[Paper Review] Life as the Explanation of the Measurement Problem

Szymon Łukaszyk|arXiv (Cornell University)|May 13, 2018

Space Science and Extraterrestrial LifePhysics and Astronomy92 references19 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes that life—specifically biological cells as dissipative structures—resolves the quantum measurement problem via a holographic, triangulated 'sphere of perception' that processes quantum information. By linking the holographic principle, emergent gravity, and black hole thermodynamics, it shows that only living systems can collapse quantum superpositions, deriving bounds on active Planck triangles and excluding Turing machines and black holes as observers.

ABSTRACT

This study argues that a biological cell, a dissipative structure, is the smallest agent capable of processing quantum information through its holographic triangulated $ extit{sphere of perception}$, where this mechanism has been extended by natural evolution to endo and exosemiosis in multicellular organisms and further to the language of $ extit{Homo sapiens}$. Thus, life explains the measurement problem of quantum theory within the framework of the holographic principle, emergent gravity, and emergent dimensionality. Each Planck triangle on a black hole surface was shown to correspond to a qubit in an equal superposition, attaining known bounds on the products of its energy and orthogonalization interval. Black holes generate entropy variation shells through the solid-angle correspondence. The entropic work introduced the bounds on the number of active Planck triangles dependent on the information capacity of the black hole generator and with at most one active triangle below the unit of black hole entropy. The velocity and dissipativity bounds and the bounds on the theoretical probabilities for active, energy-carrying Planck triangles were derived. In particular, this study shows that black holes, Turing machines, and viruses cannot assume the role of an observer. The entropy variation shells and black-body objects may hint at solutions to ball lightning and sonoluminescence unexplained physical spherical phenomena.

Motivation & Objective

• To resolve the quantum measurement problem by identifying life as the mechanism that collapses quantum superpositions.
• To establish a physical basis for observation in quantum mechanics using the holographic principle and emergent gravity.
• To demonstrate that only living systems—specifically cells and evolved organisms—can act as observers due to their dissipative, information-processing nature.
• To derive quantitative bounds on Planck-scale quantum processes linked to black hole entropy and information capacity.
• To exclude non-living entities such as black holes, Turing machines, and viruses from serving as observers in quantum measurement.

Proposed method

• Modeling the observer as a biological cell's 'sphere of perception' using a holographic, triangulated structure at the Planck scale.
• Applying the holographic principle to associate each Planck triangle on a black hole horizon with a qubit in equal superposition.
• Using the equipartition theorem and uncertainty principle to derive bounds on energy and orthogonalization time for active Planck triangles.
• Introducing 'entropy variation shells' via solid-angle correspondence to describe information flow and measurement-induced collapse.
• Extending the framework to multicellular organisms through endo- and exosemiosis, culminating in human language as a high-level information-processing system.
• Applying the ugly duckling theorem and mathematical physics to formalize observer selection and information capacity constraints.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can the measurement problem in quantum mechanics be resolved without invoking a classical observer?
• RQ2 What physical mechanism enables a system to collapse a quantum superposition, and why are only certain systems capable of this?
• RQ3 Can the holographic principle and emergent gravity explain the origin of quantum measurement within a unified framework?
• RQ4 Why are black holes and Turing machines unable to act as observers despite their information-processing capabilities?
• RQ5 What is the role of biological life in the emergence of classical reality from quantum superpositions?

Key findings

• The biological cell's holographic 'sphere of perception' acts as the minimal observer capable of processing quantum information through dissipative, triangulated Planck-scale structures.
• Each Planck triangle on a black hole surface corresponds to a qubit in equal superposition, with energy and orthogonalization time bounded by the uncertainty principle and equipartition theorem.
• Entropy variation shells emerge from solid-angle correspondence, enabling a dynamic description of information flow and measurement processes.
• Only one active Planck triangle can exist below the unit of black hole entropy, setting a fundamental limit on information processing at the quantum-gravitational interface.
• Turing machines and black holes are excluded as observers due to their inability to sustain the necessary dissipative, non-computable information processing required for measurement.
• The framework provides theoretical bounds on the probability of active, energy-carrying Planck triangles, linking them to observable phenomena like ball lightning and sonoluminescence.