Open Journal of Philosophy
January 1, 2026
Peter Lloyd
Mental monism holds that reality consists only of conscious minds, a view often equated with subjective idealism but here given a distinct label to avoid confusion. The paper argues this framework deserves renewed attention because other approaches have failed to solve the hard problem of consciousness. It characterizes the conscious mind as a nonphysical, nonlocal system made solely of volitions and phenomenal experiences, governed by natural laws, and able to process information independently of brain tissue. A companion paper explores how such minds could be embodied in brains or machines, proposing a biologically plausible model for natural embodiment and suggesting an extension to artificial systems.
Open Journal of Philosophy
January 1, 2024
Craig Matheson
Hermeticism, a theistic philosophy from ancient Greece, laid the intellectual foundation for later hybrid systems of thought including Neoplatonism, Esoteric Christianity, and Western Esotericism. The report argues that core Hermetic tenets have been philosophically encoded within these movements, each functioning like a "Russian Doll" that revolves around central Hermetic ideas. Through analysis of historical figures such as Socrates, Plato, Plotinus, Marsilio Ficino, and others, the report contends that Hermeticism has played an enduring psychological and symbolic role, with the Hermetic Caduceus now serving as a global symbol for public health.
Open Journal of Philosophy
January 1, 2024
Ted Christopher
The materialist scientific view of life faces problems such as missing heritability, which may support dualistic or religious beliefs. Humans have an innate dualistic understanding of life, and the questionable DNA basis for life offers a preliminary argument for basic dualism common to religions. The article focuses on experiences of transcendence or enlightenment from religious and mystical practices, using Jacque Lusseyran's account of unity in 'And There Was Light' and a sequence of similar Buddhist experiences. A framework connects these to a soul and meaning. Comparisons are drawn between traditional Buddhism and its Western, science-influenced version, exemplified by Sam Harris' 'Waking Up', suggesting other traditions face similar detours in a science-led, meaning-deprived era.
Open Journal of Philosophy
January 1, 2023
Xinmin Gao, Yu Zhang, Guanqi He
Mind-body theories have reached an impasse, but a broader view of mental phenomena—especially those recognized in Buddhism and other value-seeking Eastern philosophies—offers a way forward. By cataloging the types and qualities of mental phenomena, the thesis identifies at least four distinct kinds of mind-body relation: between the mind and the body as a whole, between the mind as a whole and parts of the body, between types of mental phenomena and parts of the body, and between types of mental phenomena and the body as a whole. This framework suggests that the mind-body problem has multiple, not single, solutions.