Analytic Idealism and Consciousness

Analytic idealism, championed by Bernardo Kastrup, posits that consciousness is the fundamental reality, with the physical universe being a projection of this consciousness. This perspective suggests that rather than consciousness arising from physical processes, it is the other way around; experience shapes brain activity, and the brain serves merely as a representation of consciousness. Kastrup addresses criticisms about his work, emphasizing that while he acknowledges an external world, it is also mental in nature, existing beyond individual minds. This framework situates individual consciousness within a larger field of 'cosmic consciousness,' thereby reframing common understandings of reality and subjective experience.