Wisdom Notes on Philosophy

Home Binary Consciousness.  Chapter 1: Nature of Consciousness Table of Contents Introduction Glossary
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Summary of Chapter 1


In my ideas on consciousness I use two axes as the framework of theory. One axis is a dynamic perspective on reality, and the other one is a static perspective on reality. I use two axes because I consider that consciousness is binary in its form: the primary division of consciousness is into subjectivity and objectivity. This assumption enables me to solve problems that appear to be insoluble within a viewpoint based on the unity of consciousness.

In some of my articles I classify consciousness as a pattern of will, mind and feeling: this produces a static structure. However, mind is changeable and dynamic. By shifting the perspective on consciousness to psychology and existentialism, a dynamic element is introduced into analysis.

Another way to classify the relations between psychology and existentialism is that of causal and functional aspects to consciousness. Causes are within time and are static; functions are dynamic (independent of time). Whence :

The causal view is the psychological perspective.
The functional view is the existential perspective.

The agency of consciousness is the ego. I contrast this with the elements of determinism within consciousness, which I denote by the term “karma”. Ego and karma link to the ideas above in this way: consciousness consists of a static, causal structure (karma, or fixed beliefs) plus a dynamic, particular perspective on life (the ego).




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