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Philosophy of mind

Philosophical inquiry into consciousness, subjectivity, and the mind-body relationship.

State of the evidence

Synthesized

Synthesized from 25 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below

Found by searching the library for Philosophy of mind, consciousness studies, hard problem, phenomenology, then ranked by relevance.

The provided studies do not directly address the philosophy of mind as a research question. Instead, they offer a collection of theoretical, phenomenological, and empirical perspectives on consciousness, selfhood, and experience, but without a focused synthesis or conclusion on the philosophy of mind itself.

Confidence in the evidence

Insufficient
  • No study directly investigates the philosophy of mind as a defined research question.
  • The studies are a mix of theoretical, phenomenological, and empirical works with no common hypothesis or methodology.
  • There is no evidence of a systematic review or meta-analysis on the topic.
How we rate confidence

Confidence reflects the strength of the underlying evidence, not whether the result is favorable. It weighs the number and size of studies, their design (randomized trials count for more than observational or single-case work), how consistently they point the same way, and their risk of bias.

Tiers run from Insufficient to High. High is rare in this field: small, early, or open-label studies land lower even when their direction is encouraging.

Evidence by study

Direction is each study's finding relative to your question: Supports, Opposes, No effect, Mixed, or Unclear.

Psychosis as a state of aberrant salience: a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia. 2003
Unclear

This paper proposes a framework linking biology, phenomenology, and pharmacology in schizophrenia, but does not address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

From dopamine to salience to psychosis--linking biology, pharmacology and phenomenology of psychosis. 2005
Unclear

This paper discusses the link between dopamine, salience, and psychosis, but does not address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

Body Consciousness: A Philosophy of Mindfulness and Somaesthetics 2008
Unclear

This is a book review discussing body consciousness and somaesthetics, but does not directly address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

Classic Hallucinogens and Mystical Experiences: Phenomenology and Neural Correlates. 2018
Unclear

This paper discusses classic hallucinogens and mystical experiences, but does not address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

How do the brain's time and space mediate consciousness and its different dimensions? Temporo-spatial theory of consciousness (TTC). 2017
Unclear

This paper proposes a temporo-spatial theory of consciousness, but does not directly address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

The lived experience of psychosis: a bottom-up review co-written by experts by experience and academics. 2022
Unclear

This bottom-up review describes the lived experience of psychosis, but does not address philosophy of mind.

qualitative

The phenomenology of deep brain stimulation-induced changes in OCD: an enactive affordance-based model. 2013
Unclear

This paper presents an enactive affordance-based model for DBS-induced changes in OCD, but does not address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution 2017
Unclear

This article discusses drug-induced ego dissolution and its relevance for philosophy of mind, but does not provide a conclusion on the philosophy of mind itself.

theoretical

From autopoiesis to neurophenomenology: Francisco Varela's exploration of the biophysics of being. 2003
Unclear

This paper reviews Francisco Varela's work on subjectivity and consciousness, but does not directly address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

The phenomenology of near-death experiences 1980
Unclear

This study describes the phenomenology of near-death experiences, but does not address philosophy of mind.

observational Sample size: 78

Visual Phenomenology of the LSD Flashback 1983
Unclear

This study describes the visual phenomenology of LSD flashbacks, but does not address philosophy of mind.

observational Sample size: 123

Studying the experience of meditation through Micro-phenomenology 2018
Unclear

This pilot project applies micro-phenomenological methods to meditation, but does not address philosophy of mind.

qualitative

How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. 2015
Unclear

This case study describes the phenomenology of lacking a sense of boundaries, but does not address philosophy of mind.

case study Sample size: 1

The neurophenomenology of neutral hypnosis. 2013
Unclear

This neurophenomenological study investigates neutral hypnosis, but does not address philosophy of mind.

observational Sample size: 37

Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine: Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects. 2020
Unclear

This survey characterizes entity encounter experiences, but does not address philosophy of mind.

observational Sample size: 2561

Longitudinal dream-content shift and void-like dissociative phenomenology around outpatient ketamine infusions in chronic low back pain: a case report. 2026
Unclear

This case report describes dream content shifts after ketamine infusions, but does not address philosophy of mind.

case report Sample size: 1

The Intercorporeal Present: Toward a Neurophenomenology of Shared Minimal-Dual Awareness 2026
Unclear

This paper proposes a neurophenomenology of shared minimal-dual awareness, but does not directly address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

The Limits of Reflective Inquiry, the Philosophy of Mind, and Kant (Reflections on a Book) 2026
Unclear

This article reflects on Kant and the philosophy of mind, but does not provide a conclusion on the philosophy of mind itself.

theoretical

[Abnormal (disturbed) self-experiences in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: the qualitative aspect]. 2026
Unclear

This narrative review discusses abnormal self-experiences in schizophrenia, but does not address philosophy of mind.

narrative review

The Hard Problem of Projected Presence Reframing Consciousness Through Organismic Stabilization 2026
Unclear

This conceptual paper reframes the hard problem of consciousness, but does not directly address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

The Epistemological Crisis of Rationality in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Through the Lens of 4E Cognition and Postphenomenology 2026
Unclear

This article discusses rationality in the age of AI through 4E cognition, but does not directly address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

Infants, the marker method, and the nature of consciousness 2026
Unclear

This paper critiques the marker method for assessing consciousness in infants, but does not address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

The Shape Of Reality: Cognitive Languages and the Phenomenology of Psychosis 2026
Unclear

This hypothesis paper proposes a framework for psychosis, but does not address philosophy of mind.

theoretical

F. H. Bradley's Concept of Immediate Experience: An Evaluation in terms of Debates on Phenomenal Consciousness 2026
Unclear

This paper examines Bradley's concept of immediate experience in relation to philosophy of mind, but does not provide a conclusion on the philosophy of mind itself.

theoretical

The rhythms of trance: Cultural phenomenology and neural mechanisms of music-induced non-ordinary states of consciousness. 2026
Unclear

This review integrates anthropological and neuroscientific perspectives on music-induced trance, but does not address philosophy of mind.

review

Points of agreement

No clear points of agreement.

Conflicts

No notable conflicts.

Gaps

  • No study directly investigates the philosophy of mind as a defined research question.
  • The studies are a mix of theoretical, phenomenological, and empirical works with no common hypothesis or methodology.
  • There is no evidence of a systematic review or meta-analysis on the topic.
Browse these studies in the library
How we analyze this

This synthesis reads the 15 most-cited and 10 most recent studies whose primary subject is Philosophy of mind, up to 25 in all. The most-cited set anchors the established evidence, and the recent set surfaces work that is too new to have gathered citations yet.

A study qualifies only when Philosophy of mind or a known alias appears in its title or keywords, so broad reviews that mention it only in passing are left out. Each study is read from its abstract, strongest evidence first, and the summary reports the direction of the results along with any conflicts and gaps.

Ask your own question in the Research Synthesis Tool

Latest monthly recap: June 2026 →

4,237 articles · 1,703 from the last two years · 958,526 participants across 1,054 studies reporting sample size

Common study designs

review 418 qualitative study 167 experimental study 128 observational cohort 205 theoretical or philosophical paper 1849

Research

Synthesize the evidence → Search all →

The Hard Problem, Revisited: Adversarial Collaboration Can’t Overcome Mainstream Consciousness Science’s Axiomatic Assumption that ‘0 = 1’

Nicholas Martin Rosseinsky preprint

A major source of replication problems in consciousness science is not adversarial collaboration failures but a fundamental, self-contradictory assumption embedded in the field's foundations, described as a '0 = 1' error. Using a mathematical-system analogy, the work explains how this flaw undermines basic methodology and, because of perceived links between consciousness and intelligence, limits science's ability to provide coherent commentary on AI developments.

DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/6x29u

Простое Решение Трудной Проблемы Сознания / An Easy Approach to the Hard Problem Of Consciousness

Виктор Сенкевич

A formal definition of qualia as sensory images formed by evolution long before consciousness allows the Hard Problem of Consciousness to be dissolved: consciousness does not create sensory experience but receives ready-made qualia from sensory memory. This decoupling explains why the same qualia-formation mechanism operates similarly in conscious and non-conscious organisms. The approach also links the Hard Problem to AI grounding, arguing that verbal descriptions alone are insufficient for AI to understand the physical world.

DOI: 10.24108/preprints-3113882

Explaining Qualia: A Proposed Theoretical Framework for Addressing the Hard Problem of Consciousness

Leandro Castelluccio preprint

The hard problem of consciousness—why and how physical brain processes give rise to subjective, ineffable qualia—remains unresolved in philosophy and cognitive science. This theoretical paper proposes a novel framework that integrates philosophy of mind and neuroscience to explain qualia. The model challenges reductionist views that equate consciousness solely with brain function, arguing that subjective experience transcends corresponding brain activity and involves non-physical information. It emphasizes the centrality of identity in conscious phenomena and rejects exclusive reliance on information integration theories. Human consciousness is distinguished from artificial intelligence as vital for sustaining emotions, genuine comprehension, and complex behaviors. The paper advocates for a holistic, dualistic perspective recognizing a non-material dimension of consciousness.

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/tc9s8

The hard problem of consciousness - A perspectives from holistic philosophy II

Jicheng Chen preprint

Materialism, the foundation of natural science, leads to paradoxes when examining consciousness because subject and object are inseparable. Science relies on falsifiability, but inner experiences are subjective and lack a scientific model for mutual transformation between inner and outer. Existing theoretical models of consciousness are often independent and contradictory, so a mature theory remains undeveloped. Holism is proposed as a solution: different cognitive perspectives reveal different aspects of objective laws. Materialism, from a third-person perspective, describes physical characteristics and space-time causality.

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/mauq5_v1

World Modeling, Integrated Information, and the Physical Substrates of Consciousness; Hidden Sources of the Stream of Experience?

Adam Safron preprint

A commentary on Mark Solms' book The Hidden Spring examines how its account of subjective experience aligns with Integrated World Modeling Theory (IWMT), a synthetic framework that aims to solve the hard problem of consciousness. The author identifies compatibilities and incompatibilities between Solms' proposal and IWMT, focusing on how a Bayesian interpretation of Integrated Information Theory and Global Workspace Theory might pinpoint the physical and computational foundations of consciousness.

DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/aud6e

Qualia as a Universal Principle: A Unified Mathematical Framework for Consciousness, AI, and Cosmic Information

Takashi Kubo preprint

Qualia—the subjective, felt aspect of consciousness—are explained through a new framework that combines neuroscience, AI, thermodynamics, quantum information theory, and cosmic principles. The authors propose that qualia arise from processes of genesis, integration, and optimization driven by entropy minimization, information self-organization, and dynamic feedback that promotes equilibrium. A mathematical model called the qualia equation captures these dynamics as neural, informational, and somatic interactions. The framework includes empirical validation strategies such as AI simulations, neurophysiological studies, neuromorphic computing, and astrophysical research, and incorporates the Self-Organizing Meta-Adaptive (SOMA) model to emphasize the embodied and adaptive nature of qualia. This provides a testable foundation for future consciousness research.

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/cbnwr_v1

Quantum Cosmic Consciousness Code - QCCC By Jalal Khawaldeh (2025)

Jalal Khawaldeh

Consciousness may arise from quantum processes in the brain, according to a theoretical framework that integrates DNA resonance codes, microtubule oscillations, and astrocyte-generated biomagnetic fields. Analysis of EEG, NMR, and calcium imaging data suggests that nuclear spins in phosphate molecules (Posner clusters) act as stable qubits with prolonged coherence times, DNA resonance codes (1-10 THz) modulate neural activity by frequency-locking with microtubule vibrations, and astrocyte biomagnetic fields suppress decoherence to sustain quantum states in the brain's warm, wet environment. Statistical parallels (R² = 0.79-0.83) indicate that about 80% of the variance in neural coherence metrics can be explained by cosmic quantum patterns. The framework extends prior theories such as Orchestrated Objective Reduction and Fisher's Nuclear Spin Hypothesis.

DOI: 10.22541/au.174345560.00477705/v1

Consciousness as Cosmic Relational Emergence

Bautista Baron preprint

Consciousness emerges as a natural consequence of universal organizational principles in cosmic evolution, arising when systems achieve enough relational complexity to sustain self-referential organization. A theoretical framework extends relational ontology using thermodynamic and information-theoretic foundations, with mathematical formalization linking neural structures to cosmic processes. This evolutionary-naturalistic approach reinterprets the hard problem and explanatory gap, opening interdisciplinary research pathways across philosophy, cosmology, and complexity science.

DOI: 10.20944/preprints202506.1929.v1

Contemplative Neuroscience as an Approach to Volitional Consciousness

Evan Thompson

Contemplative neuroscience studies volitional consciousness by examining how meditation training enables people to voluntarily generate and regulate mental states. Attention, awareness, and emotion regulation are treated as trainable skills. Research on the neural dynamics of contemplative states and theories of large-scale brain coordination suggests that global system causation plays a key role in brain activity. An interventionist approach to intentional causation is proposed.

DOI: 10.31231/osf.io/7fg3v_v1

Electrophysiological Evidence for Distinct Neural Correlates of Low- and High-Level Visual Consciousness Independent of Post-Perceptual Processing

Annika Hense, Antje Peters, Torge Dellert et al.

Conscious visual experience ranges from basic features to integrated percepts like faces, but it is unclear whether brain signals linked to consciousness reflect only low-level features or also higher-order content. Using an inattentional blindness design with 85 participants, the study measured brain activity while people perceived either no stimulus, only low-level lines, or a high-level face. Low-level perception produced an early occipital negativity, while face perception additionally recruited a right-lateralized occipitotemporal negativity and later medial posterior positivities. These results suggest that distinct spatiotemporal brain patterns correspond to different representational levels of conscious perception, independent of task-related processes.

DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.6642388