Federico Faggin on Consciousness

Federico Faggin, a notable physicist, inventor, entrepreneur, and engineer, is best known for creating the first microprocessor at Intel in 1971. He also played a pivotal role in developing the MOS Silicon Gate Technology at Fairchild in 1968. In addition to founding tech companies like Zilog and Synaptics, Faggin established the Federico and Elvia Faggin Foundation in 2011 to explore consciousness.

Faggin proposes that consciousness and free will are foundational to all phenomena, ranging from quantum information to classical physics. His theory emphasizes three key points:

1. Conscious experience is the source of original thoughts and creativity.
2. It resolves a prevalent issue in other theories of consciousness.
3. Traditional computers lack the capacity for consciousness.

The Non-Computational View of Consciousness

In a thought-provoking conversation with Lex Fridman, esteemed physicist Sir Roger Penrose discusses his prominent theory regarding consciousness — asserting it is fundamentally non-computational. Sir Penrose has consistently challenged the notion that consciousness arises solely from computational processes.

His pivotal arguments are encapsulated in the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR) theory, developed alongside anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff. This theory suggests that consciousness is generated at the quantum level within neurons, opposing the traditional belief that it emerges solely from the connections between these neurons. According to Orch-OR, quantum computational processes in microtubules within brain cells undergo objective reduction, which is fundamentally non-computable and linked to the geometry of space-time.

For a more extensive discussion on consciousness, check out the dialogue between Sir Roger Penrose and Jordan Peterson.

The Computational Perspective on Consciousness

Demis Hassabis, a globally recognized AI researcher and co-founder of DeepMind, offers a compelling perspective by viewing consciousness as a sophisticated form of computation. Drawing on his extensive background in artificial intelligence and neuroscience, Hassabis argues that consciousness arises from complex computational processes carried out by the brain.

He delves into the intriguing intersection of AI, neuroscience, and consciousness, examining AI's capabilities and its potential to replicate conscious thought. Furthermore, Hassabis discusses how a deeper understanding of the brain's computational mechanisms could lead to advancements in AI technology, potentially enabling machines to perform computations akin to conscious thought.