[2503.10518] Why the Brain Cannot Be a Digital Computer: History-Dependence and the Computational Limits of Consciousness

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Physics > History and Philosophy of Physics

arXiv:2503.10518 (physics)

[Submitted on 13 Mar 2025]

Title:Why the Brain Cannot Be a Digital Computer: History-Dependence and the Computational Limits of Consciousness

Authors:Andrew Knight<br>View a PDF of the paper titled Why the Brain Cannot Be a Digital Computer: History-Dependence and the Computational Limits of Consciousness, by Andrew Knight

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Abstract:This paper presents a novel information-theoretic proof demonstrating that the human brain as currently understood cannot function as a classical digital computer. Through systematic quantification of distinguishable conscious states and their historical dependencies, we establish that the minimum information required to specify a conscious state exceeds the physical information capacity of the human brain by a significant factor. Our analysis calculates the bit-length requirements for representing consciously distinguishable sensory "stimulus frames" and demonstrates that consciousness exhibits mandatory temporal-historical dependencies that multiply these requirements beyond the brain's storage capabilities. This mathematical approach offers new insights into the fundamental limitations of computational models of consciousness and suggests that non-classical information processing mechanisms may be necessary to account for conscious experience.

Comments:<br>10 pages, 1 figure

Subjects:

History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph); Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI); Neurons and Cognition (q-bio.NC)

Cite as:<br>arXiv:2503.10518 [physics.hist-ph]

(or<br>arXiv:2503.10518v1 [physics.hist-ph] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2503.10518

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arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite

Submission history<br>From: Andrew Knight [view email]<br>[v1]<br>Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:27:42 UTC (120 KB)

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