Quantum mechanics challenges classical determinism through wave-particle duality, entanglement, and the observer's role, ideas that resonate with Advaita Vedanta's non-dualism (Maya) and Buddhism's relational existence (Sunyavada). Yet the conceptual link between these paradigms remains underexplored. This paper proposes Energetic Relational Ontology as a bridge and introduces Quantum-Metaphysical Cohesion, a framework integrating energy, consciousness, and reality as a unified whole.
The mind has been understood through many competing philosophical theories, including classical materialism, dualism, behaviorism, functionalism, and computational functionalism. Key debates center on the mind-body problem, the subjectivity of mental states, and the challenge of knowing other minds. The paper contrasts views from Aristotle, Descartes, Wittgenstein, U.T. Place, Gilbert Ryle, and Hilary Putnam, exploring how each theory shapes our understanding of consciousness, mental phenomena, and human experience.
The paper argues that although there are metaphysical differences between living in a simulation and living in what we call reality, the distinction may be inconsequential from the standpoint of subjective experience. It examines the simulation hypothesis and discussions of consciousness and subjective experience, considering whether a simulated entity's experiences could be indistinguishable from a human's. The investigation explores implications for personal identity, free will, and the authenticity of experience. The conclusion is that while important philosophical differences exist between simulation and reality, subjective experience and the sense of self may remain fundamentally the same in both scenarios.