[Consciousness][Sensorimotor][Penrose][Choe] Consciousness and microtubules

Aug 5, 2024

At my recent talk at NORDTEK, I was asked about quantum effects and consciousness, an obvious reference to Hameroff and Penrose’s ideas about quantum effects in the neuron’s microtubules. My answer was that since simple animals(?) like paramecium may be minimally conscious, but since they do not have microtubules, the quantum theory of consciousness may be wrong.

However, my answer turned out to be wrong, at least partly, since all cells contain microtubules, as an integral part of their cytoskeleton. Another really interesting thing I learned is that

1. cilia and flagella of single cellular organisms are primarily made of microtubules, and

2. they can not only generation motion, but also sense (gravity, odor, etc.).

In my view, sensorimotor interaction is key to consciousness, and due to such properties of microtubules, it seems that they could serve as the minimal building block of consciousness, at least in these simple organisms.

So, Hameroff and Penrose may be right in that the microtubules play a key role in consciousness, but not in the way they invisioned. It may be more about the integrated sensorimotor property of certain types of microtubules that contribute to consciousness, not the quantum effects.

Here’s an interesting paper by Contzen Pereira on the evolution of the cytoskeleton and consciousness. The review focuses more on the cytoskeleton in general, but it does mention cilia and flagella, and paramecium.

https://philpapers.org/rec/PERCAC-10

And, here’s a microscopic video I took of some paramecia:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Wvbq3XDi9vJiNcBj9

← Back to all articles         Quick Navigation:    Next:[ j ] – Prev:[ k ] – List:[ l ]