A filosofia da mente e a psicologia budista: uma interlocução para o debate contemporâneo sobre consciência

Abstract

The master's dissertation we present through this abstract aims to discuss the interchange between the philosophy of mind and Buddhist psychology, motivated by the desire to contribute to the debate on the definition of consciousness. Specifically, the dissertation focuses on the elements involved in this dialogue, dedicating itself to discussing philosophical issues concerning ontology, metaphysics, and epistemology. Additionally, it also addresses concepts of mind and consciousness proposed in the field of Buddhist psychology. To indicate the importance of the debate on the definition of consciousness, the dissertation begins with the problem of defining consciousness in cognitive sciences, highlighting the complexity of this task as expressed in the hard problem of consciousness. This problem refers to the difficulty of explaining the subjective and qualitative nature of conscious experience. In this context, Buddhist psychology, which focuses on first-person experience, is presented as a potential source of conceptual and theoretical resources that can contribute to contemporary discussions on consciousness. Aiming to scrutinize this possibility, the first chapter explores considerations on the epistemological and metaphysical foundations of Western and Buddhist traditions, highlighting the confluences and distinctions between them. The purpose is to initiate an articulation between the philosophy of mind and Buddhist psychology based on their fundamental elements. The second chapter examines how both traditions approach the study of the mind and psychological processes, emphasizing the notions of mind and consciousness present in Buddhist psychology. Specifically, an argument is made in favor of the understanding that there is a psychological comprehension within the Buddhist tradition. Following this, fundamental Buddhist concepts about mind and consciousness are presented: citta, vijñāna, alayavijñāna, and manas, as well as the five aggregates (skandha). In the third chapter, the dissertation reviews the main ontological theses about the mind and consciousness within the Western debate, including substance dualism, physicalism, and emergentism. Based on this, it evaluates the gaps in traditional approaches of the philosophy of mind and argues for the need for a new cognitive science that incorporates the embodied mind and the subjective perspective. In conclusion, the dissertation proposes that a dialogue between Western philosophy of mind and Buddhist psychology can enrich contemporary cognitive sciences. It argues that Buddhist methods and concepts, especially those related to meditation and introspection, offer new perspectives and solutions for the study of consciousness. The analysis of subjective experience from a first-person perspective, central to Buddhist psychology, is seen as an essential complement to Western scientific approaches that predominantly rely on a third-person perspective.