Re:Philosopher Philip Goff answers questions about panpsychism
by simiones on Wednesday January 15, 2020 @04:39AM
(#22052917)
Quantum computers can be perfectly simulated by classical computers (but only inefficiently, as far as we know). So at best, you could claim that computation in the brain may involve quantum effects and therefore it would not be tractable to simulate it on a classical computer. But a quantum computer is still a Turing machine.
Of course, we can not yet rule out the possibility that there exist more powerful models of computation than Turing machines. We just know quantum effects don't lead there.
Also, you run into the problem of time slices. One step in a simulation of my brain is not conscious. There must be some self-reference going on in there that give us this illusion over time that I doubt a pen and paper model could capture.
I'm of the school of thought that a turing machine, let alone pen and paper, might not even be capable of this simulation. For example, it's possible that there are quantum effects going on in biological neurons that touring machines are not equipped to simulate.