Vedantic Idealism, the Structural Dynamics of Universal Consciousness, and the Mind–Body Problem

Consciousness, understood as the sole existent in non-dual Vedanta, avoids cognitive dissonance by experiencing all its manifestations as itself, not as separate. Before assuming limited perspectives, it imagines all possible subjects across natural and logically possible universes, along with their relationships and transformations. These virtual universes provide objective elements perceived as other than Consciousness, surpassing solipsistic qualia. This framework preserves the value of scientific insight into the structural dynamics of the phenomenal world, filling gaps in recent Vedanta-based theories of consciousness and the mind–body problem.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper contributes to recent efforts to mine Vedanta for a more complete and cogent theory of the nature of consciousness and a solution to the mind–body problem. Various non-dual interpretations of Vedanta share the idea that the sole existent is Consciousness and offer more or less detailed descriptions of the structural dynamics of that Consciousness including how it assumes myriad limited perspectives localized within a matrix of other limited perspectives. Here, we add two crucial ideas that fill gaps left by other recent theories grounded in Vedanta and resolve outstanding issues in those endeavours. The first is that the universal Consciousness experiences all of its manifestations as none other than itself, thus avoiding any debilitating cognitive dissonance from the limited, incompatible perspectives of limited subjects. Second, before assuming those perspectives, Consciousness imagines all possible subjects in all natural and logically possible universes, their orderly mutual relationships and transformations. The elements of those virtual universes are potential objects for every limited perspective thus providing something objective that is nonetheless perceived as other than Consciousness but is more than solipsistic qualia. The idea of virtual worlds also preserves the integrity and value of scientific insight into the structural dynamics of the phenomenal world.