To be fair, quantum magic could have evolved after the human lineage forked off from the root that includes other mammals.

IE, some magic gene duplication shortly after humans and neaderthals split from their common ancestor, then one copy evolved a slightly different structure that allowed neurons to exploit quantum magic.

This seems implausible, nor would I place the root around the human lineage; might as well assume that all animals, or really anything with a neuron, is capable of this.

Otherwise, we'd be able to isolate the factor (a gene that produces a protein).

Yes, this is what is silly.

That is not to say it's impossible that we, uniquely, possess the consciousness gene. Possession by demons is technically possible, too, and equally silly.

It's also silly because if it's a gene, then it's just using conventional chemistry to produce an effect. Plants have genes to make chloroplasts that use quantum effects[0] to efficiently do photosynthesis, but nobody is arguing the mechanism is some sort of special woo-woo science. And you can use the same tricks in a machine[1].

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis#Efficiency

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_photosynthesis

Uh, yeah, when photosynthesis was first shown to exploit quantum it was called special woo-woo science. But it just exploits coherence, which is the one thing that seemed within reach of enzymes.

Dualism, yes, but silly -- maybe not. Yes, it's obvious that brains are made up of their chemistry, but this is not (just) about the human brain or even necessarily any brain. We haven't been able to draw a line for consciousness in the spectrum of complexity of life forms.

Did you even read the article?

I read

  Continue reading

  Subscribe today

  with a 12-week introductory offer