Nondual awareness: Consciousness-as-such as non-representational reflexivity

Abstract

I introduce arguments toward a non-representational reflexivity theory of consciousness-as-such to address one of the key issues in the science of consciousness today: lack of understanding of the nature of consciousness itself. An expanded map of consciousness is outlined, which includes, in addition to the well-known contents of awareness and levels of arousal, the indeterminate substrate and consciousness-as-such or nondual awareness. The central idea presented is that consciousness-as-such is a non-conceptual nondual awareness, whose essential property is non-representational reflexivity. This property makes consciousness-as-such phenomenologically, cognitively and neurobiologically a unique kind, different from and irreducible to any contents, functions and states, including the indeterminate substrate. Our previous hypothesis on the precuneus network for nondual awareness is further discussed in relation to non-representational reflexivity, and in the light of other hypotheses on the neural correlates of consciousness-as-such.

The Sphere Model of Consciousness: From Geometrical to Neuro-Psycho-Educational Perspectives

“…Contents in one's awareness-no matter how minimal-or the underlying mechanisms cannot be equated to awareness itself, or to an awareness-in-itself correlate, because that equation would lead to a tautological explanation. As [44] recently noted,…”

“…The state of emptiness overlaps with the idea of consciousness in itself [44,85,103] or consciousness without content [64,83]. The Sphere Model Specifically highlights the equidistant character of the experience.…”

Minimal phenomenal experience

“…For example, such non-intentional "vehicle properties" could simply be earlier processing stages in the brain, certain dynamic aspects of the very construction process that creates the level of phenomenal representation in the first place. As we actually have numerous reports of MPE-like states across the centuries and across cultures, it is now plausible to draw a second conclusion: At least some of these reports may actually be reports about an entirely non-intentional process, not merely a mode-neutral one (Josipovic, 2019). Now imagine that you would make a previously transparent episode of MPE phenomenally opaque by just the right kind of "looking attentively enough" while at the same time not trying to agentively "fix" attention on it, exactly in the way Moore described.…”

“…The possibility of a fundamental, non-egoic form of reflexivity built into consciousness itself has been discussed for centuries by Buddhist philosophers (Finnigan, 2018;Williams, 1998). Following Brentano's classical idea of a single state simultaneously directed at an intentional object and itself (Brentano, 1874(Brentano, /1973(Brentano, , p. 153, 2012, many fine-grained conceptual models have been developed in more recent analytical philosophy of mind (Montague, 2016, Chapter 3, 2017Peters, 2013), and the issue is currently attracting a lot of attention (Ganeri, 2017;Josipovic, 2019;Kriegel, 2019;Strawson, 2017;Thompson, 2011). Please note how I am here only interested in the phenomenal character of intrinsic reflexivity itself, in the reported experience of an explicit, introspectively available, nonegoic, non-conceptual, and exclusively self-directed awareness.…”

The Computational Boundary of a “Self”: Developmental Bioelectricity Drives Multicellularity and Scale-Free Cognition

“…It is striking that the process which Zen practice is meant to reverse -attachment to past memories and high valence for future expectations/fears -is precisely the process suggested to be responsible for the creation of complex Selves. It is unclear whether it is beneficial (or even possible) to truly live in the moment and let go of past memories and future expectations, but anyone who succeeded in doing this would achieve precisely what Zen promises: the dissolution of the self (Flanagan, 2011;Josipovic, 2014Josipovic, , 2019. According to the above model, the Zen ideas of stamping out desire (goaldirected activity, preferences for specific states of affairs) are exactly correct in that this would lead to a dissolution of the ego (Self) and the freedom from the law of cause and effect that governs the Individual's actions.…”