Federico Faggin : Irreducible - Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature

 

The premise of this book - as suggested  by the title - is that consciousness is an irreducible whole, greater than the sum of its parts.  And so is life - in each of the myriad forms it may  take. Computers, however, well —- that’s a different matter.

And I agree - which is my major problem with a book mostly devoted to repeatedly - and repeatedly - and repeatedly again  - arguing a point that seems self evident. The book offers hundreds of validating quotes from the great philosophers, scientists, or spiritual leaders of the past - but no footnoted references for those like myself who are inclined to dive down whatever rabbit hole looks intriguing . Though as it turns out - most of the quotes were contributed by Faggin’s daughter-in-law - so quite possibly Faggin himself never read all those authors.

What I was hoping for was some connection between consciousness and the  bizarre world of  the sub-atomic - deep down where quantum mechanics defies the laws of reason and the natural world as we know it.  It’s been 90 years since Schrodinger’s  cat exemplified a typical quantum paradox by being both alive and dead - and still the greatest minds of humanity have not been able to sort things out. So it’s not too surprising that those with a poetic or mystical bent have been suggesting that the foundation of everything is a universal consciousness that, like your consciousness or mine,  is utterly unknowable,- only more so.

There really can’t be any knowable connection to the quantum world - so it was foolish of me to hope for one.  As Faggin puts it, it’s private.   It’s as unknowable as the personal lives of discreet parents to their children.  In addition to being a brilliant electrical engineer, however, Faggin  is also something of a mystic.  He had a vision one evening by the shores of Lake Tahoe - and it was life changing.  Regretfully, he does not share his subsequent  spiritual journey - but this book does sketch out the beginnings of a metaphysical cosmology - possibly best studied in the glossary of his special terms, many of which he invented. The cosmic consciousness, which Faggin calls the "One", in an eternal quest to know itself, generates other conscious, free-will entities on a similar quest. With an ongoing expression of love, they have built out a larger world of atoms, elements, and  compounds to share their self knowledge and remember it.  The laws of classical physics are whatever these entities have agreed upon.  There is a hierarchy, though no elaboration of it. One of them is planet earth - or the goddess "Gaia" as Greek mythology would have it.  And one of them is associated with each and every living creature which the conscious entity controls much as a player controls an avatar in a virtual reality game station.  When that creature dies, it’s as if its conscious entity jolts awake from a dream. 

There’s no explanation for how conscious entities can do such things - or elaborations on similar theories from earlier  writers - or even how Faggin came up with some  ideas himself.  The emphasis on universal love and the extended family of everything recalls Francis of Assisi and "brother sun, sister moon".  It’s so Italian - in the very best way.

I can only partially relate to it. I can appreciate a universe based on the love of learning.  I’ve wasted a lot of time being curious.  Studying this book being the most recent example. But it doesn’t really feel like I’m being curious about myself.  That seems too small an issue to be worth much attention.

In his next book, Faggin will probably elaborate the technicalities of this cosmology.  He’s an engineer - and that’s what engineers do.   But I do hope he gets more personal about his own spiritual journey.  Has he had a mentor? Does he meditate?  Does he attend a Franciscan church?  At this point, I think I’ll learn more about his vision by becoming more familiar with him.  The kind of universe he describes is better known by looking inward rather than outward.  At least for me.