QW's: "Just how does the Casimir effect play into that emergence? Is it at the foundational level before life emerges, or is it instrumental in the emergence, or both? Explain. "
QW, Thanks for your query . . . . . I'll try to explain . . . .
First, a couple of webpage references:
Casimir Effect (CE) is an experimentally-demonstrable 'effect'
(Ref:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_effect.
Google "Hameroff+quantum soul"
I am speculating that the CE interacts with ANY material of the required scale (for CE to occur), that is . . . CE operates within ANY material - inorganic or organic. CE is speculated (by others, e.g, Hameroff, as well as myself) to interact with neurons and microtubles (i.e., organic) simply because the operating scale requirements (for CE to occur) are existent. According to this 'speculation', CE is the interaction (based soley on scale - not the type of material) . . . thus quantum-level (scale) energetic interactions are possible.
My 'stretch' on the above is that quantum patterns exist . . . and that quantum emergent patterns (ordered energetic patterns emerging from the quantum) are likely impressed on existing matter (of any type) at the quantum scale via CE (or CE-like mechanisms). Scale is the only required criterion.
Now for some other really "OOB stretches" . . . . The quantum is a milieu within which vast energies and complex patterns are extant. We cannot directly 'measure' this milieu, or its energetic or emergent qualities . . . but we can infer such from demonstrable CE experiments, etc.
Speculation #1: God or spirituality, if true, likely exist at the quantum level and are manifest as quantum-emergent patterns that are NOT directly detectible (in a 'mass-universe'), but may indirectly affect matter (both inorganic and organic) at quantum scales.
Speculation #2: Quantum emergent patterns are impressed (at micron and submicron, quantum scales) within ALL matter.
Speculation #3: Weak hydrogen bonds in nucleic macro-molecules (e.g., DNA, etc.) may be affected by quantum entanglements (pattern interactions) giving rise to an evolutionary (DNA-changing) mechanism.
Speculation #4 (You'll really like this one!): God's creation of life was initiated by a simple quantum interaction with organically-expanded 'clay' particles in which the thixotropic clay particles (charged plates) contained interstitial organic compounds (such as H-C-N-P). Emergent quantum patterns interacted with these organic constituents producing (desired?) proto-nucleic acid (i.e., DNA precursor) and ergo, an evolutionary mechanism.
"Dust thou art . . .to dust returneth was not written of the soul" (Ref: J. G. Whittaker, I think)
