Overview

The classical mechanistic idea of nature that prevailed during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was essentially mindless: the physically described aspects of nature were asserted to be completely determined by prior physically described aspects alone, with conscious experiences entering only passively. In the last century these classical concepts were found inadequate. In the new quantum mechanics theory, conscious experiences enter into the dynamics in specified ways not fixed by physically described aspects alone.

Full Product Details

9783540724131

Table of Contents

Reviews

Aus den Rezensionen: ! Stapp gehort zur wachsenden Zahl von Wissenschaftlern, die verstanden haben, dass eine naturwissenschaftliche Behandlung des Zusammenhangs zwischen Korper und Geist unmoglich bleibt, solange man den fundamentalen Bereich jeder Naturbeschreibung, die Quantentheorie, aus den Uberlegungen ausschliesst. Der Autor verweist ! darauf, dass das eigene Bewusstsein unser Handeln beeinflusst. ! Nach zwei einfuhrenden Kapiteln, in denen der Autor sich mit den Fragen des menschlichen Bewusstseins befasst, wendet er sich den Nerven zu und zeigt, dass sich dort ohne Quantentheorie keine Erklarung erreichen lasst ! (Thomas Gornitz, in: Physik Journal, 2008, Vol. 7, Issue 8-9, S. 129)

From the reviews: <p> Stapp's book is a bold and original attack on the problem of consciousness and free will based on the openings provided by the laws of quantum mechanics. This is a serious and interesting attack on a truly fundamental problem. <p>Tony Leggett, Physics Nobel Laureate (2003) <p> In his new book, Stapp insists that the causal closure of the physical, in particular concerning quantum theory, is an untenable myth. He elaborates on ideas of Bohr, von Neumann, Heisenberg and, from a philosophical point of view, James and Whitehead to sketch a complex picture in which the physical and the mental are emphatically conditioned by each other. Stapp's wide-ranging proposal offers stimulating reading, a strong sense of conceptual coherence and intuitive appeal, and empirical predictions that deserve to be refined and tested. <p>Harald Atmanspacher <p>A highly readable book of genuine wisdom by one of the foremost minds for our generation. The paradoxical enigma of consciousness and matter has been tackled by virtually every modern philosopher and many scientists as well. Unfortunately most philosophers have grounded their thinking in century old physics while most scientists fail to understand the nuances of philosophical thought. Here a foremost quantum physicist speaks to us not only from a profound understanding of physics, but with a sophistication about consciousness and philosophy of mind that few short of William James and Alfred North Whitehead have sustained. The result is a radical rethinking of issues as fundamental and vital as free will, ethics, the mind-body problem, and the dimensions of human nature itself. <p>Allan Combs, CIIS <p>Editor of Mind in Time: The Dynamics of Thought, Reality, and Consciousness <p> Stapp has devoted some of the 17 chapters of the book to arguments for the need to use quantum theory in neuroscience, explanations of his theory, and discussions of the consistency of his theory with the ideas of William James and Alfred Whitehead. a ] This book has been written in a style that is clearly meant to make the book widely accessiblea ] . Henry Stappa (TM)s theory is worthy of attention, and this book provides a good introduction to it. (Imants BaruAs, Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 21 (3), 2008) <p> In this book Stapp tackles the a ~mind-body problema (TM) (or rather the a ~mind-mattera (TM) problem). a ] The book is certainly an enjoyable read (I read it in one sitting) a ] . Philosophers of mind should read this book because it frequently discusses elements of the contemporary debate in novel ways, and may trigger some entirely new debates. It will also provide a nice entrA(c)e into quantum theory a ] . Those interested in the philosophical foundations of physics will no doubt find it enjoyable a ] . (Dean Rickles, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2008 g)

Author Information

Author of over three hundred research papers on the mathematical, physical, and philosophical foundations of quantum mechanics, and a Springer book Mind, matter, and quantum mechanics . Worked personally with W. Heisenberg, W. Pauli, and J.A. Wheeler on these issues. Invited author of entries about quantum theories consciousness in several currently about to appear encyclopedias. Invited plenary speaker at numerous international conferences. For book cover: Henry Stapp has spent his entire career working in frontier areas of theoretical physics. After completing his thesis work under Nobel Laureates Emilio Segre and Owen Chamberlain, he joined Wolfgang Pauli to tackle foundational issues. After Pauli's early death, he turned to von Neumann's ideas about the mathematical foundations of quantum theory. The essay 'Mind, Matter and Quantum Mechanics', that developed out of this work eventually evolved into Stapp's classic book bearing the same title. His deep interest in the quantum measurement problem led him to pursue extensive work pertaining to the influence of our conscious thoughts on physical processes occurring in our brains. The understandings achieved in this work have been described in many technical articles and now, in more accessible prose, in the present book.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available