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Buddhist physicalism? Non-self metaphysics and phenomenal consciousness

Jan Westerhoff

British Journal for the History of Philosophy June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/09608788.2026.2681880 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Historical analysis Peer reviewed
Topics Buddhism
Keywords Consciousness Metaphysics Buddhist philosophy Subjectivity Epistemology
Key points Argues that the Cārvāka school of materialism has been historically misrepresented and that its empiricist epistemology represents a sophisticated philosophical position.

Abstract

One of the many schools of philosophy that populated the variegated intellectual landscape of ancient India was that of the Cārvākas, who defended an early form of materialism.1 The Cārvākas were h...

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