Does Quantum Physics Give Us Consciousness?

I recently read Anil Seth’s Being You. It was an insightful and entertaining read, which I’d recommend for anyone interested in where the current zeitgeist sits on the topic of consciousness science.

While some say we have “made no progress” in understanding consciousness, Seth disagrees. The subtitle of the book is a new science of consciousness. However, my high-level takeaway on our current understanding of consciousness is that many new paths have been identified, but most are still just poking at the surface.

There isn’t really one new science to rule them all, but many promising new ideas that have refined our understanding of the big question.

It all seems very complicated from the outside, but this is where Seth shines and is exactly why he is considered one of the best popularizers of the topic. What Seth brings to the table is an underlying philosophy grounded in physicalism that allows us to make sense, not of a single unified science of consciousness, but of the fractured mess it probably is.

The book covers a lot of ground, including some topics closely related to quantum physics — but quantum physics itself isn’t mentioned beyond noting that it is mysterious… and also something about “quantum soup,” which may only be available in England.