Autopoietic Quantum Systems: Self‐Reference Avoidance as State Selection Mechanism

ABSTRACT Because the validity of mathematics is premised on self‐reference avoidance, the validity or authenticity of the physical world must also be based on self‐reference avoidance. Based on this belief, this article explores the fundamental question of whether the collapse of the wave function is triggered by consciousness from the perspective of self‐reference avoidance. This article analyzes and points out that the real physical world (i.e., quantum systems) is self‐referential, and it contains uncomputable mathematical prohibitions, which are the essence of superposition. To avoid the paradox brought by self‐reference, quantum systems collapse from the superposition state to a definite state, which is the wave function collapse. In other words, the wave function collapse is essentially the spontaneous avoidance of self‐reference by the quantum system. Although this is related to the observer's consciousness, it is not directly triggered by consciousness, because, as part of an inseparable quantum system, the observer and the quantum system are inherently entangled. When the observer identifies themselves from the quantum system in an instant, they subconsciously avoid self‐reference, thereby gaining certainty.