May 21 Paris Talk (Outline)

Part I: The Physics of Consciousness (ala Bohr/von Neumann).

MIND
 1) Within science Mind is BASIC! 
    (Science is about regularities in human experience:
     `Matter', within science, is a theoretical construct that we have
     created to help us understand the regularities of human experience.)
 2) Within quantum theory the experiencing human person has a key dynamical 
    role that is not completely explained by the laws that govern matter. 

MATTER
 1) The nature of quantum matter lies MIDWAY between classical matter and mind.
 2) The quantum physical world resembles a CLOUD of possible classical worlds.
 3) The `shape' of the cloud is the physical representation of information 
    injected into the quantum universe in conjunction with experiences.

FREEDOM
 1) There are TWO KINDS of "free" choices.
 2) NATURE'S "free" choices are subject to statistical regularities.
 3) HUMAN "free" choices are subject to no KNOWN laws.
 
WILL
 1) Human "free" choices are EFFICACIOUS: they can influence brain activity.
 2) Mental effort can keep ATTENTION focussed.
 3) This "EXPLAINS" a lot of psychological and psychiatric data.

NONLOCALITY
 1) Human "free" choices have "instantaneous" effects far away.
 2) We are "nonlocally entangled" with rest of nature.
 3) We are not "alone in the universe." 

Part II: Moral Impact.

Quantum theory falsifies the principles of materialism, and lends no 
rational support to moral relativism, or social constructionism.

A. "Personal responsibility" is rescued.
B. "Objective truth" is rescued. 
C. Human consciousness becomes an integral part of a nonlocal
   process that creates the evolving informational universe.
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