Background

How to See Consciousness by Marcel Eschauzier is a short book written for specialist readers and contains philosophical jargon. It is the enhanced version of an academic philosophy-of-mind essay submitted on September 28, 2023, for the CFP essay prize “Is Consciousness Fundamental?” The prize is part of the John-Templeton-Foundation-funded project “Panpsychism and Pan(en)theism: Philosophy of Mind Meets Philosophy of Religion,” led by Philip Goff (Durham University) and Andrei A. Buckareff (Marist College). Added material includes an epistemology subchapter and quantum mechanics considerations.

From the back cover

Are you tired of online shouting matches? Craving meaningful mind food instead? This short academic essay looks at timeless questions differently. It’s a sober but comprehensive guide to a nondual relationship with the world, of which our deepest being is inextricably part. Discover what our universe is made of and what that means for science.

What is it about?

Published in 2023, this concise technical essay presents the bare essentials of existential rationalism, an innovative metaphysical framework that embraces nonduality and revisits the 18th-century rationalist tradition. The author explains why the analytical paradigm falls short in the philosophy of mind because it insists on defining consciousness. Such a definition is a claim of what consciousness is not. This makes analytical philosophy inherently dualistic.

Eschauzier’s book challenges the traditional analytical mind theories, arguing that both dualistic and monistic approaches, including popular ideas like panpsychism, are fundamentally flawed. The author contends that these theories stumble over what’s known as the interaction problem-the inability to rationally explain how consciousness interacts with non-consciousness. Instead, he proposes nondualism as the most logical framework, suggesting that only consciousness can be known to exist. This consciousness, he argues, is inherently inconceivable, private, and lacks a knowable cause, yet is undeniable.

The book goes on to explore how nondualism and reason mutually reinforce each other, creating a “virtuous circle” that justifies using inductive reasoning to study consciousness. Eschauzier extends this philosophical approach to challenge our understanding of reality itself, arguing that any concept of reality separate from consciousness is ultimately unknowable and based on faith rather than reason. He calls for a radical shift in scientific thinking, urging researchers to focus on scientific facts rather than making objective knowledge claims about reality. The author also delves into related topics such as epistemology and quantum mechanics, attempting to show how nondualism aligns with and potentially clarifies certain aspects of modern physics.

Key insights

The essay presents the following arguments for integrating nondualistic Zen principles into the philosophy of mind:

• Consciousness as fundamental: The author posits that consciousness is the only thing we can know to exist, echoing Zen teachings about the nature of reality.
• The limits of conceptualization: Eschauzier argues that consciousness is ultimately inconceivable, a notion that resonates with Zen’s emphasis on direct experience over intellectual understanding.
• The illusion of separation: The book challenges the idea of separate subjects and objects, a core tenet in both Zen philosophy and nondualistic thought.
• The present moment: Eschauzier’s focus on the immediacy of conscious experience aligns with Zen’s emphasis on present-moment awareness.
• A rational approach to knowledge limits. The author presents a logical argument for what might be considered mystical insights in Zen tradition, bridging the gap between Eastern and Western philosophical approaches.

Conclusion—who might benefit?

The book’s specialized content and philosophical jargon make it ideal for seasoned philosophy enthusiasts, but unsuitable for casual readers or those seeking practical guidance for self-help and well-being. The latter group may be better served by Oneless Oneness: Tao as an Existential Remedy or Awakening the Other Way: Nonduality and Existential Reason.

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