Peter D. Hershock, "Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis" (Bloomsbury, 2023)
Mar 23, 2025
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In this discussion, Peter D. Hershock, a Professor at the East-West Center, shares insights from his book which fuses Buddhist philosophy with modern understandings of consciousness. He argues that consciousness is a relational phenomenon shaped by our environments and cultures. Topics covered include the ethics of machine morality, the implications of AI on human behavior, and the transformative effects of meditation. Hershock emphasizes the intertwining of consciousness with both matter and relationships, urging us to engage compassionately with our evolving understanding.
Consciousness is a relational phenomenon that shapes experiences and emphasizes the interconnectedness of brains, bodies, environments, and cultures.
Altered states of consciousness, whether through meditation or psychedelics, can broaden awareness and enhance social engagement among individuals.
The rise of artificial consciousness necessitates ethical discussions regarding its impact on human autonomy and societal structures.
Cultural evolution, infused with ethical considerations, highlights the importance of fostering diverse value systems to effectively address global challenges.
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Transformative Perspectives on Consciousness
The essence of consciousness is explored through a relational lens, emphasizing its role in shaping experiences rather than conforming to metaphysical definitions. This perspective signifies a commitment to enhancing consciousness's qualitative experiences, targeting the ways individuals relate to their environments. It raises essential questions about the implications of altered states of consciousness, advocating for a deeper understanding of the connections between self and world. Thus, consciousness becomes a dynamic and evolving process, integral to human experience.
Rethinking Ontology and Consciousness
The discussion presents a fundamental shift in how consciousness is conceptualized, moving from a strict focus on neural correlates to understanding it as a relational and interdependent phenomenon. No longer confined to spatial or temporal constraints, this viewpoint promotes the idea that consciousness emerges from the interactions among various entities in their unique contexts. This relational ontology reorients discussions of consciousness towards ethical implications, acknowledging the responsibility of theorists. Ultimately, it challenges preconceived notions of consciousness, arguing for a more nuanced engagement with both physical and phenomenological realities.
Altered States and Expanded Consciousness
Exploration into altered states of consciousness reveals their potential to disrupt entrenched neural pathways, resulting in broader experiential possibilities. These states, whether induced by meditation or psychedelics, unlock novel patterns of awareness and social engagement, indicating a more extensive network of consciousness at work. The growing recognition of shared consciousness, particularly through collaborative experiences, highlights the importance of relational dynamics in understanding human connectivity. Such insights push the boundaries of neuroscience to reevaluate foundational assumptions about consciousness.
Navigating the Ethical Challenges of AI
The rise of artificial consciousness prompts critical discussions around ethics, agency, and the responsibilities of creating intelligent systems. As AI develops, understanding its implications on human consciousness becomes paramount, especially in light of its potential to influence societal norms and behaviors. Concerns arise over the effects of AI systems on personal autonomy and what it means to engage with machines in a meaningful way. This ethical dimension calls for an urgent reevaluation of collective values in the design and implementation of AI technologies.
Cultural and Ethical Evolution in Consciousness
Cultural evolution, infused with ethical considerations, introduces a vital framework for contemplating human responsibility and potential futures. The necessity for a collective move towards ethical evolution emphasizes the understanding that current societal structures may inhibit genuine engagement with global challenges. By redefining the nature of consciousness and self-awareness through cultural interfaces, humanity can foster ecological and social flourishing. This ethical evolution encourages diverse value systems to coexist, creating a harmonious interplay between differing cultural perspectives.
Consciousness Mattering(Bloombury, 2023) presents a contemporary Buddhist theory in which brains, bodies, environments, and cultures are relational infrastructures for human consciousness. Drawing on insights from meditation, neuroscience, physics, and evolutionary theory, it demonstrates that human consciousness is not something that occurs only in our heads and consists in the creative elaboration of relations among sensed and sensing presences, and more fundamentally between matter and what matters. Peter Hershock argues that without consciousness there would only be either unordered sameness or nothing at all. Evolution is consciousness mattering.
Shedding new light on the co-emergence of subjective awareness and culture, the possibility of machine consciousness, the risks of algorithmic consciousness hacking, and the potentials of intentionally altered states of consciousness, Hershock invites us to consider how freely, wisely, and compassionately consciousness matters.
