[waveman]

This is a classic Dunning-Kruger situation. Penrose is out of domain of expertise here. He has not bothered to study the theory of mind (eg see the lack of relevant references in his book).

His arguments do not stack up, as extensively documented elsewhere.

This is not the first time that a famous physicist/mathematician has got it drastically. Neils Bohr was an animist - he believed along with many people at the time that there was some magic hidden essence to life that went beyond material things. When told about the discovery of DNA he said "Yes, but where is the life?".

[gruseom]

Personally my sympathies are with Penrose and Bohr.