A Philosophical Reassessment of Consciousness-Matter Relations
Philosophy study April 14, 2026 Weicheng Cui
A paper critiques Richard Conn Henry's 2005 claim that the universe is fundamentally mental, arguing instead for an ether-mind dualistic ontology. The analysis identifies fallacies in Henry's conceptual definitions, logical deductions, and scientific boundaries. It reviews debates in quantum mechanics, neuroscience, epigenetics, and parapsychology to argue that quantum measurement involves material interactions, not consciousness; consciousness emerges from mind-body interaction and depends on a material substrate; science applies only to the finite observable world and cannot assert absolute truths; and monism is inadequate as an ontological foundation, with ether-mind dualism offering greater explanatory power.