The hard problem of consciousness, first formulated by philosopher David Chalmers, asks how and why we have qualia or phenomenal experiences. Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) theory, proposed by Stuart Hameroff and Roger Penrose, attempts to address this fundamental question by suggesting a quantum basis for consciousness.
Orch OR proposes that consciousness emerges from quantum computations in microtubules within brain neurons. This quantum-level process is suggested to give rise to subjective experiences, potentially bridging the explanatory gap between physical processes and conscious experience.