Mindfulness and the Mind: Buddhist and Western Perspectives

In this team-taught class we will examine the theory and practice of mindfulness from traditional Buddhist and contemporary philosophical perspectives, and consider its implications for our understanding of the mind. We will outline the origins of mindfulness in Asian Buddhism, and its development in the modern West. We then examine philosophical questions raised by studying meditation scientifically: does a 1st person perspective validate the content of our experience? Or must it also by verified by objective, 3rd person perspectives? What does meditation reveal about the nature of consciousness? If consciousness is reflexive, aware of itself, does this self-awareness undermine the Buddhist doctrine of non-self? Students will get first-hand experience practicing mindfulness two hours a week, led by a local meditation teacher. Readings will be from Buddhist and Western philosophical texts and articles.