Source: Essentia Foundation, Analytic Idealism Course, Dr. Bernardo Kastrup, 2022.
The Biggest Objection Debunked.wav
This podcast is an excerpt from a course on analytic idealism, focusing on a critical objection related to the concept of the unconscious mind. The author argues that the existence of the unconscious, often perceived as non-conscious, does not contradict analytic idealism's premise that all reality is fundamentally phenomenal consciousness. The explanation hinges on distinguishing between phenomenal consciousness (the subjective experience of something) and meta-consciousness (the explicit awareness of having that experience). What is typically termed "unconscious" is, according to this view, simply phenomenal consciousness that lacks meta-consciousness or is dissociated from a particular center of awareness, thus resolving the apparent conflict within the framework of analytic idealism.
Laboratory findings that question conventional views of the relationship between the brain and experience: The source highlights experimental and clinical results suggesting that decreases in typical brain activity can coincide with an increase in the richness and intensity of subjective experience. This challenges the assumption, rooted in mainstream materialism, that the qualities of experience are directly produced and underpinned by brain metabolism. Furthermore, experiments in the foundations of what we understand as the physical world, conducted over several decades, indicate that the fundamental properties of physical entities (such as mass, momentum, and spin) do not possess a definite existence prior to being measured. The act of measurement appears to bring these properties into being, rather than simply revealing pre-existing characteristics. This suggests that what we perceive as the physical world does not have an independent, standalone reality outside of observation. This is likened to a dashboard where the readings only appear when a measurement is actively being performed. Prior to measurement, there is no defined state of these physical properties. The only alternative explanation presented in the source is the highly speculative idea of an infinite number of new universes constantly arising, for which there is no evidence.
The understanding of mental activity that is not directly experienced or remembered within a specific philosophical framework: The source addresses the concept of the 'unconscious' and how it fits within a particular philosophical viewpoint that posits experience as the fundamental reality. It argues that what is commonly referred to as the 'unconscious' is not a realm devoid of experience. Instead, it consists of experiences that lack a certain quality of self-awareness or the ability to be reported8 . This lack of reportability can arise because these experiences do not fall within the focus of attention. Even though they are not explicitly known or remembered, they are still considered to be within the broader scope of experiential reality. The source contends that the linguistic association of 'unconscious' with a complete absence of experience is misleading within this framework.
Different ways in which experiences can be present to an individual: The source distinguishes between different levels or types of conscious experience. It defines a base level as a state where there is 'something it is like to be'. This means that if an entity has any form of subjective feeling or experience, it is considered to be in this basic state of awareness. The source then introduces a higher level of awareness, which involves an explicit awareness of one's own experiential states. This requires not just having an experience (like pain), but also knowing that one is having that experience. It is emphasized that we are constantly having a multitude of basic experiences that we are not explicitly aware of at any given moment, using the example of breathing. We are experiencing the sensations of breathing, but we are not usually explicitly thinking about or aware of these sensations until our attention is drawn to them.
The significance of focus and internal processing for becoming aware of one's experiences: The source argues that becoming explicitly aware of an experience involves directing attention to it. This process is described as an internal 're-representation' of the initial experience, where the mind interprets, describes, or characterizes its own state. This re-representation, often linked to the focus of attention, is what allows an experience to become reportable, both to oneself and to others. This process of re-representation and the involvement of attention are considered crucial for what is called 'meta-awareness' or 'self-reflective awareness'. Neuroscience research, which has historically relied on subjects reporting their experiences, has primarily studied the brain activity associated with this meta-level awareness rather than the more fundamental level of experience itself. Studies showing a back-and-forth of information between different brain areas are interpreted as the neural correlates of this re-representation process that underlies meta-awareness.
How these ideas help explain states where awareness appears to be absent: The source applies the distinction between basic experience and meta-awareness to explain states like dreamless sleep, general anesthesia, and passing out. It suggests that in these states, individuals may still be having basic experiences, even if they lack the meta-awareness and subsequent memory of those experiences For example, studies have shown that people awakened from what EEG readings indicate as dreamless sleep often report having had some form of experience, such as thinking or selfless states of awareness Similarly, there is evidence of subliminal perception during general anesthesia, suggesting some level of experiential processing even when memory formation is impaired by the anesthetic drugs. The inability to recall these experiences does not necessarily mean that no experience occurred; it could be due to a lack of meta-awareness during the event or impaired memory encoding. The source even notes that dreams themselves often lack meta-awareness during the experience, with the awareness of having dreamt only arising upon waking and reflecting on the memory.
The central arguments supporting an alternative perspective on reality based on experience and the challenges to traditional materialist views: The source concludes by reiterating that the idea of a material world existing independently of consciousness is an unnecessary and problematic theoretical construct. It argues that this concept fails to account for the fundamental nature of experience and leads to difficulties in explaining phenomena such as the correlation between reduced brain activity and expanded consciousness, as well as the measurement-dependent nature of physical properties. Instead, the source proposes a view where a universal field of experience or subjectivity is the primary reality. What we perceive as individual minds and the physical world arise within this field through processes like dissociation and the focusing of attention, which leads to meta-awareness and the construction of our perceived reality. The empirical evidence from the foundations of physics and the study of consciousness is seen as more consistent with this experiential view than with traditional materialist accounts. The source suggests that the so-called 'unconscious' is simply a part of this universal field of experience that is not currently within a particular center of awareness or lacks the self-reflective quality of meta-awareness.
1. What is the core premise of analytic idealism, and how does it differ from mainstream physicalism?
Analytic idealism posits that reality is fundamentally composed of a spatially unbound field of phenomenal consciousness or subjectivity. In this view, experience itself is the ultimate reality, and everything else, including the physical world, is a manifestation or appearance within this field of consciousness. This contrasts sharply with mainstream physicalism, which asserts that physical matter is the fundamental reality and that consciousness is a product of physical processes in the brain. Analytic idealism considers matter as a derivative phenomenon, an "internal dashboard of dials" representing an underlying, non-physical reality that is akin to a transpersonal inner thought or experience.