Nondual awareness and nonduality have been discussed increasing in the psychological literature in the context of mindfulness-based interventions. Particularly later generations of such programs increasingly link mindfulness practice to spirituality or Buddhist philosophy. For that reason, terms related to nonduality, including nondualism and nondual awareness, are being discussed for a broader...
This interdisciplinary study investigates the complex relationship between Advaita Vedanta, one of India's most sophisticated philosophical traditions, and contemporary scientific paradigms across quantum physics, neuroscience, and consciousness studies. Rather than merely asserting parallels, this research critically examines both the convergences and divergences between Advaitic principles...
The aim of this article is to present the concept of mythical-religious consciousness and present its ontological and epistemological significance through the meaning-giving aspect of myth and the category of the sacred as demonstrated by Ernst Cassirer and Mircea Eliade. Regardless of the significant differences in the understanding of myth and religion of both thinkers, we shall try to...
Mystical Experiences and Psychedelic Experiences are experiences that lead to extraordinary states of consciousness. Therefore, they can contribute significantly to solving the problem of the source of consciousness, which is an important issue in the philosophy of mind. Because, logically, when a considerable number of specific cases exist within a subject under consideration, it is important...
Neurological SciencesApril 30, 2025Elisabetta Pupillo, Andrea Magnoni, Lorenzo Tinti et al.
Vegetative state (VS) is a severe disturbance of consciousness, often caused by cerebral insults, with limited long-term prognosis data. to provide a detailed picture of a cohort of patients treated at 2 long-term care facilities in Lombardy starting from 2014. Multicentric observational study. Subjects who met the diagnostic criteria for VS were admitted. A caregiver was identified for each...
Psychedelic experiences involving extreme feelings of horror, helplessness, and perceived threats can be traumatizing. Traumatic psychedelic experiences are a rare, extreme, and largely preventable form of challenging experience which can arise due to frightening psychedelic drug effects, unsafe settings, and emergence of pre-existing trauma. Some people recover quickly, but others develop...
Spiritual health practitioners (SHPs), also known as healthcare chaplains, are increasingly involved in facilitating psychedelic-assisted therapies in clinical trials and community settings. Although the motivations of therapeutic practitioners are known to impact clinical decision-making and treatment outcomes, little research has investigated what drives SHPs to pursue this work. This...
In this article, I deal with Henri Bergson’s concept of memory and consciousness, examining the relationship between these two concepts. Although Bergson often seems to identify them with each other, this analysis leads me to the conclusion that consciousness is only a possibility invoked by memory. Bergson assumes the existence of unconscious memory, which is, according to him, already...
As artificial intelligence systems grow in complexity, questions surrounding their potential for consciousness and identity have moved from speculative to essential. This paper investigates the theoretical and practical contours of AI consciousness and selfhood by integrating insights from neuroscience, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and AI engineering. We examine the conceptual...
SyntheseApril 25, 2025Patrick R. Frierson, L. D. di Paolo
In this article, we bring Maria Montessori’s pedagogy into conversation with contemporary developments in cognitive science and the philosophy of mind. In particular, we seek to show that Montessori’s “prepared environment” provides a context within which cognitive tasks are performed in the interfaces and interactions among brains, bodies, and concrete mathematical materials. For ease of...