Qualia are internal, subjective qualitative states such
as the redness of red, aesthetic experiences of beauty and revulsion, pain, happiness,
boredom, depression, elation, motivation, intention, the experience of understanding
something for the first time, etc. Such states are subjective and private and are distinct
(though causally related to) physical and neural activities.
The experimentally accessible processes, such as projection of images on the retina and
the resultant neural firings etc, are describable in terms of manipulation of symbols
(typically binary states such as fired/not fired, matrices of pixels or strings of
pulses). However, how these symbols and the processes that manipulate them give rise to
qualitative experience is one of the major areas of difference between the materialist and
Buddhist viewpoints.
To the materialist, all perceptions - sight, hearing, touch taste and smell - arrive in
the brain as bitstreams, a sequence of 1's and 0's like the bitstream which is
bringing this information to you down the telephone wire. The 1's and 0's are physically
implemented as electro-chemical impulses of neurons. The neural nets within the
brain process these raw bitstreams, firstly into data, then into information and
finally into knowledge.
Buddhist philosophy has no difficulties with this process up to and including the point
of generating information. However it points out that no mechanistic explanation appears
to be able to bridge the gulf between information and knowledge, ie from symbols (whether
on the printed page, or in the brain) to actual experience. There seems to be no
bridge between the data about a rose, no matter how they are processed and arranged, and
the actual subjective experience of the rose. The immediate knowledge of the rose consists
(among other things) of the qualia of red, green, and the smell of its perfume, not to
mention the very immediate and unpleasant sensation I get when I attempt to pick it up by
its thorny stem.
The Buddhist does not doubt that the brain does some very sophisticated ordering of its
incoming nerve impulses into the datastructures which are the objects of knowledge.
But when all is said and done, those data structures remain as objects.
They are not themselves knowledge, neither are they that which performs the function of
knowing.
A datastructure by its very nature must have form. But according to Buddhist beliefs,
the mind is formless and is capable of grasping any object of knowledge, including facts
about the mind itself, which then become objects of knowledge in their own right.
Consequently the mind is potentially unbounded.
Buddhist philosophy states that the the gap between information and knowledge cannot be
bridged from the data-object side, it can only be bridged by the mind reaching out
or going to its object (as it appears to do in certain quantum
phenomena such as the 'spooky action at a distance' discussed in the section on quantum phenomena). Thus the mind is not a extension
of the dataprocessing capabilities of the brain either in terms of hardware,
datastructures or algorithms. It is something totally different in its fundamental nature
from all of these.
There is no one-way chain of causation between neurological events and qualitative
mental states. Rather the mind appears to impute or project reality over the contents of
datastructures within the brain, much as a PC operator would impute text, graphics,
windows etc over the two dimensional array of dots that comprise a computer display.
- Sean Robsville
See also:
Arguments
against Buddhism
' ....People get spiritual experiences under the influence of
electromagnetic fields such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and from
psychedelic drugs such as mescalin, LSD, Psilocybe semilanceata and Amanita muscaria. All
these transpersonal experiences are simply delusions caused by disruption of the normal
electrochemical activity of the neurones.'
' ...Yes and No. There's no doubt that people experience
other realms of reality under the influence of TMS or psychoactive drugs. In these
conditions the functioning of the brain is indeed abnormal. But - you've got to ask
yourself - what is the purpose of the normal functioning of the brain? The brain is a
device which has evolved by selection of the fittest (not the most truthful) to project
the delusion of the inherently-existing self onto the mind. This delusion of a permanent,
unchanging self is 'imputed' over the ever-changing transitory collection of biochemical
building blocks that makes up the physical aspects of a sentient being. Disruption .... by
biochemical or biophysical agents, enables the mind to temporarily push the doors of
perception ajar and peek beyond mundane biologically-determined appearances.... '
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
'...Computationalism or philosophical AI, (sometimes also
known as Strong AI), which is the view that all
human mental activities are reducible to algorithms, and could therefore be implemented on
a computer...'
Automaton
'...The internal states, inputs and outputs of an automaton have no inherent
meaning. Any meaning (semantics) must be assigned from outside the system...'
Bardo
'... To the western materialist, the state of a 'dead' mind is OFF
/ Non-Existent / No Activity. It is the ultimate
Quietus - no experience whatsoever. To the Buddhist it is impossible to
envisage 'no mind'. The state of a disembodied mind is active, hallucinatory and,
depending on its karmic imprints, sometimes nightmarish...'
Behaviorism
'...It is amazing that no-one ever realised that all phenomena - from atoms to
galaxies - can only be known via internal mental states. If internal mental states do not
exist then the things that become manifest through them cannot exist - or at any rate must
always remain totally innaccessible to understanding. (But presumably this doesn't
matter because understanding, being an internal mental state, also cannot exist!)...'
Buddhist Teachings
on the mind, personal relationships, meditation and the spiritual path.
Compassion
'...compassion is the root of a Buddha because all
Buddhas arise fom the mind of compassion, it is the root of Dharma because Buddhas give
Dharma teachings out of compassion for others, and it is the root of the Sangha because it
is impossible to become Sangha without practising compassion.'
Dharma and dogma
'Buddha Shakyamuni never claimed to have any higher authority for his teachings
than his own experience.'
Dukkha
'Dukkha is sometimes translated as suffering but in actual fact encompasses all
senses of unsatisfactoriness, even including pleasure (which evolution has
contrived will always be a transient sensation - lest it detract too much from the
grim business of survival).'
Emergence
The mind cannot be an emergent property of the brain or any other physical
system, since emergent properties and emergent phenomena are psychological in origin, and
require the pre-existence of an observer's mind in order to become manifest.
Empty set - the origins of number
'...in the final analysis the entire number system
has been generated by the play of mind on emptiness, in the complete absence of the need
to refer to any material thing, or things, which are being counted. Numbers are
therefore fundamentally devoid of inherent 'Platonic' existence..'
Epiphenomenalism
'Epiphenomenalism avoids some of the absurdities of the behaviorists by claiming
that consciousness and thought-processes do actually exist, though only as epiphenomena
generated by the physical activities of the brain. However, thoughts
have no causative functions! The illusion of free-will remains
precisely that - an illusion'.
Evolutionary Psychology
'Our genes drive us along paths of action which appear to minimise suffering, but
in many cases increase it. Greed and acquisitiveness are natural reactions designed to
increase the survival of our genes, and decrease the chances of our competitors. After a
certain point, the more you've got the more you've got to lose, and so the more you've got
to worry about.'
Feminine spirituality, philosophy and science
'Why is God male rather than female? Gender is required to allow DNA to recombine
and evolve in different and potentially novel combinations. Patriarchal religions
preach that God is a single unborn, uncreated, unevolved, non-biological entity who does
not reproduce and will endure for all eternity. He hasn't undergone evolution Himself,
so why does He need to be sexually differentiated at all?.
Feud between Science and Religion
'Many (most?) scientists believe religions to be irrational, obscurantist and
anti-scientific The problem goes back to Galileo, who discovered that the earth goes
round the sun, rather than vice-versa as stated in the Bible.'
Formless mind
'The description of the root mind as 'formless' doesn't just refer to its
non-material nature, but it emphasises that it is unlimited, non-mechanistic and totally
free from any structure or topology. . In Buddhist psychology the root mind is
non-physical and non-algorithmic. The mind cannot be understood in terms of circuit
diagrams and flowcharts. It is pure awareness.'
God
'For in Him we live, and move, and have our being'
Laws of physics - their anthropic origin
'Both quantum theory and Buddhist teachings on sunyata suggest that as soon as an
observer's mind makes contact with a superposed system, all the numerous possibilities
collapse into one actuality. At some instant one of these possible alternative universes
produced an observing lifeform. The first act of observation by this mind caused the
entire superposed multiverse to collapse immediately into one of its numerous
alternatives'
Mahayana
'The Mahayana practitioner's objective is to achieve advanced spiritual states
(culminating after many lifetimes in Buddhahood), in order to guide, teach and ultimately
rescue all unhappy sentient beings from their suffering. To do this she needs to develop a
number of attributes including great compassion (bodhicitta). '
Mathematics - Its unreasonable
effectiveness in science and engineering
So we are left with something of a mystery. According to the physicalist
worldview, the mind (including mathematicians' minds) is an epiphenomenon of matter which
has evolved solely to ensure the survival of the selfish genes which code for it. Why
should this 'top-level' phenomenon have such intimate access to the 'bottom level'
phenomena such as quantum physics? After all, the two levels are supposedly separated by
less well-understood (in some cases) explanatory layers such as evolutionary psychology,
neurology, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, and chemistry.
Meditation
'There can be a number of objectives of meditation from simple relief of
stress, through improving the long-term peace of mind in this life, up to stabilising and
clarifying the subtle (permanent) mind that goes on to future lives.'
Meme theory and memetics
'A novel view of meditation might be that it is like running a virus check on your
mind. Lurking memes, such as rubbish left over from childhood indoctrination, can be
brought to the surface and examined. Residues of self-referential belief systems - those
driven by fear, guilt, wanting to conform, wanting other people to conform, or alternately
pride in being better than non-believers - can be recognised for what they are and cleared
out.'
Parietal Lobe and Mystical Experience
To the average Westerner, deliberately cultivating the idea that your ego
doesn't exist as a fixed entity may seem weird and scary, but in fact it can be immensely
liberating. As one of the researcher/meditators taking part in the study said
"It feels like a loss of boundary. It's as if the film of your life broke and you
were seeing the light that allowed the film to be projected"
Particle physics
Basically, what quantum theory says is that fundamental particles are empty of
inherent existence and exist in an undefined state of potentialities. They have no
existence 'from their own side' and do not become 'real' until a mind interacts with them
and gives them meaning.
Rebirth - reincarnation
The belief in rebirth is not confined to Buddhism..... few
Christians realised the importance of the concept of reincarnation or rebirth in Judaism,
where it is known as 'gilgul' or 'ibur'. This has raised the question: 'If
belief in rebirth occurs in Judaism, why was it not carried forward into Christianity?'
The Buddhist and Jewish beliefs are similar in that it is the very subtle,
non-material mind which survives death. Since this is the only thing that we can take with
us to the future, we need to make the best use of our present life to improve its
state.
Science of the mind?
Science will never be able to analyse such phenomena...
because these 'things' do not have any structure - they do not have any nuts and bolts for
the dismantling tools of science to get a grip on.
The phrase 'Science of Consciousness' is thus a self-contradiction.
Sentient beings
What make a sentient being different from an automaton?
Symbiotic mind
Animals above a certain level of development require more than automatic reflexes
in order to survive. Advanced organisms need motivation and intention in order to function
in complex environments. Motivation and intention are chiefly driven by dukkha - the need
to avoid suffering or unsatisfactoriness and the restless but futile search for lasting
happiness. It is the suffering and grasping of their minds - the need to
avoid pain and seek pleasure - that provides the driving force for survival and
reproduction of complex animals.
Symbolism
Evocative symbols are interpreted by and affect the more subtle levels of the
mind. Evocative symbolism is associated with art, architecture and poetry, especially
where there is a spiritual aspect.
Tantra and Tantric Meditation
All phenomena are free from inherent existence, that is they are not definable in
terms of themselves, but are dependently related to other phenomena. The same line
of reasoning can be applied to our own identities, for if we search hard enough for our
Self or Ego - we find it isn't there!
Tat Tvam Asi - That Thou Art
Is the mind of God separate from the minds of His creatures? Do we all
have a spark of universal mind?
Tibetan
Death Chart
Transpersonal Psychology
Transpersonal Psychology grew out of the rejection of the mechanistic or
behaviorist model of the mind which was the orthodoxy of the mid-twentieth century
academic establishment . Charles T. Tart refers to this orthodoxy when
describing his college experience in the 1960's: 'As to things like mystical
experiences, if they were mentioned at all, which was rare, they were relegated to the
fringes of psychiatry as being undoubtedly schizophrenic in nature and just showed how
sick religions were to be associated with superstitious nonsense like that'
Wicca - an intuitive reaction against materialism?
'As both Tibetan Buddhism and Wicca are growing rapidly in the English-speaking
countries, there will come a time when there will need to be an interfaith dialogue
between the two paths. The purpose of this article is to examine the similarities and
differences between Wicca and Tibetan Buddhism.'
RATIONAL
BUDDHISM
If we regard Buddhism as a combination of a philosophy, psychology and religion, then how
much mileage can we get from the first two aspects before we have to start invoking
religious faith?
Christian
versus Buddhist worldviews
|
