Simple

Quantum Mind? Can't Do Without the Classical ⚡ экспресс

Original: "Agency cannot be a purely quantum phenomenon"
Quantum systems cannot think and act purposefully on their own.
Abstract

Can a quantum system act meaningfully? Research shows: purely quantum processes don't allow building models of the world and choosing actions — because of the no-cloning of unknown states and linearity. It's like trying to take a photo without a camera. So, at the core of agency there's always something classical.

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Intelligent action begins with a plan. Just as an architect needs blueprints to evaluate options, any agent with will needs to repeatedly copy data about reality. But quantum mechanics forbids exact copying of unknown states — the fundamental theorem was discovered by Wojciech Zurek and William Wootters. A purely quantum object cannot preserve a 'snapshot' of its environment, nor compare alternative future scenarios.

You can try to copy approximately, but the quality drops below the level suitable for reliable decisions. Even executing a chosen step is hindered by the linearity of quantum equations: you can't simply single out one outcome from a multitude of superimposed probabilities. An architect in the quantum world is left without a pencil that wouldn't break with every attempt to sketch a blueprint.

The conclusion is striking: reason, will, and goal-directedness require classical 'parts' — they act as a rigid stage with clear boundaries, like spacetime curvature or the speed of light limit, against which the drama of choice unfolds. Most unexpectedly, this no-cloning prohibition is not a bug but a safeguard. It guarantees the inviolability of quantum information, paving the way to absolutely secure communication.

🎯 The no-cloning theorem states: it is impossible to create an exact copy of an arbitrary unknown quantum state. This is not a technical limitation but a fundamental law of nature.

🎬 In science fiction, the idea of quantum consciousness appears frequently (for instance, in Hannu Rajaniemi's novel 'The Quantum Thief'), but new results show that without a classical component, no quantum 'thinking' is possible.

Scientists
Christian DopplerD. B. McLaughlinDidier QuelozMichel MayorR. A. RossiterAlbert Einstein
Tags
entropy spacetime curvature speed of light
Laws
second law of thermodynamicsDoppler effectprinciple of constancy of the speed of lightBekenstein-Hawking entropymass–energy equivalenceMaxwell's equations
Original: arXiv:2510.13247 · CC BY 4.0 · bridge42worlds