The Holographic Theory of Mind can provide explanations for two main puzzles, the nature of mind and non-locality. Therefore, it is important for us to investigate it.

Holography
In 1947, Dennis Gabor discovered the original optical holography. He showed that the information pattern of a three-dimensional (3-D) image could be encoded in a beam of light. Later on, the discovery of the laser helped put the idea into experiment.
“A hologram is a three- dimensional photograph made with the aid of a laser. To make a hologram, the object to be photographed is first bathed in the light of a laser beam. Then a second laser beam is bounced off the reflected light of the first and the resulting interference pattern (the area where the two laser beams commingle) is captured on film. When the film is developed, it looks like a meaningless swirl of light and dark lines. But as soon as the developed film is illuminated by another laser beam, a three-dimensional image of the original object appears.” ⁵⁸
The feature of a holographic film which is of interest to us is the non-locality of its image. If we cut the film in smaller pieces every piece has the whole information of the original image so each illuminated piece still shows us the whole image.
Twentieth Century physicist David Bohm believed that the reason subatomic particles are entangled, even though they are far apart from each other, is because:
“At some deeper level of reality such particles are not individual entities, but are actually extensions of the same fundamental something.”⁵⁸
He considered this something a super-hologram that contains the information about past, present, and future and also includes the spatial data. In my model, I have assumed that this ‘something’ is the singularity.
According to Louis de Broglie the French Physicist and Nobel Prize winner, any particle or object has an associated wave motion. We also assume in the Particle-Wave Function chapter that every particle during its wave cycles enters and exits singularity. That is how interconnection and entanglement is achieved.
One can say that the image of singularity that I am trying to draw above is an extended version of holographic theory.

 

Fourier Transform

Let us look at the light and its data-transferring ability. When the sun-light reflects at a distant mountain, all the information is restored in a beam of light, which is heading towards us. To a certain extent, it does not matter how narrow you choose that beam of light, when we conjugate the information by using the lens of a camera, we still get the whole picture of the actual mountain. Moreover, depending to the strength of your lens, you could recover the information about surface texture even at microscopic scale of each point in the mountain. If we had a stronger device we could even extract the atomic or even subatomic structure information of every miniscule of the distant mountain. If you think about it, this is a lot of information for a tiny beam of light to carry.
The Bekenstein-bound, put a limit to amount of information that we can get from a screen with a limited area. The number of bits of information available will be less than one quarter of the area of the screen in Planck units. Nevertheless, it is still tremendous amount of information. Let us see how this happens? How do we recognize a spatial object, which is located say about 20 km away from us? You will say the light hit the mountain and part of it reflects and travels to our location. A part of the beam of light passes through our eye lenses and hit the retina. From there the action potential transfers the information to our brain and somehow our brain interprets it. In this way, we come to realize that there is a mountain twenty kilometer away.  Let us investigate it further. Originally, the beam of sunlight was just carrying the information about surface of the sun. After it hits the distant mountain, it takes the bulk of information from our spatial object and includes it in the light wave. Underneath I use Dr.  Jeff Prideaux‘s interesting description of holography.
“The act of converting spatial forms to frequency domain is determined by Fourier transform formula. The Fourier transform (and inverse Fourier transform) consists of convolution integrals, which mathematically smear or de-smear the information. For continuous functions, the Fourier transform and inverse Fourier transform are as follows (transformation between the time and frequency domain):

The Fourier transform also has meaning between a spatial domain (for instance the position in two dimensional-space) and spatial frequency. Mathematically, the two-dimensional spatial Fourier transform is:

And the inverse transform is:

Where x and y are spatial coordinates and a and b are horizontal and vertical frequencies.” ¹⁹
When we put a lens and screen in front of our beam of light we change the frequency nature of information and convert it to a spatial image. Here we are doing the inverse Fourier transform.  

Diagram expressing the holographic nature of light incident on the surface of the lens of the eye¹⁹

 

Please note that the light by nature is electromagnetic energy not spatial. This is exactly the same concept that I am trying to convey about singularity. The proposed singularity contains information and can accommodate the information of four-dimension space just like the beam of light, which accommodate the information of our object, and its space.

Non-Locality
If we are at the foot of a mountain, and are trying to climb the mountain and reach the peak, it would need a lot of time and effort. That is how we actually notice the distance in human terms. If we use a helicopter, it takes less amount of time. Even if we go with the speed of light, although we reach the peak much faster, but it still takes few fractions of second to go from the foot of the mountain to the peak. However, there is no distance between the foot and the peak in our beam of light. One can choose smaller and smaller diameter beams and still get the information of far apart points in it (Note # 1). In a beam of light, all of the sudden there is no locality and everything will fall on top of each other. So we face non-locality in frequency domain. A lens helps us to diffract the information from the beam of light and the screen assists to extract the information. A lens and a screen apparatus perform the inverse Fourier transform and convert frequency information to spatial information, which we can interpret and understand.
Hologram just demonstrates the non-locality of information in spectral phase. In 1993 the famous Dutch theoretical physicist G.’t Hooft put forward a bold proposal. This proposal, which is known as the Holographic Principle, consists of two basic assertions:
“Assertion 1: The first assertion of the Holographic Principle is that all of the information contained in some region of space can be represented as a `Hologram' - a theory that `lives' on the boundary of that region. For example, if the region of space in question is a Coffee shop, then the holographic principle asserts that all of the physics, which takes place in the coffee shop, can be represented by a theory, which is defined on the walls of the Tearoom.
Assertion 2: The second assertion of the Holographic Principle is that the theory on the boundary of the region of space in question should contain at most one degree of freedom per Planck area.” ¹⁸
Before, I have assumed that the information in space-time, in it’s entirely, is reflected and registered in singularity. To make it objective, Holographic theorists convert the whole ordeal to spatial form again but with one dimension less and present it to us. On the context of the proposed model, we can ignore the inverse Fourier transform and imagine that information remains in spectral state while in singularity. We do not have to pass to spatial phase (do not have to conjugate) and look at the shadow in the wall to realize that information is out there. Or we may do that for objectivity reasons, but at least we'd better appreciate and recognize the spectral state of the information. This is similar to mind function. According to holographic brain Theory, information remains at spectral form in the brain. That is what I am trying to convey about the singularity as well. The Holographic theorists stay in the boundary. I am not sure why we have to stop there. We have enough information to dare passing the border; at least our imagination should help us building theories and present them for speculation and investigation. Meantime if we establish a sound theory for mind function, we can utilize mind activities as analogy to explore beyond finite world. Holographic theory, says that all the information can be present in space with one-dimension less. Holographic theorist and M theorist (representing different Super String theories) found out that the answer of major paradoxes could not be found in our 4-dimension space-time. To find solutions they had to look out of our tangible space. My question is why did they have to travel to assumed spaces with different dimensions to create a basis to solve the paradoxes? Why couldn't we untie and free ourselves from space boundaries? We know from the Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity that time and space are not absolute.
At this point, let me add this beautiful piece from the University of Cambridge DAMTP web page.18

To them, I said,
the truth would be literally nothing
but the shadows of the images.
Plato, The Republic (Book VII)

Holography through the Ages
“Plato, the great Greek philosopher, wrote a series of ‘Dialogues’, which summarized many of the things, which he had learned from his teacher, who was the philosopher Socrates. One of the most famous of these Dialogues is the ‘Allegory of the Cave.’ In this allegory, people are chained in a cave so that they can only see the shadows, which are cast on the walls of the cave by a fire. To these people, the shadows represent the totality of their existence - it is impossible for them to imagine a reality, which consists of anything other than the fuzzy shadows on the wall. However, some prisoners may escape from the cave; they may go out into the light of the sun and behold true reality. When they try to go back into the cave and tell the other captives the truth, they are mocked as madmen. Of course, to Plato this story was just meant to symbolize mankind's struggle to reach enlightenment and understanding through reasoning and open-mindedness. We are all initially prisoners and the tangible world is our cave. Just as some prisoners may escape out into the sun, so may some people amass knowledge and ascend into the light of true reality. What is equally interesting is the literal interpretation of Plato's tale: The idea that reality could be represented completely as `shadows' on the walls.”18
At the time of recovery of information we need a spatial arena to use as a scene to display the information.

Holonomic Brain
On the other hand, numerous studies in neuro-physiology suggest that memories in the brain are not stored in a specific location; rather, they are dispersed over the entire brain.
The conventional view is that the brain is a computational device. There is a growing body of literature, though, that shows there are severe limitations to computation (Penrose, 1994; Rosen, 1991; Kampis, 1991; Pattee, 1995). For instance, Dr. Jeff Paradeoux writes:
“Penrose uses a variation of the "halting problem" to show that the mind cannot be an algorithmic process. Rosen argues that computation (or simulation) is an inaccurate representation of the natural causes that are in place in nature. Kampis shows that the informational content of an algorithmic process is fixed at the beginning and no "new" information can be brought forward. Pattee argues that the complete separation of initial conditions and equations of motion necessary in a computation may only be a special case in nature. Pattee argues that systems that can make their own measuring devices can affect what they see and have ‘semantic closure.’” ¹⁹
As mentioned before, experiment shows that selective damage to certain area of brain tissue will not erase the specific related memories. It further suggests that memories are restored as frequency.
The experiment performed by Bernstein is worth mentioning. Here is a summary of his experiment and the follow up work by Karl Pribram, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and his associate:
“Bernstein dressed people in black leotards and had them perform simple tasks such as running or hammering nails against a black background. The leotard had been decorated with white dots over each joint. Bernstein took cinematographic films of these activities. On his films he therefore had a record of the movements of the dots, which described a series of waveforms. When he analyzed the records according to a Fourier procedure he was able to accurately predict the next movement in the sequence.What we needed was direct proof that cells in the motor cortex were responsive to wave forms. So Amad Sharafat, an engineering student, and I devised an apparatus, which moved a cat’s paw up and down at different frequencies. We recorded from motor cortical cells and found many that were tuned to the frequencies with which the paw was moved.” ⁵⁷
He declares:
“What the data suggest is that there exists in the cortex, a multidimensional holographic-like process serving as an attractor or set point toward which muscular contractions operate to achieve a specified environmental result. The specification has to be based on prior experience (of the species or the individual) and stored in holographic-like form. Activation of the store involves patterns of muscular contractions (guided by basal ganglia, cerebellar, brain stem and spinal cord) whose sequential operations need only to satisfy the 'target' encoded in the image of achievement” ⁵⁷
If the muscle response has a wave pattern the message received has to have a wave pattern as well. May be it is allowable also to assume that the original messenger has also a wave-like (spectral) nature.
When, in 1960, Karl Pribram encountered the concept of holography, he used the concept to explain memory storage in the brain. After all, the capacity of the human brain to store and process information far exceeds the capacity of a spatially bound nervous system. He therefore concluded that the information must exist in a spectral form. He also considered the brain a hologram.
 “It has been found that each of our senses is sensitive to a much broader range of frequencies than was previously suspected. Researchers have discovered, for instance, that our visual systems are sensitive to sound frequencies, that our sense of smell is in part dependent on what are now called ‘osmic frequencies,’ and that even the cells in our bodies are sensitive to a broad range of frequencies. Such findings suggest that it is only in the holographic domain of consciousness that such frequencies are sorted out and divided up into conventional perceptions.” ⁵⁸
Using Holonomic Brain Theory to explain telepathy and other para-psychologic phenomena, Stanislav Grof a known educator and experimental psychiatrist and founder of Transpersonal Psychology says:
“If the mind is actually part of a continuum, a labyrinth that is connected not only to every other mind that exists or has existed, but to every atom, organism, and region in the vastness of space and time itself, the fact that it is able to occasionally make forays into the labyrinth and have transpersonal experiences no longer seems so strange.” ⁵⁸

Mind as Hologram - Another Analogy
Earlier I mentioned that Holographic theory offers an explanation for the nature of mind. Now we can investigate it further. Experiments show that optical or other memories do not have to be stored in any specific location in brain. If any part of brain is experimentally damaged, still other live parts will show evidence of presence of stored memory. Note 2 How are memories actually stored in the brain?
Karl Pribram says that both time and spectral information are simultaneously stored in the brain. He also draws attention to a limit with which both spectral and time values can be concurrently determined in any measurement (Pribram, 1991). The holonomic brain theory maintains that the brain is continuously engaged in correlation processes. This is how we make associations (how the senses are integrated). There is an obvious computational advantage for the brain storing sensory information (and perceptions) in the spectral (or holographic) domain as opposed to the brain cells directly storing individual features and characteristics. The holonomic brain theory claims that the act of "re-membering" or thinking is concurrent with the taking of the inverse of something like the Fourier transform. The action of the inverse transform (like in the laser shining on the optical hologram) allows us to re-experience to some degree a previous perception. This is what constitutes a memory. The Holonomic Brain theory (taking vision as an example) summarizes evidence that the image formed on the retina is transformed to a holographic (or spectral) domain. The information in this spectral "holographic" domain is distributed over an area of the brain (a certain collection of cells) by the polarization of the various synaptic junctions in the dendritic structures. At this point, there is no longer a localized image stored in the brain cells. Correlations and associations can then be achieved by other parts of the brain projecting to these same cells. Conscious awareness (and memory) is the byproduct of the transformation from the spectral holonomic domain back to the "image" domain. Possibly the most radical part of the holonomic theory is Pribram's claim that a "receiver" is not necessary to "view" the result of the transformation (from spectral holographic to "image"). He claims that the process of transformation is what we "experience". Memory is a form of re-experiencing or re-constructing the initial sensory sensation.²⁰
(Conclusions made on the Holonomic Brain theory are based on Neuropsychological experiments. Please see the references below for detail of some of these experiments.)

Day Dreaming, Dream and Unconsciousness
With the holonomic brain theory the above notions can be explained as when the lens is partially or completely removed. Focus is lost, and we go to spectral domain.

Entropy
The second law of thermodynamics tells that the entropy always increases in any isolated system (see figure below). This simply means that if a system is left to itself, its energy distribution will move towards equilibrium or in other words it will move towards maximum disorder.

Entropy in a closed system ²⁰

If we take the space-time as an isolated system, then Second law of thermodynamics tells us that the universe has had maximal order and therefore minimum entropy in the beginning and is going towards maximum entropy and minimum internal organization as we go on.
At the surface, it seems that observation is pointing to the contrary. Reviewing the history of the universe, not only denies progress to maximal disorder, but it actually suggests that it is moving to obtain more complex and sophisticated structure as we go along. Universe progressed from creating sub-atomic particles to atoms of lightweight. Second and third generations of stars are creating heavier elements.  From there simpler molecules are generated and they further developed themselves to more compound and complex organic molecules and their sophisticated functions.
But, in reality, many of these phenomena are part of a bigger process. During the main process the amount of disorganization and heat release increases and surpasses the formation portion of the process.  Therefore, we cannot consider the formation part as an isolated system. We have to look at the whole system where the disorder prevails.
Briefly, it means that an isolated system can contain a subsystem that is open to energy flow from the main system (see figure below). As such, the whole combined isolated system still obeys the second law of thermodynamics, but it is possible that the subsystem can experience a decrease in entropy at the expense of its environment (the main system).

Entropy in a system containing a subsystem ²⁰

Sun a Helium Factory
We know that the sun is actually a helium factory. Inside the core of the sun, at the temperature of 15,000,000° C, four hydrogen nuclei fuse together to form one helium nucleus.  This suggests that we are moving toward a constructive procedure. However, helium nucleus is about .7 percent less massive than four protons.  The difference in mass is released as energy that leaves the sun and enters the surroundings.  Therefore, the constructive procedure has not entirely happened inside an isolated system.  The dissipated light and heat in turn give us warmth and light on planet earth, and is the main source of all the creativity on earth.  We all see the constructive effect of the sun energy.  However, ultimately this energy leaves the solar system and dissipates throughout the universe.  Therefore although some constructive phenomena have been gained through the process, this gain is at the expense of increased entropy and disorder throughout the universe.
But there are other events that cast shadows over the law of entropy increase. The heavier atoms are manufactured inside stars through the fusion of lighter atoms.  Formation of atoms to iron is accompanied by releasing energy, which is in line with the second law of thermodynamics.  All the elements heavier than iron are created in huge supernova explosions.
 
Many anabolic chemical reactions are so-called exothermic, which means the reaction is accompanied by releasing energy.
We can write the formation of water as:

1 H₂ + ½ O₂ → 1 H₂O + 68.3 kcal

This is in line with the Second Law because it releases energy. However, there are constructive reactions that are endothermic, which means they absorb energy. 

½ N₂ + 3/2 F₂ → NF₃ – 27.2 kcal
However, in these occasions we can claim that the endothermic part is just a portion of a main reaction. The total energy released during the main reaction is more than the energy absorption for the endothermic portion of it.
Yet there are exceptions. The formation of the early universe from a burst of energy is an example of such an exception where this explanation is not valid.  How did the burst of energy create the homogenous low entropy baby universe?

 Black Holes are another exception. The singularity inside them has the ultimate entropy and disordered state. Nevertheless, as they vaporize, they vanish and a state of less entropy substitutes their existence.
Positive cosmological constants point to the presence of dark energy as a causative factor. The notion of dark energy also is an exception to the law.
Francisco Di Biase and Mário Sérgio F. Rocha from Dept. of Neurosurgery/Neurology and Computed Tomography Santa Casa Hospital write:
“The entropy increase in the "sub-system environment" is guaranteed (by the second law) to more than offset the entropy decrease in the subsystem. Also note that the sub-system can only be maintained away from equilibrium as long as there is usable energy in its environment.” ²⁰
The above model explains the chain phenomena in our space-time universe. Although the main order is entropy, organization and differentiation continues in the subsystems inside space-time. Therefore, if a low entropy state is created in a zone, we have to take that zone as a subsystem and look for the surroundings and include the surroundings as part of the system. Then we can expect that the entropy will increase in the entire zone. If a low entropy state is created at the time of the Big Bang, we have to look outside of the newborn universe for a high entropy zone. This would be the singularity. In fact, singularity by definition has maximum entropy.
In my model, the singularity/space-time is the main system where the space-time is just a subsystem. Many quantum mechanical phenomena suggest the violation of conservation of energy and matter (the first law of thermodynamics). That is, if we take space-time as a closed system. However, if we take it as a subsystem of a main system, then all of those violations will obtain explanations.   Therefore, this view bypasses the problems with the first law of thermodynamics.
Therefore, in this view, the universe can accept structure and organization at the expense of entropy in singularity. Since we assumed the energy of singularity to be infinite, the space-time can continue building its internal structure forever. In this model, the entropy inside the space-time can decrease wherever needed and order prevails. For this model to be acceptable, we have to assume that exchange of energy is possible in the boundaries of our universe. On the other hand, our world is not a place for random and unrelated structures.  It seems that our world is goal oriented and follows a pattern of self-organization. As De Biase states, it continuously creates and recreates itself and explores the possibilities of new existence. Upon destruction of first generation stars and from their dust evolves second generation of stars, which are the source for heavier and more complex elements. Third and fourth generation stars follow the mission and create even more complex atoms.
In addition, the changes in far apart locations in universe are similar and follow the same pattern. We may assume that because the initial conditions have been the same and the laws of physics are similar, the changes in distant locations are alike. However, the possibilities of changes, especially at subatomic level are endless. If the world follows the same pattern in distant and far apart locations, we may conclude that, world is interconnected and goal oriented. For the world to be interconnected, it requires a non-local media. We have taken the proposed singularity as being this media.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going back to Holonomic Brain Theory and its interpretation of brain function, we again encounter with similarities between singularity and mind.
“There is a special class of such subsystems (as described above) where the subsystem's organization comes exclusively from processes that occur within the sub-system's boundaries. This class of subsystems was labeled "dissipative structures" by Prigogine, 1984 (who won the Nobel Prize for his work).” ¹⁹
To explain how the holonomic brain functions, Pribram suggests "dissipative structure" as a model. One way of modeling a structure that goes to equilibrium is to minimize a mathematical expression for the internal energy (which is the same as maximizing an expression for entropy).  Interestingly those factors have been present in every miniscule of the universe, thus, we are observing a logical pattern which is called the leLeast Action Principle . The principle of least action defines the action S for motion along a world-line between two fixed events. This would not be appropriate, though, for a "dissipative structure" since it is not going towards equilibrium. "Dissipative structures" self-organize around a different "least action principle". In the holonomic brain theory, Pribram states that in the brain, the entropy being minimized (which maximizes the amount of information possible to store) as the "least action principle". Thus, the system (the brain) self-organizes such that more and more information can be stored.
We can use the same subsystem model for the universe and proposed singularity.

Perideoux writes:
“In Hopfield networks and the Boltzmann engine (which are computer models of neural processing), computations proceed in terms of attaining energy minima. In the holonomic brain theory, computations proceed in terms of attaining a minimum amount of entropy and therefore a maximum amount of information. In the Boltzmann formulation the principle of least action leads to a space-time equilibrium state of least energy. In the Holonomic Brain theory, Pribram describes the principle of least action as leading to maximizing the amount of information (minimizing the entropy). Independently, (in unrelated work) Schneider and Kay (1994) have proposed a variation on the second law of thermodynamics, (The entropy of an Isolated System which is not at eequilibrum will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value.) which may be applicable to Pribram's Holonomic theory.” ¹⁹

Universal Mind and Individual Brain
Wheeler (1990) and Chalmers (1995) realized how important the information is in such context. Chalmers, by stating that information must be considered as an essential property of reality as matter and energy, and that “conscious experience be considered a fundamental feature, irreducible to anything more basic”. Wheeler, with its famous “the it from bit” concept that allows us to unite information theory to consciousness and physics writes:
“...Every it – every particle, every field of force, even the space-time continuum itself – derives its function, its very existence, entirely - even if in some contexts, indirectly - from the apparatus-elicited answers to yes-or-no questions, binary choices, bits. Norbert Wiener put this identity on the very conceptual basis of cybernetics stating that ‘information represents negative entropy’, and prophetically emphasizing that ‘information is information, not matter or energy.’ Consciousness is conceived as a non-local flow of meaningful quantum-informational activity, interacting actively with each part of the universe through the holo-movement.” ²⁰

Conclusion
So according to Dr. Pribram, consciousness does not need a part of nervous system to physically accommodate it.  Although he believes “the transformation which is a spread function spreads a pattern within the confines of a sensory receptive field (brain).”
Mind you that one of the major hypothesis in this model is that mind is an extension of singularity. Holonomic Brain theory asserts that the consciousness has a spectral nature. According to Dr. Pribram radioastronomy patches of holograms can be seamed together to spread the pattern to a larger territory retransforming it into space-time.  Stanislav Grof suggests that mind is interrelated with other minds and is part of a continuum.
Here I propose that consciousness is out there without any physical base. Just like information, which is out there? We use lens and screen to display the information embedded in a beam of light.  Similarly, we need a spatial scene and physical tools to illustrate the consciousness.  So I view the mind, as a separate entity from so-called physical brain, similar to Plato’s view.
The Holonomic Brain theory suggests that conscious awareness is a state of wave function and not a material based entity.

In this model, I also postulate that information is present in no dimension zone, in an entity out of spatial domain.  If we know as a fact that space can be expanded and contracted, we also have to accept that space can cease to exist, as it would happen in the pre-Big Bang era. I freed myself from ties. I passed the boundaries. I jumped off the cliff. And guess what? It was not dangerous or scary at all. There was not just darkness. A new tangible and deterministic world exists out there. We can take the risk and receive the rewards. Now it seems to me that the major paradoxes possess explanations if we leave our ken. We will look at those paradoxes later together.

Notes
1) The above statement is not exact. In distances smaller than the light wavelength, the information courier system falls apart. Please note that here the hologram is used as an analogy to demonstrate how non-local information can convert to a local image. A justification about dissolution of information in wavelength distances can be derived from the particle-wave function section in this model.
2) “A series of experiments were performed in both cats and monkeys (De Valois et. al., 1979) to see if the cortical cells responded to differences in the Fourier spectrums. The results showed that, the visual cortical cells respond to the Fourier fundamentals, not acting as an edge detector. In (De Valois et. al., 1979) experiment visual cortical cell respond to the angular location of the Fourier fundamentals and not to the edge of the squares (or grating) seen in the untransformed pattern. It also showed that the visual cortical cell was responding to the Fourier fundamental and not the edges (or distance between the edges) of the visual stimuli.” Please check Reference 19 for detail.

The arguments presented are open for debate. The reader is encouraged to email his/her inputs to correct, modify or develop the contents. Please send your emails to; zpfields@yahoo.ca