Neurophenomenology
Method & Theory in the Study of Religion January 1, 2000 Frederic H. Peters 4 citations
The study of religion focuses on conscious experiences, but its methods cannot fully explain consciousness itself. Philosophy and psychology offer insights but lack access to the brain's neural mechanisms. Neuroscience has moved beyond behaviorism, and recent research suggests that the evolution of the brain's representational capacity may generate consciousness. These advances allow combining objective explanation with subjective descriptions, creating neurophenomenology. Lucid consciousness, a distinct state where awareness and content are differentiated, is a key category in Hindu and Buddhist traditions and serves as an ideal test case for this new analytic approach.