Over The Horizon

Brains and Black Holes

A world renowned theoretical physicist seems an unlikely person to be specialising in the study of the human brain and the nature of consciousness. But an Oxford-based mathematics professor, Roger Penrose, who arrives in New Zealand in late March, believes there may be an essential link.

Best known in the past for early work on black holes with his famous Cambridge colleague Stephen Hawking, and studies of crystal structure and the mathematical tiling patterns that bear his name, Penrose has more recently turned to the links between physics and the operations of the brain and the nature of human consciousness, as reflected in his recent book The Emperor's New Mind.

Penrose is currently crusading against a prevailing philosophy which goes under the tag of "strong" artificial intelligence. This position, favoured by some computer scientists and philosophers, holds that all human mental qualities -- awareness, thoughts, feelings and so on -- arise simply from our brains executing very complicated algorithms ("software"), and has essentially nothing to do with the actual biological "hardware" of the brain.

This position has an interesting corollary: one could, in principle, program these algorithms on a sufficiently powerful computer, and this computer would then be truly "conscious", like we are, when operating.

Penrose, however, is of the opinion that there's more to it than that.

"I believe that conscious minds are not algorithmic entities," he says.

Penrose speculates that the true nature of human (and animal) consciousness may depend on linking the fine structure of the brain to recent and future discoveries at the fringes of modern physics, in particular quantum theory, the branch of physics which deals with subatomic particles and interactions.

"I hold also to the hope that it is through science and mathematics that some profound advances in the understanding of mind must eventually come to light," he says.

His controversial position has some support from neurologist Sir John C. Eccles, who recently also attempted to link quantum theory with brain functioning.

Penrose arrives in Christchurch on March 27, and will spend two weeks in the South Island followed by a further three in the North, giving talks at each university.

He will be the fourth Forder Lecturer, a biennial appointment for a prominent British mathematician to visit New Zealand, funded by the London Mathematical Society under a bequest from Henry Forder.

Mike Steel, Massey University