What is Reflexive Monism?
Monism is the view that the universe, at the deepest level of analysis, is one thing, or composed of one fundamental kind of stuff. This is usually contrasted with Substance Dualism, the view found, for example in the writings of Plato and Descartes that, fundamentally, the universe is composed of two kinds of stuff, physical stuff and the stuff of soul, mind or consciousness. Reflexive Monism, a philosophical position developed in Understanding Consciousness, 2000, 2009 is a modern version of an ancient view that the basic stuff of which the universe is composed has the potential to manifest both physically and as conscious experience (a dual aspect theory in the tradition of Spinoza). In its evolution from some primal undifferentiated state, the universe differentiates into distinguishable physical entities, at least some of which have the potential for conscious experience, such as human beings. While remaining embedded within and dependent on the surrounding universe and composed o
