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Quantum description of synaptic nervous function

The phenomenological status of the conditional reflex

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Abstract

A profound problem exists in formulating a mode for description of biological phenomena which is unified with that for chemistry and physics. A similar problem occurred historically with respect to chemical phenomena and physics. Section I of this paper is a sketch of how the resolution of conceptual dualism between physics and chemistry came about by the application of quantum description. The end of Section I and all of Section II is an exercise concerned with neurophysiology and psychobiology at the level of synaptic function which serves as an example of how resolution of conceptual dualism betweephysics and biology is also possible by application of quantum description. Coincidentally, the phenomenological status of the conditional reflex is clarified by this exercise.

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Isaacs, J.P., Lamb, J.C. Quantum description of synaptic nervous function. Conditional Reflex 7, 139–150 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03000213

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