Jean E Burns - Revision history

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	\| image = Jean E Burns 700.jpg		\| image = Jean E Burns 700.jpg
	\| alt = Jean E. Burns		\| alt = Jean E. Burns
	\| birth_date = ~~{{birth date\|~~1934~~\|00\|00\|mf=y}}~~		\| birth_date = 1934
	\| fields = [[Physicist]]		\| fields = [[Physicist]]
	\| residence = San Leandro, CA, United States		\| residence = San Leandro, CA, United States
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	}}		}}

	~~I am a~~ physicist ~~with interests~~ in the ~~following subjects: thermodynamics and~~ the ~~nature of entropy;~~ consciousness ~~and~~ free will and ~~their relationship to presently known physical laws; parapsychology~~ and ~~the relationship of psi phenomena to~~ presently known physical laws. More specifically, my interests and themes in my publications are as follows. In physics the second law of thermodynamics (that entropy must always increase, subject to constraints on the system) is often considered an absolute, in which the distribution of variables that describe the entropy, such as momentum, must randomize in a few molecular collision times, regardless of whether any randomizing agent can be described at the molecular level. I have shown that entropy increase can be accounted for in gases and liquids by the randomizing effect of vacuum radiation on the ~~momentum distribution of the molecules~~, ~~over a broad range of temperatures~~ and ~~pressures. This result makes it plausible that entropy increase generally arises from~~ the ~~randomizing effect~~ of ~~vacuum radiation. If~~ entropy increase depends on a physical mechanism, it also makes it plausible that some quantum mechanical systems, such as those at low temperature or with special conditions, may not be susceptible to this effect. ~~This conclusion would explain the finding of some researchers that some quantum systems~~ of the ~~above types do not follow the second law. (Papers~~ of ~~1998, 2002d, 2007~~.)		'''Jean E. Burns''' (born 1934) is an American [[physicist]] and consciousness researcher based in San Leandro, California, where she works under the name Consciousness Research. Her work centers on the relationship between consciousness, free will and the paranormal on the one hand and presently known physical laws on the other, together with questions about thermodynamics and the nature of entropy. She is an associate editor of the ''Journal of Consciousness Studies''.

	I am interested in the study of consciousness and have made several reviews of models which relate consciousness to physical laws (1990, 1991b, 1996, 1999). In particular, I have examined the possibility of free will, viewed as a physical effect produced by non-physical means, and have shown that in all the models which propose that it occurs, a radical extension would have to be made to presently known physical laws to account for its action (1999). I have also proposed that mental action, in addition to producing free will at the conscious level, can act at the unconscious level to select between brain programs to provide details of our physical actions. I have also reviewed other models of consciousness which make similar proposals (1986, 1991a, 1991b, in press).		==Biography==

	~~I have also reviewed psi~~ phenomena ~~with respect to their relationship~~ to ~~presently known~~ physical ~~laws~~, and ~~have shown that a radical extension~~ of ~~these laws would have~~ to ~~be made to explain these phenomena~~ (~~1993a~~, ~~2003)~~.		Burns holds a PhD and is a physicist by training. She has spent much of her career as an independent researcher exploring how mental phenomena might relate to physical law, publishing numerous papers in the fields of consciousness studies and parapsychology. She serves as an associate editor of the ''Journal of Consciousness Studies'', and in 2003 she co-edited, with James E. Alcock and Anthony Freeman, the collection ''Psi Wars: Getting to Grips with the Paranormal'' (Imprint Academic), which also appeared as a special double issue of that journal.

	I have proposed a model by which mental action can be produced by the ordering of quantum fluctuations. (The extension to physical laws would be, in this model, the possibility of ordering the usually random quantum fluctuations.) The root mean square effect of quantum fluctuations on the momentum of a molecule is very small over a mean free path. However, this effect is greatly magnified when molecules interact at the end of a mean free path. I have shown that through this effect the direction of travel of a water molecule in the intercellular medium in the brain can be changed to any desired direction in one mean free path. The impact of 400 ordered molecules at thermal velocity is sufficient to open an ion gate in a sodium channel. More than one ion gate must be opened to produce an action potential, and several action potentials might be needed to initiate a physical action. (Presumably the brain produces programs for the action, and only the action potentials to initiate the programs are necessary to carry it out.) I estimate that about 4,000 molecules must be ordered to initiate a physical action, not very many (2002a, 2006).		==Scientific contributions==

	~~With respect to psychokinesis (PK) I have shown that 10,000 ordered molecules would be sufficient to produce a detectible response in a small (area~~ of ~~10 mm<sup>2</sup>), sensitive microphone. This number is somewhat higher than~~ the ~~number~~ of ~~ordered molecules needed to initiate a~~ free will ~~action, but not greatly so. Therefore, it can be expected that some good psi producers would be able~~ to ~~produce such an effect~~, ~~and this prediction can be used for an experimental test of~~ the ~~PK part~~ of ~~my model (2002a, 2006)~~.		Burns's research spans three main areas: the nature of entropy and the second law of thermodynamics; consciousness and free will in relation to known physical laws; and parapsychology, or the relationship of psi phenomena to known physical laws.

	~~I have also shown~~ that ~~previous experimental results in~~ the ~~PK deviation~~ of ~~a tumbling cube~~ can be accounted for by the impact of ~~2x10~~<sup>5</sup> ordered molecules on the ~~cube at~~ the ~~beginning~~ of ~~its trajectory (2002b, 2002c)~~.		In thermodynamics, Burns has argued that the increase of entropy in gases and liquids can be accounted for by the randomizing effect of vacuum radiation on the momentum distribution of molecules over a broad range of temperatures and pressures. On this view, entropy increase depends on a physical mechanism rather than being an absolute requirement, which she suggests would explain reports that some quantum systems, such as those at very low temperature, do not appear to follow the second law.

			In the study of consciousness, Burns has reviewed a range of models that relate consciousness to physical laws. Examining the possibility of free will regarded as a physical effect produced by non-physical means, she has argued that every such model would require a radical extension of presently known physical laws to account for its action. She has also proposed that mental action might operate not only at the conscious level to produce free will but also at the unconscious level, selecting between brain programs that supply the details of physical actions.

			Burns has likewise reviewed psi phenomena in relation to known physical laws, concluding that a radical extension of those laws would be needed to explain them.

			To address these questions she proposed a model in which mental action is produced by the ordering of otherwise random quantum fluctuations. In this model the small effect of quantum fluctuations on a molecule's momentum is magnified when molecules interact at the end of a mean free path, allowing the direction of travel of a water molecule in the brain's intercellular medium to be changed. By her estimate, the ordering of roughly 4,000 molecules would suffice to open enough ion gates to initiate a physical action. Applying the same model to psychokinesis (PK), she calculated that about 10,000 ordered molecules would be needed to produce a detectable response in a small, sensitive microphone, and that the impact of about 2×10<sup>5</sup> ordered molecules could account for previously reported PK deviations of a tumbling cube. She has proposed the microphone prediction as an experimental test of the PK portion of the model.

	==Abstracts==		==Abstracts==
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	* 2002 - "[[Vacuum Radiation, Entropy and the Arrow of time, Momentum]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1290.pdf Read in full])		* 2002 - "[[Vacuum Radiation, Entropy and the Arrow of time, Momentum]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1290.pdf Read in full])
	* 1999 - "[[Volition and Physical Laws]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1292.pdf Read in full])		* 1999 - "[[Volition and Physical Laws]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1292.pdf Read in full])

			==External links==

			* [https://www.parapsych.org/users/jeanbur/profile.aspx Jean E. Burns profile at the Parapsychological Association]

	[[Category:Scientist\|Burns Jean]]		[[Category:Scientist\|Burns Jean]]

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{{Infobox scientist
| name = Jean E. Burns
| image = Jean E Burns 700.jpg
| alt = Jean E. Burns
| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|00|00|mf=y}}
| fields = [[Physicist]]
| residence = San Leandro, CA, United States
| nationality = USA
| known_for = [[thermodynamics]], [[entropy]], [[zero point energy]], [[time]], [[consciousness]], [[paranormal]], [[spirituality]]
}}

I am a physicist with interests in the following subjects: thermodynamics and the nature of entropy; consciousness and free will and their relationship to presently known physical laws; parapsychology and the relationship of psi phenomena to presently known physical laws. More specifically, my interests and themes in my publications are as follows. In physics the second law of thermodynamics (that entropy must always increase, subject to constraints on the system) is often considered an absolute, in which the distribution of variables that describe the entropy, such as momentum, must randomize in a few molecular collision times, regardless of whether any randomizing agent can be described at the molecular level. I have shown that entropy increase can be accounted for in gases and liquids by the randomizing effect of vacuum radiation on the momentum distribution of the molecules, over a broad range of temperatures and pressures. This result makes it plausible that entropy increase generally arises from the randomizing effect of vacuum radiation. If entropy increase depends on a physical mechanism, it also makes it plausible that some quantum mechanical systems, such as those at low temperature or with special conditions, may not be susceptible to this effect. This conclusion would explain the finding of some researchers that some quantum systems of the above types do not follow the second law. (Papers of 1998, 2002d, 2007.)

I am interested in the study of consciousness and have made several reviews of models which relate consciousness to physical laws (1990, 1991b, 1996, 1999). In particular, I have examined the possibility of free will, viewed as a physical effect produced by non-physical means, and have shown that in all the models which propose that it occurs, a radical extension would have to be made to presently known physical laws to account for its action (1999). I have also proposed that mental action, in addition to producing free will at the conscious level, can act at the unconscious level to select between brain programs to provide details of our physical actions. I have also reviewed other models of consciousness which make similar proposals (1986, 1991a, 1991b, in press).

I have also reviewed psi phenomena with respect to their relationship to presently known physical laws, and have shown that a radical extension of these laws would have to be made to explain these phenomena (1993a, 2003).

I have proposed a model by which mental action can be produced by the ordering of quantum fluctuations. (The extension to physical laws would be, in this model, the possibility of ordering the usually random quantum fluctuations.) The root mean square effect of quantum fluctuations on the momentum of a molecule is very small over a mean free path. However, this effect is greatly magnified when molecules interact at the end of a mean free path. I have shown that through this effect the direction of travel of a water molecule in the intercellular medium in the brain can be changed to any desired direction in one mean free path. The impact of 400 ordered molecules at thermal velocity is sufficient to open an ion gate in a sodium channel. More than one ion gate must be opened to produce an action potential, and several action potentials might be needed to initiate a physical action. (Presumably the brain produces programs for the action, and only the action potentials to initiate the programs are necessary to carry it out.) I estimate that about 4,000 molecules must be ordered to initiate a physical action, not very many (2002a, 2006).

With respect to psychokinesis (PK) I have shown that 10,000 ordered molecules would be sufficient to produce a detectible response in a small (area of 10 mm<sup>2</sup>), sensitive microphone. This number is somewhat higher than the number of ordered molecules needed to initiate a free will action, but not greatly so. Therefore, it can be expected that some good psi producers would be able to produce such an effect, and this prediction can be used for an experimental test of the PK part of my model (2002a, 2006).

I have also shown that previous experimental results in the PK deviation of a tumbling cube can be accounted for by the impact of 2x10<sup>5</sup> ordered molecules on the cube at the beginning of its trajectory (2002b, 2002c).

==Abstracts==

* 2006 - "[[The Arrow of Time and the Action of the Mind at the Molecular level]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1291.pdf Read in full])
* 2002 - "[[The Effect of Ordered Air Molecules on a Tumbling Cube]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1289.pdf Read in full])
* 2002 - "[[Quantum Fluctuations and the Action of the Mind]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1288.pdf Read in full])
* 2002 - "[[Tumbling Cube and the Action of the Mind]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1293.pdf Read in full])
* 2002 - "[[Vacuum Radiation, Entropy and the Arrow of time, Momentum]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1290.pdf Read in full])
* 1999 - "[[Volition and Physical Laws]]" ([http://www.naturalphilosophy.org/pdf/abstracts/abstracts_1292.pdf Read in full])

[[Category:Scientist]]