Consciousness, self-consciousness, and meditation
Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences April 18, 2008 DOI: 10.1007/s11097-008-9090-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 40 |
| Key points | Argues that meditation can be understood as a special means of becoming aware of consciousness itself as such, addressing the problem of self-presence of consciousness qua presence. |
Abstract
Many spiritual traditions employ certain mental techniques (meditation) which consist in inhibiting mental activity whilst nonetheless remaining fully conscious, which is supposed to lead to a realisation of one’s own true nature prior to habitual self-substantialisation. In this paper I propose that this practice can be understood as a special means of becoming aware of consciousness itself as such. To explain this claim I conduct some phenomenologically oriented considerations about the nature of consciousness qua presence and the problem of self-presence of this presence.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 17
- Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness Frontiers in Psychology September 4, 2018
- Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Consciousness and Cognition July 1, 2016
- Why are dreams interesting for philosophers? The example of minimal phenomenal selfhood, plus an agenda for future research1 Frontiers in Psychology 2013
- When the Window Cracks: Transparency and the Fractured Self in Depersonalisation Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences June 6, 2020
- The Phenomenology of “Pure” Consciousness as Reported by an Experienced Meditator of the Tibetan Buddhist Karma Kagyu Tradition. Analysis of Interview Content Concerning Different Meditative States Philosophies June 17, 2021
and 12 more in the library
Cites 5
- The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy Philosophy East and West October 1, 1993
- The Problem of Pure Consciousness March 29, 1990
- Subjectivity and Selfhood December 9, 2005
- The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience 1991
- The Unseen Seer and the Field: Consciousness in Sāmkhya and Yoga The Problem of Pure Consciousness March 29, 1990