Buddhist Physicalism?: Non-Self Metaphysics and Phenomenal Consciousness

Could physicalism be compatible with Buddhist goals and practices?

Mark Siderits considers a question that has the potential to altogether change our understanding of Buddhism. Buddhist Physicalism? is by necessity a work of fusion philosophy -- a conversation between two distinct philosophical traditions. In drawing from the Buddhist philosophical tradition, as well as recent work in philosophy of mind, it attempts to mediate this conversation and answer two vexing questions in philosophy and Buddhism: might Buddhism be compatible with modern naturalism, and is consciousness something existing over and above the body and brain?

Examining both Buddhist philosophy and practice, Siderits considers the privileged place of consciousness in Buddhist ontologies, exploring its compatibility with the sort of analysis and argumentation prevalent in the Buddhist tradition. He then brings in contemporary voices from philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and developmental psychology to see what they might offer to the development of a Buddhist physicalism.

No matter the case, the question of Buddhism’s compatibility with physicalism will remain open. The question mark in his title indicates that Siderits takes seriously the question, and the related ’hard problem’ of phenomenal consciousness. In doing so, he presents a compelling and comprehensive analysis of some of philosophy’s most confounding issues, and asks the crucial question: Buddhist physicalism?

Mark Siderits is Professor Emeritus in Philosophy at Illinois State University, was also Professor of Philosophy at Seoul National University, and has lectured at Kyoto University. He is the author of numerous books, including The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy (2022), How Things Are (2021), and, with Shoryu Katsura, Nagarjuna’s Middle Way: The Mulamadhyamakakarika(2014). He has made groundbreaking contributions to the study and practice of Buddhism in his extraordinary career, and a collection of his papers on Buddhist philosophy, Studies in Buddhist Philosophy, was published by OUP in 2016.