Meditation and the Ethic of Authenticity
Rethinking Meditation September 14, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197661741.003.0009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that Western ideals of authenticity shaped how Buddhist meditation was understood as a path to an authentic, transcultural self, and that critiques of the dualistic inner-self model raise the concern that such meditation is narcissistic or socially irrelevant. Proposes rehabilitating the ideal so meditation also serves to clarify and mobilize personal, social, and political commitments. |
Abstract
Abstract: The ethic of authenticity in modern western thought envisions individuals in their uniqueness in an antagonistic relationship to the surrounding cultural norms. One’s unique, authentic self is discovered or created by transcending cultural conditioning. As Buddhist meditation became intertwined with western thought, it came to be seen as a method for overcoming alienation and social masks and achieving individual authenticity. Recent critiques of the dualistic idea of a pure, transparent interior self set over against external objects and social forces have implications for meditation practices intertwined with this ideal. They raise the specter of meditation as narcissistic or socially irrelevant. Attempts to rehabilitate the ideal, however, suggest an interpretation of meditation not just as a means for private self-fulfillment and enrichment but also as an aid to thinking deeply, clarifying one’s commitments, and mobilizing these commitments not only in the personal but also in the social and political arena.
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
Cites 14
- Intensive meditation training improves perceptual discrimination and sustained attention. Psychological Science June 1, 2010
- What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- On some definitions of mindfulness Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience Numen 1995
- The Mindful Brain and Emotion Regulation in Mood Disorders The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2012
and 9 more in the library