Easier to start with the plain truth, something you can see with your own eyes, and work your way to the subtler arguments.

https://archive.org/details/earth_not_a_globe_review_1893-1897_201804/mode/1up

I spent a couple days on and off reading about this theory, I read a few papers in the field and some of Penrose’s work (I didn’t go grab his books). So, thanks. It was interesting. I have had some physicists mention to me in passing that quantum consciousness was a junk field, but I hadn’t looked into it.

I agree, this is definitely bullshit.

1. Penrose himself attempts to dodge this in the first paragraph, but why are we groping for a special theory of consciousness at all?

2. Quantum mechanics is in everything, without it, fundamental processes (like light passing through your window) can not adequately be explained. Just because something has ‘got a quantum’ or whatever doesn’t instantly make it special from a physical perspective (you don’t see scientists tossing out conversation of energy or causality because stuff’s ‘got a quantum’ or whatever).

3. You might be interested in some of the recent work demonstrating that anesthetics work on plants. Not a microtubule in sight.

Of course! This has been true for almost 30 years!

But if your argument amounts to, “the soul exists because the brain has got quantum hootnannies in it”; well… :gestures broadly:

I always forget that computers use those special non-quantum electrons. Thanks!