Svasaṃvitti as Methodological Solipsism: “Narrow Content” and the Problem of Intentionality in Buddhist Philosophy of Mind
Oxford University Press eBooks September 10, 2009 Dan Arnold 2 citations
The chapter argues that the Buddhist concept of *svasamvitti* (reflexive awareness) and Fodor's methodological solipsism share a core commitment: the immediate content of consciousness is always a mental representation, never an external phenomenon. It explores various interpretations of this claim in Indian Buddhist literature from the 6th through 19th centuries and notes that arguments for these positions are strikingly similar in form and detail to those Fodor offered. The authors propose that contemporary cognitive science can engage in fruitful dialogue with Buddhist philosophy.