Consciousness, Conditioning, and the Illusion of Division: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Awareness and Non-Duality

Abstract

This thesis presents a comprehensive philosophical inquiry into the structure of human consciousness, focusing on the role of conditioning, ego, and psychological division in generating conflict at both individual and societal levels. Drawing on phenomenological analysis and engaging with major philosophical traditions, the study examines how thought, memory, and language construct a sense of identity and separation. The research argues that conventional approaches to transformation—based on knowledge, belief, or method—are insufficient, as they operate within the same conditioned framework they seek to transcend. Instead, the thesis proposes awareness as a non-methodological mode of observation that reveals the constructed nature of the self and the illusion of division. Through a systematic progression across sixteen chapters, the work explores key themes including authority, social constructs, civilization, language, relationship, death, and non-dual consciousness. The final synthesis introduces an original philosophical framework in which “zero” (absence of psychological center) and “infinity” (absence of limitation) are understood as a unified experiential insight. The study contributes to contemporary philosophical discourse by integrating phenomenology, non-dual traditions, and critical analysis into a coherent framework that emphasizes direct observation over conceptual abstraction.