I believe that reality is better described using the monist point of view, than dualism, so therefore what follows is a discussion of monism. Materialism assumes that the physical(matter based) brain is all there is to mind, matter being the basis of reality. Since physical objects need a mind to label them as objects, matter cannot be more fundamental than mind. Materialism in assuming that reality is found in mere physicality, is naïve. Idealism assumes that the mind is the basis of reality, but the mind depends on the supporting, biological (physical) structure of the brain. Therefore the mind cannot be more fundamental than matter. Idealism in assuming that reality is just found in mental constructs is too abstract. Mind needs matter, and matter needs a mind, in order to paint the reality in which we exist, neither one is fundamental, so there must be some “substance” (if we can call it a substance), which is neither mental or physical, but some neutral other. In Buddhism, both mental and physical objects, are understood to be empty of an intrinsic reality as of themselves, therefore emptiness is a characteristic of both the mind and matter. Therefore emptiness is the wellspring from which the co-dependent matter and mind come from. If you wish, the basis of reality is emptiness, which is raw potential, it is the pregnant uncreated reality from which the mind and matter come. This is my understanding in brief, using philosophy not quantum physics, but quantum physics is more in accord with the undefined quality of Buddhism than classical physics is. Materialism has been overthrown by quantum physics but it is presumptuous of idealism to say everything is mind.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 00:33:32 +0000
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