Nondeterministic Electrodynamics of an Isolated Cellular Ion Channel
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Questions about the nature of conscious choice have and will undoubtedly continue unabated throughout the history of philosophy and science with assertions made surrounding final causes, first movers, and an array of compatibilistic views in-between. While classical and relativistic physics is widely believed to be deterministic, examples have been raised that seem to violate Lipschitz continuity or result in non-computability, while incompleteness is an inexorable quality of any model. The implications of thought experiments such as Norton’s dome, the n-body problem, and infinite degrees of freedom suggest unsolvable elements of reality. Herein, the NavMs ion channel, as a prototypical example of a cellular polarization apparatus, is investigated for traits analogous to a topological source singularity with respect to charge density. Using in silico modeling, it is suggested that an isolated, symmetrical ion channel within an otherwise sterile phospholipid bilayer results in indeterminable deposition of an initial sodium ion onto the inner surface of a membrane such as during cellular depolarizations. A real-world experimental framework is suggested with idealized plots intended to provide a falsifiable structure for follow-on studies. In this thought experiment, an initial state for a symmetrical ion channel results in indeterminate lateral ion movement with the potential to influence the attainment of the action potential threshold and the resulting activation of a web of connected neurons.