Consciousness Does Not Cause Quantum Zeno Effect

Abstract

The quantum Zeno effect is often very controversial in the context of consciousness problems. Frequent direct measurements of a quantum system freeze its time evolution. Then what happes if an observer continuously watches a Schrodinger's cat from the start of the experiment? Naively this looks like a yes-no measurement of a unstable atom decay, which emits a gamma ray as a trigger of the cat execution. If so, the continuous cat observation may prevent the ray emission as a Zeno effect. Consequently the cat can remain alive as long as the observation is maintained. However, this is clearly incorrect. In this talk, assuming some natural conditions, we generally prove the impossibility of quantum Zeno effects generated by indirect measurements by the observer's consciousness. Naively this is a yes-no experiment of a unstable atom decay, which emits a gamma ray as a trigger of the cat execution. If so, the continuous cat observation stops the ray emission as a Zeno effect. Consequently the cat remains alive as long as the observation is maintained. However, this is clearly incorrect. In this talk, assuming some natural conditions, I generally prove the impossibility of quantum Zeno effects generated by indirect measurements by the observer's consciousness