Mind And Body Research Articles

Leibhaftige Gestalten. Berichte über Begegnungen mit Verstorbenen und außerkörperliche Erfahrungen in leibphänomenologischer Perspektive

Reports of encounters with the deceased are characterized by a distinctly corporal phenomenology. The deceased are not only seen visually, but also smelled, heard, felt and localized in space. This leaves the impression of a real, corporal encounter. – St Augustine already denied the real character of such encounters and negated the possibility of a subtle body of the soul. This continues right up to today’s near-death research, which, against the background of a Cartesian body-soul dualism, marginalizes all corporal-sensory experience and replaces it with abstract concepts of consciousness. With a body phenomenological approach, which refers in particular to the philosopher and psychiatrist Thomas Fuchs, the article not only questions these concepts of consciousness, but also shows that both reports of encounters with the deceased and the experience of the subject in out-of-body experiences can be better and more deeply understood against a body phenomenological background. The distinction between being a lived or subjective body (Leib) and having an objective body (Körper) is particularly important here. This shows that the subject always remains a bodily entity, even in extraordinary experiences. Against this background, a possible life after death is understood as an embodiment in a more subtle form. (Article is in German language)

Walking-Derived Metaphysics in Nietzsche’s “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Zarathustra, the protagonist of his most famous book, can be regarded as a philosopher who works towards becoming a sage—something that, towards the end of the narrative, ultimately seems to happen. Over the course of the account, he travels between his lonely cave and human society several times, walking up and down a mountain. In this article, I focus on how Nietzsche describes those walks using language that breaks with Cartesian dualism through its employment of such expressions as “lead-drop thoughts.” As a systematic frame of reference intended to support the analysis of these descriptions, I make use of Antoni Kempinski’s concept of energetic-informational metabolism. Then, motivated by the preceding observations, I outline the philosophico-therapeutic hypothesis of a human transformation taking place as a two-phase procedure: (1) replacing the view of Cartesian dualism with what I call the “theatre of forces,” and (2) “de-selfing” the stage, or regarding this theatre as impersonal. Finally, reaching out to a Buddhist philosophical conception of the impersonal, I consider the possibility of a metaphysics entirely derived from sensations.

Nietzsche as panpsychist

ABSTRACT This paper argues that Nietzsche is a panpsychist. Panpsychism holds that mental features are ubiquitous and fundamental in reality. I first argue that Nietzsche's rejection of Cartesian dualism leads him to substance monism. To better understand his monism, I then examine Nietzsche's rejection of Newtonian atomism. Nietzsche holds that bundles of forces, or will to power, are more fundamental than hard, extended atoms. So, will to power is fundamental. I then investigate Nietzsche's remarks on organic and inorganic nature to show that he believes both are will to power. So, will to power is ubiquitous. The final step to panpsychism is to show that Nietzsche believes will to power exhibits mental qualities. As a result, Nietzsche thinks mental features are fundamental and ubiquitous in reality.

“The Union of the Soul and the Body”: Merleau-Ponty on Being in the World

AbstractMerleau-Ponty’s theory of the body is often depicted as emphasizing the distinction between the physical and the conscious dimension of the body. This distinction, however, runs the risk of recreating the tension between the physical and the conscious that is at the center of the mind-body problem. In view of this, I argue for a different interpretation of Merleau-Ponty, according to which his theory of the body is an attempt to establish “the union of the soul and the body” (Merleau-Ponty, 2012: 91, 99) by way of an analysis of the phenomenon of being in the world. This phenomenon does not just go beyond reflective but also beyond pre-reflective consciousness. It is an essential feature of living beings that has a teleological structure and that stands in the way of a reduction of living beings to physical objects. In the end, Merleau-Ponty argues for an antireductionist and metaphysically quite charged concept of life that is supposed to bridge the gap between the conscious and the organic dimension of human existence and that holds important insights for the contemporary debates on minimal consciousness, the life-mind continuity, autopoietic enactivism, and causation.

MANOVIKARA IN AYURVEDA: BRIDGING MIND AND BODY

In Ayurveda utmost importance is given to mental health.A person would be considered healthy when his body and mind are in euilibrium. In Ayurveda, psychiatry unites the body, mind, and soul in which the mind-body connection is highly valued. The main cause of worsening any disease is vishada. ( Vishado Rogvardhananam). In terms of mental health, two conditions that are very similar to depression are Avasada and Vishada. Physical imbalances can cause mental disorders, and mental illnesses can cause bodily functions to be disrupted.

Artificial Intelligence’s Novel “Mind-Reading” Capabilities through Neuroscience: A Challenge for Mind-Body Dualism?

This paper explores a philosophical problem at the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence (AI), and the potential impact of these novel AI “mind-reading” technologies on various forms of mind–body dualism, including substance, interaction, property, predicate, and emergent dualisms. It critically examines how AI’s ability to interpret and predict mental states from neural patterns challenges traditional dualistic theories, which have historically posited distinct relationships between the mind and body. The paper analyzes each dualistic theory in the context of AI advancements. Substance and interaction dualisms are scrutinized for their claims of mind–body independence and causal interaction, respectively, in light of AI’s capabilities to correlate mental and physical states. Property dualism’s assertion of unique mental properties emerging from physical processes is tested against AI’s potential to map mental phenomena to brain activity. Predicate dualism’s linguistic and conceptual distinction between mental and physical realms is challenged by AI’s ability to bridge these domains. Similarly, emergent dualism, which views mental states as novel phenomena, confronts the possibility of their reduction to physical brain processes. Despite these challenges, the paper argues for the adaptability of dualistic theories to integrate AI insights, suggesting a re-evaluation rather than a negation of dualism. It highlights the enduring relevance of philosophical inquiry into the nature of consciousness and mind–body relationships in the age of AI, suggesting that such technological advancements invigorate rather than terminate the philosophical debate.

A Comprehensive Study of Positive Body Image as a Predictor of Psychological Well-Being in Anorexia Nervosa.

Recent data suggest a close association between positive body image (PBI) and eating disorder recovery. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms through which PBI may facilitate recovery from anorexia nervosa (AN) remain unknown. To advance understanding of these mechanisms, this study examined core indices of PBI within AN, exploring its association with emotion regulation and well-being outcomes. Data were collected from 159 female participants, 64 with AN diagnosis and 95 healthy controls (HCs), who completed measures of PBI (body appreciation, functionality appreciation, and body responsiveness), emotion regulation, and psychological well-being (depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological quality of life). The AN group reported lower levels of PBI and psychological well-being, along with greater difficulties in regulating emotions, relative to HCs. PBI variables significantly predicted emotion regulation and psychological well-being in AN, accounting for 36% to 72% of the variance, with body appreciation emerging as the strongest predictor. These findings lend credence to the view that PBI can serve as a catalyst for psychological health. We hypothesize that enhancing PBI can improve interoceptive awareness, which is crucial for emotion regulation and reducing maladaptive food-related coping. Emphasizing a mind-body connection in lifestyle could be a relevant element to consider for both treating and preventing AN.

Intermedial and theatrical perspectives of AI: Re-framing the Turing test

Artificial intelligence (AI), the understanding and building of computational agents that act intelligently, is claimed to be a powerful, pervasive medium. Although we interact with it and hear a lot about it, we do not ‘see’ AI but experience its manifestations and/or outcomes, such as chatterbots and virtual assistants. A criterion for deeming an artificial agent as intelligent has been already proposed by Turing in 1950, coined as the ‘Imitation Game’, where a machine takes the place of a man, known as the Turing test. Despite the test being initially conceived as a make-believe game, AI has been enmeshed in major fields of human social activity and co-determines our lives. In this article, AI is compared with the media type of theatre performance, the epitome of make-believe, on the basis of intermediality. Furthermore, the analogies between AI and theatre are discussed and the paradigm of the puppet theatre as well as the medium of the mask prevail in the analysis. Findings are discussed, especially in light of the mind–body split and the alignment problem, and their implications are contemplated, allowing a re-estimation and re-framing of the Turing test in its theatrical and performative dimension.

Transmitting awareness from the body into writing: bringing the Feldenkrais method into the university classroom

ABSTRACT We propose inviting the body into the university writing process through somatic pedagogical practices. This study investigates an effort to write from our body and through our body in a course where students used the body as a site of creation. Challenging mind-body dualism and the erasure of bodily ways of knowing, students participated in Feldenkrais exercises to enhance awareness through movement by heightening habitual perception. Subsequently, students’ writing revealed increased admittance of uncertainty and reflexive engagement. They reflected on their own positionalities while considering the perspectives of hypothetical others, invoking augmented senses of social responsibility. In essence, they transferred physically experienced agency through functional movement to personal agency within hierarchical systems of power. This study suggests that somatic pedagogical interventions have the potential to activate reflexivity, foregrounding causal relations that begin with self-guided, felt realities in the body.

Dance movement psychotherapy’s impact on emotional well-being in severe mental disorders: a quantitative study

Dance movement psychotherapy (DMP) is a technique rooted in the mind-body connection, utilising bodily movement to facilitate relational integration, personal and interpersonal functioning, and effective emotional regulation. A dance therapy program of six sessions was investigated to measure changes in the mood, health, and general well-being in 20 adults with Severe Mental Disorders (SMD), including mostly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Divided into a control group focusing on positive emotions, and an experimental group exploring negative emotions, a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental and correlational design with a test-retest procedure was employed. Findings revealed significant differences for both groups in all factors of the EVEA Scale and PERMA-Profiler Questionnaire, except for the ‘Meaning’ variable. Additionally, intra-group correlations indicated unfavourable concordance scores during the test-retest phase and an increase in health construct scores was evident.

Spinoza, Nietzsche and Deleuze: The Philosophy of the Body

The article aims to explore the roots of Deleuzean body beyond the traditional arguments of the philosophy of the body. In this context, firstly, I discuss the attitude of Cartesian dualism toward the body, and its consequences, which form the beginning of early modern philosophy. At the same time, they reflect the old, traditional views on the body. Those visions describe the body as a corpse in itself. With Spinoza and later Nietzsche the body, and soul/mind dualism is replaced with monism and perspectivism. It is from this perspective that the question of “what can a body do?” is posed. Drawing on the philosophies of Spinoza and Nietzsche, Deleuze describes the body as a vast principle of potentiality. Such a body constantly appears as the dimension of the multiplicity that is self-constructing. Therefore, in this article, while discussing how the attitude toward the concept of the body changed from Descartes to Deleuze on the ontological level, I simultaneously try to demonstrate the capabilities of such a new understanding of the body.

Philosophy of psychiatry: theoretical advances and clinical implications.

Work at the intersection of philosophy and psychiatry has an extensive and influential history, and has received increased attention recently, with the emergence of professional associations and a growing literature. In this paper, we review key advances in work on philosophy and psychiatry, and their related clinical implications. First, in understanding and categorizing mental disorder, both naturalist and normativist considerations are now viewed as important - psychiatric constructs necessitate a consideration of both facts and values. At a conceptual level, this integrative view encourages moving away from strict scientism to soft naturalism, while in clinical practice this facilitates both evidence-based and values-based mental health care. Second, in considering the nature of psychiatric science, there is now increasing emphasis on a pluralist approach, including ontological, explanatory and value pluralism. Conceptually, a pluralist approach acknowledges the multi-level causal interactions that give rise to psychopathology, while clinically it emphasizes the importance of a broad range of "difference-makers", as well as a consideration of "lived experience" in both research and practice. Third, in considering a range of questions about the brain-mind, and how both somatic and psychic factors contribute to the development and maintenance of mental disorders, conceptual and empirical work on embodied cognition provides an increasingly valuable approach. Viewing the brain-mind as embodied, embedded and enactive offers a conceptual approach to the mind-body problem that facilitates the clinical integration of advances in both cognitive-affective neuroscience and phenomenological psychopathology.

Does Panpsychism Explain Mental Causation?

AbstractIn the contemporary literature on panpsychism, one often finds the claim that a Russellian-monist version of panpsychism, i.e., Russellian panpsychism, is a superior view compared to alternative non-physicalist theories. The argument for this claim is that while Russellian panpsychism can integrate consciousness in the causal order and explain mental causation, alternative theories fail to do so. If this is correct, panpsychism deserves its place as a main contender in solving the mind-body problem. In this paper, I argue that Russellian panpsychism’s superiority in explaining mental causation over competing accounts is illusory. On one reading, the proposed explanation is not an explanation of the phenomenon that is at stake in the mental causation debate. On an alternative reading, it is an explanation of the right phenomenon, but analogous explanations are available to competing accounts with less counterintuitive commitments. While there may be other considerations supporting panpsychism, explaining mental causation is not one.

A New Look at the Classical Chinese Dào of the Relation between Word and World

AbstractI argue that the absence of some of the ‘greatest hits’ of Western philosophy in Classical China can be explained by a Wittgensteinian take on the role of language in philosophy. One is the ‘Idea Theory’ of meaning which anchors Western Mind-Body dualism. Its attraction is removed when the writing reminds us that a picture does not by itself ‘give life to’ our language even while it plays a role of cross-linguistic communication. Another is the centrality of a law-command theory of normativity which combines with mind-body dualism to give a natural push toward monotheistic supernaturalism. Western attempts to make the ‘God’ impulse logical (e.g., the Ontological Argument) fail because of differences in Chinese syntax. The upshot is we need not deny Chinese thinkers the status of philosophers for their failure to share our philosophical presuppositions and resultant agenda.

FIBROMYALGIA – AN UPDATE ON CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA

The third most common musculoskeletal disorder is fibromyalgia, which becomes more common as people age. The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia are tiredness, sleep difficulties, persistent pain throughout the body, and functional problems. Etiopathogenesis, diagnostic standards, and classification criteria of this disorder are still up for debate. Despite the development of more reliable diagnostic criteria, a significant proportion of physicians continue to misdiagnose the illness. Familial experiences, emotional-cognitive factors, the mind-body connection, genetic predisposition, and a biopsychological capacity for stress management are some of the numerous variables that each individually contribute to the development of fibromyalgia. In this review, we present a comprehensive, critical assessment of fibromyalgia's burden and diagnosis, taking into account the most recent research, recommendations, and clinical experience. By utilizing clinical expertise and the most recent EULAR criteria for managing fibromyalgia, we want to offer doctors an innovative and useful management workflow that they may utilize in their routine clinical duties. Keywords: fibromyalgia, chronic pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, autonomic disturbances, regional pain syndromes, tender points.

Embodied and Enactive Creativity: Moving Beyond the Mind–Body Dichotomy in School Education

ABSTRACTThis study explores the ways in which embodied creativity is conceived and implemented in french schools through the study of a corpus of professional articles published since the 1960s in a journal dedicated to physical education. The analysis focuses on pedagogical experiments to foster bodily creativity carried out in primary schools, as part of a wide‐ranging educational reform during the 1970s. Those practices mark a radical break with the grammar of schooling whose worldwide spread is linked to the colonial expansion of western Europe. They revealed many similarities with indigenous pedagogies through the willingness to go beyond the mind–body dichotomy, to value a sensitive and intuitive body, to anchor knowledge in lived experience and to move from a top‐down relationship between teacher and pupil to a more horizontal one. The 1980s marked a return to more traditional methods, but these pedagogical experiments nurtured a conception of embodied and enactive creativity that sought to go beyond a western vision of the body, of action and of the relationship with the world in school education. The convergences with non‐western pedagogies underline the interest of these approaches to explore and foster embodied and enactive creativity.

Exploration of Consciousness : A Bridge among Science, Spirituality, Psychology and Philosophy

Consciousness, a crucial phenomenon, captivates the minds of philosophers, psychologist, scientists, and thinkers across history. This article embarks on a journey into the multifaceted realm of consciousness, traversing various disciplines such as philosophy, science, psychology, and spirituality. At its core, consciousness encompasses the subjective experience of awareness, embracing sensations, thoughts, emotions, and self-awareness. Theories diverge on its origins, with materialists attributing consciousness to neural processes, while dualists advocate for a mind-body duality. Integrated Information Theory and Global Workspace Theory offer contrasting perspectives on the mechanisms of consciousness, alongside Higher-Order Theories and Representational Theories of Consciousness. Despite strides in understanding, the "hard problem" of consciousness persists, challenging the explanation of subjective experience. Interdisciplinary collaboration seeks to unravel this mystery, exploring consciousness' unity, diversity, and implications in cognition, decision-making, and ethics. This article delves into the evolutionary, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of consciousness, contemplating its implications for artificial intelligence and fostering dialogue among diverse disciplines. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, we embark on a quest to deepen our understanding of consciousness, a journey sure to captivate generations to come

AYURVEDA FOR YOGA AND MENTAL HEALTH

Life constitutes of mind, body and soul. The mind-body connection is very important, and Mind is called as the supreme controller of all the sense organs. Physical imbalances can disturb the mental state while mental illness leads to disruptions of body functions. The need for effective population mental health promotion approaches is urgent as mental health concerns are escalating globally. Successfully alleviating stress has the potential to promote wellbeing and prevent illness. Worldwide Ayurveda and Yoga is gaining popularity as an accessible, acceptable and safe remedial practice for mind and body. Ayurveda stands by its definition of health, in which a healthy mind plays an important role. Yoga’s added benefit is that it improves physical and mental fitness and encourages self-reliance. In this brief article we discuss the role of Ayurveda and Yoga as a form of mental health promotion and prevention of mental disorders.

Design, Development and Validation of a Customised Mind-Body Module Towards Resilience Building and Wellness Promotion.

Background: In today's world, developing resilience is crucial for managing stress, preserving mental and emotional health, managing work-life balance, fostering self-growth and good relationships and promoting physical health. Nourishing the mind-body connection, using methods for stress reduction and self-care and incorporating a Mind Body Module can contribute to resilience-building initiatives as well as help in wellness promotion. Purpose: This study aims to design, develop and validate a resilience-building module that incorporates mind-body practices. Method: The existing literature on traditional yoga texts and published scientific studies in the area of mind-body practices was used to build the Mind Body Module. Through this approach, a total of 26 practices were identified based on the strength of evidence. Each of these practices was scored by subject matter experts, and the content validity ratio (CVR) was calculated using Lawshe's formula for validation. Result: The practices/techniques that scored ≥50% along with those suggested by the experts were grouped, and an eight-week module for resilience building and wellness promotion was developed. Conclusion: The Mind Body Module crafted to foster resilience has brought together the knowledge from the Indian system and the well-being practices from the West in a cogent manner. The module's viability and effectiveness will be evaluated appropriately.

The relationship between interoceptive emotional awareness, neuroticism, and depression, anxiety, and stress.

COVID-19 has caused challenges to daily living globally, with profound implications for negative mood. A variety of state and trait-based factors can influence how a person may respond and adapt to challenges such as a global pandemic. Personality is an area impacting how a person responds to both internal and external situations (trait) and Emotional Awareness (EA) is a facet of interoception (an awareness of the mind-body connection) that determines the way an individual interprets their physiological state of the body, and the associated emotions (state-trait). Both areas have been well researched in isolation, however the body of literature exploring the relationships between both is much smaller. It would therefore be beneficial to explore the interrelationships of both state and trait factors on wellbeing to enable a more comprehensive understanding. It was hypothesised that EA would moderate the relationship between Neuroticism and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. Participants residing in Australia during periods of imposed lockdown were included within the study (n = 838; Ages = 18-60 years) and completed an online questionnaire battery including a variety of state and trait questionnaires. A moderation analysis was conducted to explore whether Emotional Awareness changed the relationship between neuroticism and depression, anxiety, and stress utilising an alpha of < .05. EA moderated the relationship between Neuroticism and Anxiety (p = .001, 95% CI .03-.17)), and Stress (p = .02 95% CI.01-.13), but not Depression (p = .23, 95% CI .03-.13). As Neuroticism increased, negative mood increased for all levels of EA, however those high in Neuroticism and EA displayed the highest Anxiety and Stress. Interventions to increase EA, such as mindfulness, may have adverse effects for individuals high in Neuroticism, emphasising the importance of tailored interventions and supporting the assumption that high levels of Neuroticism represent increased vulnerability during a pandemic.