Building Blocks for the Development of a Self-Consistent Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness

Abstract

The goal of this work is to compile the basic components for the construction of an electromagnetic field theory of consciousness that meets the standards of a fundamental theory. An essential cornerstone of the conceptual framework is the vacuum state of quantum electrodynamics which, contrary to the classical notion of the vacuum, can be viewed as a vibrant ocean of energy, termed zero-point field (ZPF). Being the fundamental substrate mediating the electromagnetic force, the ubiquitous ZPF constitutes the ultimate bedrock of all electromagnetic phenomena. In particular, resonant interaction with the ZPF is critical for understanding rapidly forming, long-range coherent activity patterns that are characteristic of brain dynamics. Assuming that the entire phenomenal color palette is rooted in the vibrational spectrum of the ZPF and that each normal mode of the ZPF is associated with an elementary shade of consciousness, it stands to reason that conscious states are caused by the coupling of the brain to a particular set of normal modes selectively filtered from the full frequency spectrum of the ZPF. From this perspective, the brain is postulated to function as a resonant oscillator that couples to a specific range of ZPF modes, using these modes as a keyboard for the composition of an enormous variety of phenomenal states. Theoretical considerations suggest that the brain-ZPF interface is controlled by altering the concentrations of neurotransmitters, placing the detailed study of the neurotransmitter-ZPF interaction at the center of future research activities.

Keywords: coherent states; consciousness; electromagnetic field theory; neurotransmitters; phase transitions; quantum electrodynamics; resonance; zero-point field.

FIGURE 1

Toward a self-consistent EM field theory of consciousness. (A) The zero-point field (ZPF) is assumed to be a foundational dual-aspect component of the cosmos, the extrinsic manifestation of which is physical in nature and the intrinsic manifestation of which is phenomenological in nature. (B) It is postulated that conscious systems employ a universal mechanism through which they tap into the phenomenal color palette predetermined by the ZPF. According to this mechanism, conscious states are caused by resonant system-ZPF interaction, as a result of which the system falls into an attractor and the relevant ZPF modes involved in the interaction combine into an attractor-specific set of highly correlated field modes.

FIGURE 2

The neurophysiological mechanisms underlying conscious processes. It is postulated that the phase transitions underlying the formation of coherent activity patterns (attractors) are triggered by modulating the concentrations of neurotransmitters. When the concentration of neurotransmitter molecules lies above a critical threshold and selected ZPF modes are in resonance with the characteristic transition frequencies between molecular energy levels, receptor activations ensue that drive the emergence of neuronal avalanches. The set of selected ZPF modes that is involved in the formation and stabilization of an attractor determines the phenomenal properties of the conscious state.