Phenomenal Consciousness and Mind-Body Problem

in East-West Perspective

V.N. Misra

• Publisher: D.K. Printworld
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9788124610077
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Mind & Body in Philosophy

About the Book
The problem of explanatory gap in the phenomenal consciousness has risen in the Western philosophy mainly because the consciousness itself and its manifestations or reflections are treated separately. Whereas, according to the Ved?nta school of India, the phenomenal consciousness is merely manifestations of self-consciousness which is embodied in the human beings. In this approach, the phenomenal consciousness and self-consciousness are one and the same thing because the former depends upon the latter. Hence, there is no explanatory gap in the phenomenal consciousness. Similar is the case with the mind–body problem which exists in the Western philosophy mainly because the mind is treated as synonymous with consciousness.
This book solves the above problems on the basis of the Indian philosophy and existential philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. In both the philosophies, there is no explanatory gap in the phenomenal consciousness and the mind–body problem. About the Author
V.N. Misra, PhD, retired from Indian Economic Service (IES), has worked as Economic Advisor in different ministries of Government of India. He had several consultancy assignments with the ADB, FAO, World Bank and IFPRI. Dr Misra has also to his credit more than forty research papers published in reputed journals in the field of agricultural policy and development, labour, employment, rural poverty, etc. He has also co-authored (with V.S. Vyas and D.S. Tyagi) a book, Significance of New Technology for Small Farmers. Dr Misra's study on Terms of Trade is a published work. He has now shifted his interest from economics to philosophy and has recently published two books: Science of Consciousness: A Synthesis of Ved?nta and Buddhism and Sa?s?ra and Nirv??a: A Unifying Vision.

1

Explanatory Gap in
Phenomenal Consciousness

Solution in East–West Perspective

Introduction

There is explanatory gap in the phenomenal consciousness dealt in the Western philosophy. In this chapter, an attempt has been made to explain phenomenal consciousness through access consciousness. Phenomenal consciousness and access consciousness are treated as two different phenomena. The fact, however, is that phenomenal consciousness happens to be merely the manifestation of access consciousness, which is accessible to each and every one of us. The field of access consciousness is embodied in human being according to Advaita Vedānta school of Indian philosophy. In Western philosophy it may be referred as representational consciousness.

Phenomenal consciousness is treated as the central sort of consciousness, mainly because it has experiential properties of sensation, perceptions, thoughts, wants and emotions.1 However, phenomenal consciousness has been distinguished from access consciousness (access to information), self-consciousness (representation of oneself) and monitoring consciousness (representation of one’s own mental states).2 These notions of consciousness are important, but phenomenal consciousness is by far most puzzling, mainly because in science and philosophy, explanations are required in objective terms, whereas consciousness happens to be subjective by its nature.3 Phenomenal consciousness is also different from intentional content.4

Further, phenomenal consciousness is representational. Its properties are distinct from any cognitive, intentional or functional property.5 There is explanatory gap in phenomenal consciousness because it contrasts with understanding of the scientific basis of cognition.6 Block has, however, mentioned the following differences between phenomenal consciousness and access consciousness:

i. Phenomenal conscious content is phenomenal, whereas as access consciousness is representational.7

ii. Phenomenal consciousness is not a functional notion, whereas access consciousness is representative in its content.8

iii. The paradigm phenomenal conscious states are sensations, whereas the paradigm access conscious states are “propositional attitude” states like thoughts, beliefs and desires, states with representational content.9

Despite the above differences, it is stated that both phenomenal consciousness and access consciousness interact.10 How they interact has not been explained. It has also been stated that phenomenal consciousness takes place without access consciousness in some situations. Similarly access consciousness also takes place without phenomenal consciousness.11

That apart, the fact remains that in the same book, Rosenthal has categorically stated that “phenomenal consciousness cannot occur without access consciousness”.12 The importance of access consciousness has, however, been reassured by Sartre’s observation:

The problems of the relations between I and consciousness are thus existential problems. Husserl takes up Kant’s transcendental consciousness and grasps it by means of the epoché. But this consciousness is no longer a set of logical conditions, but an absolute fact. It is no longer a de jure hypothesis, an unconscious that floats between real and ideal realms. It is real consciousness, ...

Table of contents

• Preface
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1. Explanatory Gap in Phenomenal Consciousness Solution in East–West Perspective
• 2. Mind and Consciousness in East–West Perspective
• 3. Consciousness in Advaita Vedānta
• 4. Consciousness in Jean-Paul Sartre’s Philosophy of Existentialism
• 5. Intentionality in East–West Perspective
• 6. Solution to Mind–Body Problem in East–West Perspective
• 7. Mental Causation and Inner Sense in East–West Perspective
• Epilogue
• Bibliography
• Index