elaborate wordplay, assonance, internal rhymes, puns, metaphors and quotations. All those verbal high jinks go to good use, put into the noble service of communicating hard stuff in a comprehensible fashion.... This is a ripping good read. Each chapter brings novel insights into the fundamental workings of life. Those who buy their ticket and take the ride will emerge breathless, but enlightened." Metapsychology Online Reviews " Physics in Mind makes a bold...argument. It offers a unification of physics and biology on a higher, more sophisticated level than one usually finds. It even offers a plausible glimpse of that storied grail: brain as quantum computer.... [A] significant contribution to outlining the bigger picture."”

Jane Smiley, "Harper's" "[An] absorbing account.... [Loewenstein's] book is vital and wide-ranging, exploring everything from the structure of time to the phenomenon of gut feelings, the color of white and the reach of our senses, and why we've adapted to notice the anomaly rather than the norm."

"Booklist", starred review "Defying the usual disciplinary boundaries, Loewenstein deploys a Darwinian physics (replacing the daunting mathematics with clear bioneurological narrative, laced with sprightly humor) to explain how the cosmic volley of information arrows loosed by the Big Bang set the course for evolution."

Seth Lloyd, Professor of Quantum-Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and author of "Programming the Universe" "Werner Loewenstein's "Physics in Mind" is a passionate exploration of how biological systems process information. Starting from how molecules transform information and energy at the most microscopic level, where quantum mechanics plays a central role, Loewenstein provides clear and elegant explanations of the mechanisms of sight and smell, of senses and neural signals, culminating with the phenomenon of consciousness itself. Erudite, witty, and highly accessible, "Physics in Mind" proves once and for all that the unquantized life is not worth living."

Jared Diamond, Professor of Geography, UCLA, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Guns, Germs, and Steel" "The more we think about it, the more challenging it becomes to answer the apparently simple question: how do we think? Here, eminent scientist Werner Loewenstein has assembled recent insights from biology and physics to give us his richly textured new view of this great challenge."

Werner R. Loewenstein was professor of physiology and biophysics at Columbia University and director of its Cell Physics labouratory. Author of The Touchstone of Life, he lives in Woods Hole, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

No one can escape a sense of awe when reflecting on the workings of the mind: we see, we hear, we feel, we are aware of the world around us. But what is the mind? What do we mean when we say we are aware" of something? What is this peculiar state in our heads, at once utterly familiar and bewilderingly mysterious, that we call awareness or consciousness?In Physics in Mind , eminent biophysicist Werner R. Loewenstein argues that to answer these questions, we must first understand the physical mechanisms that underlie the workings of the mind. And so begins an exhilarating journey along the sensory data stream of the brain, which shows how our most complex organ processes the vast amounts of information coming in through our senses to create a coherent, meaningful picture of the world. Bringing information theory to bear on recent advances in the neurosciences, Loewenstein reveals a web of immense computational power inside the brain. He introduces the revolutionary idea that quantum mechanics could be fundamental to how our minds almost instantaneously deal with staggering amounts of information, as in the case of the information streaming through our eyes. Combining cutting-edge research in neuroscience and physics, Loewenstein presents an ambitious hypothesis about the parallel processing of sensory information that is the heart, hub, and pivot of the cognitive brain. Wide-ranging and brimming with insight, Physics in Mind breaks new ground in our understanding of how the mind works.

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