Unifying matter, energy, and consciousness is a complicated and speculative concept that draws on ideas from physics, philosophy, and neuroscience. The goal of this concept is to bridge the gap between the physical world (matter and energy) and the subjective experience of consciousness.
Understanding the nature of consciousness and how it interacts with reality is not only an age-old philosophical subject but also a pressing challenge for humanity, with the emergence of brain-interface technology and artificial intelligence that can mimic brain processes.
Can artificial intelligence become sentient, and how would we know? Should human or animal cells, such as neurons, be incorporated into machines and robots? Would they be conscious and have subjective thoughts and feelings? Is awareness reducible to physicalism or fundamental? And, if machine-brain interaction persuaded or led you to commit a crime, would you be held accountable beyond a reasonable doubt? Do we have the ability to choose?
Consciousness is a developing topic that is intertwined with physics, engineering, neuroscience, and many other disciplines. Understanding the interplay of consciousness, energy, and matter could provide vital insights into our fundamental understanding of reality.
Dr. Samarawickrama
Dr. Mahendra Samarawickrama, the Australian Computer Society’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Professional of the Year has applied his knowledge of physics and artificial neural networks to this difficult subject.
He presented a peer-reviewed paper on fundamental physics and consciousness at the 11th International Conference on Mathematical Modelling in Physical Sciences, Unifying Matter, Energy, and Consciousness, which was recently published in the AIP Conference Proceedings.
“Consciousness is a developing topic that is intertwined with physics, engineering, neuroscience, and many other disciplines. Understanding the interplay of consciousness, energy, and matter could provide vital insights into our fundamental understanding of reality”, according to Dr. Samarawickrama.
“Einstein’s dream of a unified theory is a quest that many theoretical physicists and engineers pursue. Some solutions totally alter current frameworks, increasing complexity and creating more problems than they address. My hypothesis introduces the concept of consciousness into fundamental physics, complementing current physics models and explaining the time, causality, and interplay of consciousness, energy, and matter.”
“I propose that consciousness is a high-speed sequential flow of awareness subjected to relativity. The quantised energy of consciousness can interplay with matter creating reality while adhering to laws of physics, including quantum physics and relativity. Awareness can be seen in life, AI and even physical realities like entangled particles. Studying consciousness helps us be aware of and differentiate realities that exist in nature,” he said.
Dr. Samarawickrama is an honorary Visiting Scholar at the University of Technology Sydney’s School of Computer Science, where he has contributed to UTS research on data science and AI with a focus on social impact.
“Research in this field could pave the way for the development of conscious AI, with aware and thinking robots becoming a reality.” “We want to ensure that artificial intelligence in emerging solutions is ethical and responsible,” Dr. Samarawickrama stated.
