Tatsṛṣṭvā Tadevānuprāviśat : Toward an Advaita Vedantic Approach to Cosmopsychism

Classical Advaita Vedanta offers a non-eliminativist view of the empirical world, treating it as real while grounding all consciousness in a universal consciousness (Brahman). This essay argues that macro-level consciousnesses are reflections of Brahman in individual intellects (buddhi), a position that distinguishes Advaita from other cosmopsychist theories. This reflection model provides an elegant solution to the decombination problem, addresses the explanatory gap between consciousness and matter, and accounts for mental causation.

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Abstract

Abstract: This essay draws attention to some of the ideas and discussions in the classical Advaita Vedantic literature that have a direct bearing on contemporary debates concerning the existence of consciousness in the empirical world. Section 1 makes the case for pursuing a non-eliminativist reading of Advaita Vedanta by clarifying its position on the existence of the empirical world. The idea here is to lay the background for approaching Advaita Vedanta from a cosmopsychist perspective. Section 2 shows, first, how the position of Advaita Vedanta that macro-level consciousnesses are reflections of the universal consciousness (Brahman) in the intellects ( buddhi ) of empirical selves sets it apart from the prevailing cosmopsychist theories. It then goes on to discuss how this idea of reflection can at once offer an elegant solution to the decombination/derivation problem, suggest a promising way to bridge "the explanatory gap" and explain the phenomena of mental causation.