Quantum effects like entanglement or tunneling are increasingly believed to underlie biological processes. Yet quantum theory has explanatory depth beyond those phenomena: it provides novel conceptual means of attacking deep philosophical issues. Focusing on the role of quantum effects may obscure the potential for genuine philosophical innovation inherent in the quantum formalism. We identify four levels of quantum explanations: quantum effects, where a phenomenon is a direct result of quantum interactions; quantum consequences, where large-scale properties are reduced to quantum phenomena; quantum analogues, where essentially classical systems can profitably by modeled by a quantum description; and finally, quantum concepts, where quantum theory yields genuinely new explanatory approaches. Taking these into account throws new light on the role of quantum theory for life and mind.
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