Reflexive monism is a philosophical position developed by Max Velmans, in his books Understanding Consciousness (2000, 2009)[1] and Toward a Deeper Understanding of Consciousness (2017),[2] to address the problems of consciousness. It is a modern version of an ancient view that the basic stuff of the universe manifests itself both physically and as conscious experience (a dual-aspect theory in the traditions of Spinoza and Fechner).[3] The argument is that the mind and, ultimately, the universe is psycho-physical.[4]
Monism is the view that the universe, at the deepest level of analysis, is composed of one fundamental kind of stuff. This is usually contrasted with substance dualism, the view found in the writings of Plato and Descartes that the universe is composed of two kinds of stuff, the physical and the stuff of soul, mind or consciousness.
Reflexive monism maintains that, in its evolution from some primal undifferentiated state, the universe differentiates into distinguishable physical entities, at least some of which have the potential for conscious experience, such as human beings. While remaining embedded within and dependent on the surrounding universe and composed of the same fundamental stuff, each human, equipped with perceptual and cognitive systems, has an individual perspective on, or view of, the rest of the universe and themself. In this sense, each human participates in a process whereby the universe differentiates into parts and becomes conscious of itself, making the process reflexive. Donald Price and James Barrell write that, according to reflexive monism, experience and matter are two complementary (first- and third-person viewable) sides of the same reality, and neither can be reduced to the other. That brain states are causes and correlates of consciousness, they write, does not mean that they are ontologically identical to it, and they develop the use of complementary first- and third-person perspectives into a non-reductive, empirical program for investigating the relationship of conscious experience to neuroscience.[4]
A similar combination of monism and reflexivity is found in later Vedic writings such as the Upanishads, as well as the Buddhist views of Chittamatra and Dzogchen.[5]
^"Towards a Deeper Understanding of Consciousness: Selected works of Max Velmans (Hardback) - Routledge". Routledge.com. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
^Velmans, Max. "Dualism, Reductionism and Reflexive Monism," in Max Velmans and Susan Schneider (eds.). The Blackwell Companion to Consciousness. Wiley-Blackwell, 2007, pp. 346-358. preprint
Hoche, H-U. "Reflexive monism versus complementarism: An analysis and criticism of the conceptual groundwork of Max Velmans's reflexive model of consciousness," Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 6(3) pp.389-409 (2007), doi:10.1007/s11097-006-9045-8 preprint
^ abPrice, Donald D. and Barrell, James J. Inner Experience and Neuroscience: Merging Both Perspectives. MIT Press, 2012, p. 277ff.
^Rao, K. R. History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization Volume XVI, Part 1: Cognitive Anomalies, Consciousness, and Yoga. New Delhi: Matrix, 2011, pp. 322-323, 376-383, 766-774.
Reflexivemonism is a philosophical position developed by Max Velmans, in his books Understanding Consciousness (2000, 2009) and Toward a Deeper Understanding...
Monism attributes oneness or singleness (Greek: μόνος) to a concept, such as to existence. Various kinds of monism can be distinguished: Priority monism...
principally known for the theory of consciousness called "reflexivemonism". Reflexivemonism bridges the materialist/dualist divide by noting that, in...
related to this article: The Analysis of Mind Russellian monism is a type of neutral monism. The theory is attributed to Bertrand Russell, and may also...
bodies Form of monism: Malkovsky 2000, p. 71: "The interpretation of advaita that is the most common equates non-duality with monism and acosmic illusionism...
relationship to neutral monism has become somewhat ill-defined, but one proffered distinction says that whereas neutral monism allows the context of a...
Publications. ISBN 978-1780742540. Max Velmans (2000). "A new synthesis: Reflexivemonism". Understanding consciousness. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415224925...
reproducible or can be sustained long enough to be differentiated from reflexive behavior. Because of this inconsistency, extended assessment may be required...
causal interactions of consciousness with the brain. It also introduces reflexivemonism, an alternative to dualism and reductionism that aims to be consistent...
philosophy of mind) Brainstorm machine Buridan's ass Changing places (reflexivemonism, philosophy of mind) China brain (physicalism, philosophy of mind)...
2000 – Max Velmans published Understanding Consciousness, arguing for reflexivemonism. 2002 – Avshalom Caspi et al. presented a study that was the first...
may also have reflexive pronouns (and sometimes reciprocal pronouns) closely linked to the personal pronouns. English has the reflexive forms myself,...
concrete. Not to be confused with senses of "monism" outside of mereology, or with mereological monism. non-well-founded mereology An approach to mereology...
rendered "advaita" as "Monism", as have many recent scholars. However, some scholars state that "advaita" is not really monism. Nonduality is a fuzzy...
Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-07-16. Bradley, David (1995). "Reflexives in Burmese" (PDF). Papers in Southeast Asian Linguistics No. 13: Studies...
phenomenalism, neutral monism and realist phenomenology. The Indian Mahayana schools were divided on the issue of the possibility of reflexive awareness (svasaṃvedana)...
valid but cannot be used to explain the mind). The three main types of monism are physicalism (which holds that the mind consists of matter organized...
a reflexive-possessive suffix, indicating that the marked noun is possessed by the subject of the sentence: bi najz-aa avar-san I friend-reflexive-possessive...
and the absolute sentient power itself. This consciousness he called "reflexive self-consciousness" (resec for short). The force which calls and drives...
all behavior can be traced to specific causes—either environmental or reflexive. John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner developed this nurture-focused determinism...
the man is entirely caught up in the situation he is in. He is in a pre-reflexive state where his entire consciousness is directed at what goes on in the...
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