In early 2010 I started the Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies. AICS has been established as a nexus for advancing interdisciplinary understanding of consciousness that combines scientific and contemplative investigatory knowledge. Affiliated with B. Alan Wallace and his Santa Babara Institute, AICS is an organization which reaches out to the scientific and academic communities, a variety of contemplative traditions, and the general public. Research activities focus on the nature, origins, and role of consciousness in human existence.
I am currently working with several Professors from the University of Tasmania in the hope that a consciousness studies center at UTas can be setup for further scientific research projects. We also hope to purchase land for contemplative observatories (retreat land) and house and support professional contemplatives as part of the overall goals of the project. If you think you can help with this please contact me to discuss your ideas.
Along with the AICS project I am also working on a PhD in philosophy from the University of Tasmania thesis entitled From the Given to the Givenless: A Critical Analysis of No-Self and the Givenness of First-person Experience. Submission date is Feb 2012.
Research Supervisor: Dr Sonam Thakchoe
My project has morphed somewhat recently and thus the description below is somewhat outdated. Although, I do hold to its assertions.
It is my claim that “self” or “persons” do not possess any kind of absolute ontological status. That the appearance of an objective referent of a self, person or “I” are non-existent imaginaries. Moreover, any notion that an invariant property of any kind is that which binds diachronic and synchronic first-person experience is an incoherent thesis, and like-wise a non-existent imaginary.
However, I will claim that despite this it is still possible to posit self, persons and I, existing, in a sense truly, as mere contingent phenomena within the framework of a kind of dynamic system. I will do this by arguing that what is being rejected here is not the existence of self or persons, but rather the existence of (1) a non-fabricated objective agent of experience, (2) any notion of an invariant or variant property of any kind, at any level of discourse which is the “self” or is acting as a “self” and (3) intrinsic identity at any level. I will thereby show that from within the framework of conventional discourse, phenomena such as persons are merely contingent, and that this schema leaves intact functional first-person experience.
My area of research interest lies in Buddhist philosophy and Philosophy of Mind. I am particularly interested in rigorous scientific investigation of the nature, origin, and role of consciousness in selfhood and nature. The cognitive sciences have brought objective, third-person investigative techniques to the study of attention, emotion, and other aspects of consciousness. And the work of philosophically minded scientists such as Francisco Varela with his work in neurophenomenology, have brought consciousness studies to the foreground of researchers. Yet, there is still no consensus or even a clear understanding of the nature of consciousness.
As I have said else where but, it is worth repeating: I believe Buddhist thought is not simply a religious doctrine founded by a long dead ancient culture with little connection to contemporary life. I would claim it is the investigation and articulation of natural laws. I would also suggest that at its core, is not mysticism, but rather empirical data garnered through investigation into such things as the nature of mind and experience. These claims are then evaluated via meditation and just like science these experiments must be repeatable by any individual. The Dalai Lama has often said: “If science finds empirical evidence that contradicts Buddhist doctrine we must abandon that tenet”. I would, therefore, claim that Buddhism should be understood to fall somewhere between science, philosophy and religion.
I, therefore, believe those trained in Buddhist theory and meditation can make a contribution to humanity by engaging Western philosophy and science. What is required by cognitive science, for example, in order to move forward from the materialists impasse it currently finds itself in – thus become clearer about the processes of consciousness – is to adopt methodologies of first-person inquiry found in contemplative traditions such as Buddhism. By combining rigorous first and third-person techniques, this approach can yield objective, quantitative and uniquely qualitative data to which states of consciousness achieved through the practice and application of meditation can be investigated.
In this regard, I am in the process of collaborating with various academics to begin Australia’s first research project into consciousness leveraging first-person investigatory methodologies found in the Buddhist tradition. If you would like to find out more information, just ask.
