Deconstructing the Prediction Machine: How Meditation Modulates the Cognitive Boundary Between Mind and World.
PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) May 3, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19999870 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | The authors argue that meditation is a deconstructive and existential procedure that reveals the contingency of the self-model while deepening contact with present-constrained existence. They propose that combining Cognitive Constructivism with Existential Realism and using neurophenomenological methods can clarify how meditation modulates the boundary between self and reality, citing evidence of reduced Default Mode Network activity and reports of contentless consciousness. |
Abstract
This paper explores how meditation serves as a tool to modulate and reconfigure the cognitive boundary between the subjective self and objective reality. By integrating Cognitive Constructivism (CC)—which views the mind as a "prediction machine" that constructs experienced reality—with Existential Realism (ER)—which emphasizes the primacy of the immediate "now"—the study examines the deconstruction of internal mental models. A mixed-methods neurophenomenological approach is proposed, combining micro-phenomenological interviews with psychophysiological measures like EEG, fMRI, and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Evidence suggests that expert meditators exhibit significantly reduced activity in the Default Mode Network (DMN), particularly the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), which correlates with a decrease in self-referential narrative and the dissolution of spatial self-boundaries. Phenomenological reports further validate these findings, describing transitions into states of Bare Existence or contentless consciousness where the distinction between "I" and "it" collapses. Ultimately, the paper argues that meditation is both a deconstructive and existential procedure that reveals the contingency of the self-model while deepening contact with present-constrained existence.
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 |