Shadows of the Mind (Shadow series Book 1)

'Shadows of the Mind'

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I know a good deal of physics for an amateur and required a couple of other scientists to understand everything which was being said.

Penrose basically assumes his readers are familiar with not only quantum physics, his previous work, computation, but also problems of free will. Personally, I'm inclined to believe Orch-Or theory is the source of human consciousness. In effect, "imagination" is the real multiverse since alternate realities last only as long as they're thought of. The biggest flaw of this book, though, is a lot of the collaborating evidence for its truth came out through studies conducted after it was written.

Many people still dispute this theory but no one has been able to put up a better one, IMHO. Nov 17, Jimmy Ele rated it really liked it Shelves: What can I say about a book which challenged my mathematical understanding and revealed the unseen aspects of my own brain's cytoskeletal structures? Was it the knowledge that there is a type of water in these structures which is considered a necessary element for cancelling the interference that would null the necessary conditions for quantum coherence to take effect?

Shadows of the Mind: D.W. Neuman: www.farmersmarketmusic.com: Books

Or was it the mathematical proof showing that because there are mathematical statements of which we know to be absolutely true y What can I say about a book which challenged my mathematical understanding and revealed the unseen aspects of my own brain's cytoskeletal structures? Or was it the mathematical proof showing that because there are mathematical statements of which we know to be absolutely true yet cannot prove, then it follows for us to conclude that a computer could never achieve consciousness at least with the mathematical understanding available?

Trust me, Roger Penrose does it in a supremely much more elegant fashion than I could ever do it justice with in a GoodReads summary. So why 4 stars? Well, I'm not an expert at Lambda Calculus or many of the subjects that Roger Penrose expertly weaves in and out of, so it became supremely hard to follow at times. However, I broke through this barrier and was able to glean from it the nuggets that I could understand.

I recommend anyone interested in these subjects to do the same. May 29, Rian Nejar rated it it was ok. The author's stand, that we need new physics to understand the science of consciousness , and that this new physics he believes required is quantum physics, seems more his personal intuition read delusion if you like!

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Applying models of sub-atomic phenomena to comprehend biological or life processes separated by very many orders of magnitude is an unscientific stretch too far. Quantum uncertainty of sub-atomic particles or fields does not map, by any evidence The author's stand, that we need new physics to understand the science of consciousness , and that this new physics he believes required is quantum physics, seems more his personal intuition read delusion if you like!

Quantum uncertainty of sub-atomic particles or fields does not map, by any evidence or intuition, to decision uncertainty in organic neural networks. Likewise, wave-particle duality in sub-atomic entities can hardly be called equivalent to concepts relating to the mind and the brain. Sep 22, Yubal Masalker rated it really liked it. This book is great feat of human logic. It gives in a logical analysis why the human brain can't be a mere computational machine like computers.

The author, Sir Roger Penrose, who is an acclaimed mathematical physicist, asserts on the basis of Godel's incompleteness theorems, that our brain's perception is beyond the constraints dictated by these theorems which are true for the mathematics and the algorithms operating in computers. We wouldn't be able to grasp the mathematical concepts and to This book is great feat of human logic.

We wouldn't be able to grasp the mathematical concepts and to formalize new concepts if our brains and consciousness would be confined by those theorems' constraints. The author asserts that our brains operate by rules which require consideration of new Physics, particularly the Quantum Physics, in order to explain the rise of consciousness out of the brain. Then he gives other practical examples from brain cells' basic structures to show how brains might use the mysterious principles of Quantum Physics to function and to having the abilities which surpass immensely the most advanced digital AI and that any digital AI wouldn't ever possess them in principle.

The drawback of this book is that it contains extensive mathematical-philosophy discussions centered around Godel's incompleteness theorems, using many symbols in those discussions. The author himself advises most of the readers to omit such sections. But even besides it, IMO, the author's language is not always so friendly for the average reader in his explanations and conclusions about those discussions above.

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Oct 25, Tom Prosser rated it it was ok. Penrose ultimately concludes that consciousness cannot be algorithmic, that brains are not Turing machines, and must be on a quantum level. Aug 04, Balkha rated it liked it Shelves: Since I run in the opposite direction when it comes to mathematics, this was a challenging read. I skipped over entire sections in the book.

Despite this, there is some insight to be gained. The author is a physicist after all so the language is not always simplified but his ideas to a large extent come through. I probably didn't appreciate his arguments or the math he presents as well as someone with a stronger science background would but the book still makes a lot of interesting points to thi Since I run in the opposite direction when it comes to mathematics, this was a challenging read.

I probably didn't appreciate his arguments or the math he presents as well as someone with a stronger science background would but the book still makes a lot of interesting points to think about. It was a difficult and slow read but I don't regret picking it up. Dec 07, Jason Hoskins rated it it was amazing.

This book was extremely dense, but well worth it for those that have an interest in physics, artificial intelligence, or the philosophy or science of the human mind. The logic behind this assertion is both subtle, complex and foundational to all of Penrose's theories on non-computational physics and the mind, which is why he spends nearly half of the book on this matter.

It's also why I am not going to try to convince you of the argument's validity in this dinky little review. This first half of the book was definitely the hardest to get through, and most people would people would probably be better served to jump to a few key discussions in this first half of the book Penrose makes suggestions along the way on which parts are the most important for people to get the gist. The second half of the book brings people up to speed on classical general relativity and quantum physics, and the issues that keep the two branches separate.

I feel that Penrose was much better at explaining the crazy nuances of quantum physics than Hawking was in "A Brief History of Time" or "Universe in a Nutshell". I also can appreciate now why classical and quantum physics are so hard to unify. Penrose proposes that this putative non-computational quantum physics that he hold as necessary for explaining conciousness must be found in the theory that will ultimate unify physics.

He makes a couple somewhat vague suggestions for what this physics might look like, which seem plausible, but ultimately need some experimental validation to be taken super seriously. He then goes on to describe where in the context of the human brain these sorts of quantum interactions might be occuring that allows our minds to work non-computaionally spoiler alert: Overall, I found his ideas fascinating, and I hope that the experimental evidence shows him to be right, at least on the foundational premises of his theories.

Of coures this book was written over 15 years ago, so maybe the primary literature has more to say on the matter at this point. I'll have to check it out.

Shadows of the Mind: A Search for the Missing Science of Consciousness

In the meantime, I suggest you check this book out. Aug 14, A De Grandis rated it it was amazing. I had this on my 'must read' list when it was first published then due to events those things that get in the way o all our plans it slipped below the surface of conscious mind and I forgot about it. Hearing Penrose at Hay in resurfaced it only for it again nearly to succumb to the plate tectonics of my brain and slip under the continent of my consciousness due to another set of events I began to think there might be a quantum superpostion followed by a collapse of possibilites each time I had this on my 'must read' list when it was first published then due to events those things that get in the way o all our plans it slipped below the surface of conscious mind and I forgot about it.

Hearing Penrose at Hay in resurfaced it only for it again nearly to succumb to the plate tectonics of my brain and slip under the continent of my consciousness due to another set of events I began to think there might be a quantum superpostion followed by a collapse of possibilites each time I encountered Professor Penrose since both times relocation to a different part of Britain followed shortly after Anyway this time I bought the book knowing that if it was sitting on my shelves it would keep presenting itself to my notice until I read it.

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I have now done so and it was worth every page turn and brain stirring moment! As some one who managed to pass O level maths but was kindly advised not to make the universe or at least my maths teacher suffer by attempting A level I found some of the book quite daunting in prospect but not in actuality. Even non-mathmeticians can follow the arguments he makes and the philosophy is logical and straightforward. Whether you agree or disagree with his premise that in terms of conscious thinking and computation there is something going on in the mind that cannot be explained in terms of current scientific knowledge will be for you to decide.

Although the science of quantum physics has moved on in the last twenty years nothing invalidates the arguments he sets out. He takes the viewpoint that appropriate physical action of the brain evokes awareness, but this physical action cannot even be properly simulated computationally. The book is an exploration of this as contrasted with three other viewpoints that range from 'all thinking is computational and awarenes is evoked by this process' to the opposite which is 'awarenes scannot be explained by physical, computational or any other scientific terms'. Not the easiest of reads but incredibly rewarding and for anyone interested in what makes us human, self aware, conscious entities then I would thoroughly recommend it whether in the end you do or don't agree with his proposition the exploratory journey is worth your time and effort.

May 24, Ben Phillips rated it it was ok. The main argument that this book presents is incredibly weak. I obviously can't do it justice in a short review but the basic line seems to be 1 "Human mathematicians are not using a knowably sound algorithm in order to ascertain mathematical truth.

Penrose establishes The main argument that this book presents is incredibly weak. Penrose establishes 1 using Godel's Incompleteness theorem and I doubt many people would take issue with it it seems intuitively obvious as well. I won't attempt to debunk it here but suffice to say that Penrose stumbles around even the most obvious objections ex: His entire argument is not presented in the 3 steps I listed above specifically, step 2 is broken down into many sub-arguments but I think the 3 steps provide a fair overview.

After the argument above he discusses how quantum mechanics might provide a basis for human consciousness. The ideas he presents are interesting but baseless. The only real redeeming quality of this book is that it presents some interesting proofs regarding turing machines and problems that they can't solve.

Penrose, while more famous, does not do as well at popularizing the heady physics and mathemathics in this area as Barrow and Tipler which see elsewhere in this list. His reasoning is too tortured and formula-heavy for me, whom I consider an advanced popular reader. However, he does reach the deep conclusion that "whatever brain activity is responsible for consciousness. It must depend upon a physics that lies beyond computational simulation p. Penrose points to the possibility of "microtubules" part of the cytoskeleton that exist even in single-cell paramecium--and seem to give that cell some level of understanding!

Mar 21, Ronen rated it really liked it Shelves: Consciousness seems to be one of the deepest and intriguing mysteries on the frontier of science today, and there isn't much more than speculation on the subject. Penrose offers an original and exciting I found it to be: I've recently started an undergrad engineering degree, and a good deal of this book is way over my head.

But I do feel that Penrose has done a good job in conveying the gist of things, and can be sensitive to readers' different backgrounds sometimes suggesting an Consciousness seems to be one of the deepest and intriguing mysteries on the frontier of science today, and there isn't much more than speculation on the subject. But I do feel that Penrose has done a good job in conveying the gist of things, and can be sensitive to readers' different backgrounds sometimes suggesting an uninitiated reader to skim a certain part. I would say that prerequisite knowledge for the book would be prior familiarity with at least concepts of quantum physics ,computation, and Godel's theorem.

That aside, I find the subject fascinating, and could very well identify with the "mysteries" Penrose details in the final chapters. Relating to consciousness as just another soon to be mastered field as treated by the so-called "strong AI" proponents seems presumptuous to me, and I find myself more identifiying with Penrose, who treats the subject with a lot more gravity. I'm no authority, but I would definitely recommend taking in other views though, from the strong AI perspective Kurzweil maybe and Godel, Escher Bach by Hofstadter.

Oct 18, Andreas K. He concludes that mathematical understanding, and consciousness in general, is not computational. One possible candidate for non-computational physics is quantum gravity. This OR is claimed to be non-random and non-computational. Penrose's highly speculative idea is that cytoskeletal microtubules maintain large-scale quantum coherence through portions of brain, and when a critical threshold is reached the OR takes place. Such processes give rise to the non-computational behavior of the brain. Jun 02, Don Rea rated it it was amazing.

The central argument is not as airtight as it should be, being written for a general readership and not for mathematicians, but I'm just in love with the idea of a mathematical proof that the human mind can't be algorithmic. I wonder if Penrose has published a proper version of the proof? The second half of the book, in which he speculates on what kinds of computation or processes might be the underpinnings of the working of the mind is also fascinating though, again, I don't find his arguments n The central argument is not as airtight as it should be, being written for a general readership and not for mathematicians, but I'm just in love with the idea of a mathematical proof that the human mind can't be algorithmic.

The second half of the book, in which he speculates on what kinds of computation or processes might be the underpinnings of the working of the mind is also fascinating though, again, I don't find his arguments necessarily persuasive. For instance, he basically waves away the "many worlds" interpretation of quantum uncertainty because he simply doesn't like it.

He's not quite as good a writer for the non-specialist as Sagan or Feynman, but he's a bona fide genius and his speculations are well worth the trouble to read and understand. This is the first book that I have read that attempts to determine the existence of the mind mathematically scientifically and it is interesting how Penrose, argues for both and against various points, maps out logic mathematically and links quantum mechanics to the working of the brain, thus generating the phenomenon of the 'mind'.

The book is heavy on maths and if you are like me, most of it will just go over the head, despite Penrose's claim that it's just basic maths. Ignoring the maths is This is the first book that I have read that attempts to determine the existence of the mind mathematically scientifically and it is interesting how Penrose, argues for both and against various points, maps out logic mathematically and links quantum mechanics to the working of the brain, thus generating the phenomenon of the 'mind'.

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Ignoring the maths is possible at times, but in certain cases you have to wade through. The only motivation to do so, is to see the light at the end of the figurative tunnel - to know what Penrose's conclusions are. It is a page-turner though I mostly, skipped the maths and for the person with a serious drive to understand consciousness and the mind, this would be one of your text books.

Feb 05, George Hohbach rated it really liked it. The three key insights I took away were: The mathematical, timeless Platonic world contains all of math 2.

The connection between superpositions when, e. How can there be both deterministic processes and processes that appear to be happening randomly? What is the deeper connection so that these opposite processes can occur in one and the same universe? Aquel libro finalizaba con una serie de conjeturas sobre el posible modo en que funciona el pensamiento. Jun 15, Rob Springer rated it liked it. He gives the barest outlines of a new approach to physics he thinks is necessary to bring Mind under the prevue of science. Sep 02, Ronny rated it liked it Shelves: This book's value is in exploring the question of the nature of consciousness and in dismissing the easy answers.

Unfortunately, its ending is very weak as the author poses some kind of biological structure as the reason for consciousness. I found this ultimately unsatisfying, although I wonder if it's just me Mar 10, Unnikrishnan Rajan rated it liked it Shelves: This was my introductory book to Roger Penrose. But the book was very intimidating, even for a computer science graduate. Only consolation was that exploration of the high level concepts of Turing machine was not the only theme of the book. Which pop-science enthusiast would understand both Goedell theorems and their proofs!

So, I can justify myself. Consciousness explained by coherent quantum states within microtubules in the cytoplasm. There, I just saved you a lot of reading time. Still very interesting reading. One example is the binary star, one of which is a pulsar - 20 kilometers across, 1. One of the hardest books I've read in a long time, mayhaps its because of the fact that Penrose used methamatical and academic explanation method rather than simplifying facts and me bieng an illiterate and haven't finished middle school yet had its own turmoil reason why this book was a bit heavy on the reading experience, but rich with information never the less.

Penrose proposes that quantum mechanics are at the heart of human consciousness, and the human reality. It leaves the reader to assume that the brain is nothing more than a bio-chemical-electrical computer that has been tinkered with by evolution. Good establishment how childhood actions affect the rest of adult life. This is something everyone can relate to no matter how mature or old we get.

If you like Dean Koontz novels, then you'll definitely enjoy the heck out of this story! It was a great, fast-paced read with a devilishly interesting storyline and some extremely twisty turns. Thomas is a very sympathetic character but I think I fell in love a little with his two best friends most of all. It was quite interesting to see how this author showed how childhood actions reverberate throughout the rest of your adult life And the relationships that both help and hinder us over the years.

You won't regret reading this book! I am an avid reader and very particular about the books I read. I was hooked after the first few paragraphs! I could not put this book down, and felt like I knew everyone in it like friends and family! One of my favorite parts is the friendship between Thomas and his childhood buddies.

The way they razz each other and laugh together, and always take care of each other. Buy this book and the sequel you'll want it to continue right away - it only gets better, and you won't be sorry you did! One person found this helpful. I loved this book. It has romance, mystery, violence, and many twists and turns. I became very connected with the characters. My heart went out to Tommy and all he had to endure as a child. I really wanted him to find some peace and happiness in his life.

The story kept me on an emotional rollercoaster. This is a book that once you start it you cannot put it down as you just have to know what happens next. As this book ends, you know there are more exciting things just around the corner for Tommy and his family. See all 4 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers.

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