PANENTHEISM, NEUTRAL MONISM, AND ADVAITA VEDANTA

Neutral monism, the view that the fundamental nature of reality is neither mental nor physical but a neutral substance, offers the best solution to the hard problem of consciousness—explaining why and how physical processes give rise to subjective experience. This philosophical position also provides a distinctive path to a new form of panentheism, the belief that the divine pervades and interpenetrates the universe while also extending beyond it, through the lens of Advaita Vedanta, a non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy. The argument presents neutral monism as superior to rival theories and connects it to a theological framework.

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Abstract

It is argued that when it comes to the hard problem of consciousness neutral monism beats out the competition. It is further argued that neutral monism provides a unique route to a novel type of panentheism via Advaita Vedanta Hinduism.