Eckhart Tolle and Perception: A Theoretical and Empirical Study of Conscious Presence
Preprints.org January 12, 2026 Moninder Singh Modgil, Dnyandeo Dattatray Patil preprint
Consciousness in its unconditioned state can be mathematically described as a limit condition of cognitive curvature, analogous to a zero-curvature manifold in differential geometry, where perception is no longer mediated by temporal differentiation. This zero-curvature condition finds empirical support in neuroscientific studies of the Default Mode Network, where meditative absorption produces near-zero entropy. The framework integrates contemplative insights with neurogeometric and physical models, drawing parallels between meditative silence and harmonic equilibrium in sound. The paper extends this analysis to symbolic expressions in 20th-century rock music, interpreting Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" as an acoustic meditation on presence, and Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" as reflections of cognitive noise collapsing into inner quietude.