Consciousness has puzzled scientists, philosophers, and thinkers for centuries. Federico Faggin, inventor of the first microprocessor and pioneer in touch technology, believes we need to fundamentally rethink our approach to understanding consciousness. In a recent interview, he shared insights from his book, Irreducible Consciousness: Life, Computers, and Human Nature, explaining his belief that consciousness is something far more mysterious than computation. Here are some of his most thought-provoking insights on the nature of consciousness and its relationship with quantum mechanics.

Consciousness: Beyond Physical Matter

When asked about consciousness, Faggin began by saying that consciousness isn’t a physical process that happens within the brain, contrary to what most scientists think. He challenged the idea by posing a simple question: “When I smell a rose, I know the rose by its scent. So where’s the scent…in the brain?”

This seemingly simple question hints at a profound mystery. According to Faggin, our sensory experiences—such as the smell of a rose—are not just electrical signals in the brain. There’s an inner, qualitative aspect to our experiences, something that goes beyond physical explanations. This, he says, is what makes consciousness so challenging to understand.

“We go into a domain of existence that goes way beyond what physics has ever studied. Physicists have never worried about consciousness because that’s the problem of neuroscientists. And neuroscientists don’t know quantum physics.”

Consciousness as a Quantum Field

Faggin believes that consciousness is connected to the world of quantum physics. He suggests that consciousness is a kind of quantum field, interacting with our physical bodies, which he describes as “bridges between consciousness and the classical world.” In his words:

“Consciousness is a quantum field. The body is a structure in space and time that is quantum and classical.”

Faggin goes on to explain that our bodies interact with both classical and quantum realities. While the brain processes physical information, consciousness operates on a deeper level, within a field that isn’t bound by space and time.

The Universe as an Observer and Creator

One of Faggin’s core ideas is that the universe itself “wants to know itself.” He suggests that our individual consciousnesses are expressions of a larger, unified consciousness.

“One [the universe] wants to know itself. The universe wants to know itself.”

According to Faggin, this is why we have experiences and emotions that can’t be reduced to physical processes. We, as conscious beings, are part of a larger system that seeks self-awareness and understanding.

The Limits of Artificial Intelligence

Faggin also addresses the growing conversation around AI and its potential for consciousness. While artificial intelligence can mimic certain human behaviors, he argues it lacks true understanding. For Faggin, intelligence and consciousness are deeply connected, and without consciousness, true intelligence is impossible.

“We basically are projecting to the computer what is our property but is not a property of the computer.”

AI may process data and recognize patterns, but it doesn’t feel or experience in the way humans do. As Faggin puts it, “If a computer tells me ‘I love you,’ do I believe that it feels anything for me?”

This leads him to question whether we’re attributing too much to machines, mistaking complex pattern recognition for genuine understanding. For Faggin, computers are ultimately limited to processing information without the “inner reality” that consciousness provides.

The Hard Problem of Consciousness

Faggin also discusses what philosopher David Chalmers famously called “the hard problem of consciousness”—the challenge of explaining why and how we have subjective experiences, or “qualia.” Faggin experienced this firsthand in his quest to understand his own consciousness. He recalls a period when he felt unhappy, leading him to question, “Where does it [feeling] come from?”

He concluded that no amount of circuitry or programming could replicate the rich, subjective quality of consciousness. He explains that emotions and sensations are tied to what he calls the “inner experiential state,” a dimension of consciousness that goes beyond the physical processes of the brain.

“Emotions are really qualia…qualia are quantum states. They don’t exist in space and time.”

Life as a Continuous Quest for Understanding

Ultimately, Faggin views consciousness as a deeply personal and collective journey toward self-understanding. He suggests that our pursuit of meaning, purpose, and connection is tied to the universe’s desire to “know itself.”

“The deepest urge that you feel is to know yourself. When you have it, you know… What is life? What is the universe?”

For Faggin, understanding consciousness isn’t just about advancing technology or creating more sophisticated machines; it’s about creating a world where people connect, understand, and cooperate. He emphasizes that life isn’t about “the survival of the fittest,” but rather, about working together to achieve a deeper understanding of who we are.

Moving Forward with a New Perspective

Faggin’s approach is groundbreaking in its focus on consciousness as an essential part of reality, one that can’t simply be reduced to computations or brain activity. He calls for us to start from the premise that consciousness and free will are real and fundamental. If we begin with this assumption, he believes we can finally make sense of the mysteries of quantum physics and consciousness alike.

“Let’s start with the right foot…already with the idea that the universe wants to do exactly what we want to do, which is to know ourselves.”

Federico Faggin’s ideas encourage us to rethink our assumptions about life, consciousness, and technology. Instead of focusing on building machines that mimic human behavior, he invites us to explore the nature of our own existence, recognizing that we may be part of something much larger—a conscious, interconnected universe that’s on its own journey of self-discovery.