The Arrow of Time and the Action of the Mind at the Molecular level

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Scientific Paper
Title The Arrow of Time and the Action of the Mind at the Molecular level
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Author(s) Jean E Burns
Keywords Quantum fluctuations, New event, Time
Published 2006
Journal None
No. of pages 6

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Abstract

In D. P. Sheehan (ed.), Frontiers of Time (Melville, NY: AIP Conference Proceedings), pp. 75-88. A new event is defined as an intervention in the time reversible dynamical trajectories of particles in a system. New events are then assumed to be quantum fluctuations in the spatial and momentum coordinates, and mental action is assumed to work by ordering such fluctuations. It is shown that when the cumulative values of such fluctuations in a mean free path of a molecule are magnified by molecular interaction at the end of that path, the momentum of a molecule can be changed from its original direction to any other direction. In this way mental action can produce effects through the ordering of thermal motions. Examples are given which show that the ordering of 104-105 molecules is sufficient to (a) produce detectible PK results and (b) open sufficient ion channels in the brain to initiate a physical action. The relationship of the above model to the arrow of time is discussed.