The article “Physicalism is Dead” discusses the philosophical stance of physicalism, which posits that everything, including mental states, can be explained by physical processes. The author argues that recent developments in neuroscience and philosophy challenge this view, suggesting that mental phenomena cannot be fully understood through physical explanations alone. The piece emphasizes the need for a new framework that acknowledges the complexity of consciousness and subjective experience, ultimately advocating for a more nuanced understanding of the mind-body relationship.

Editor’s Note: By questioning the sufficiency of physicalism, this article highlights the limitations of a purely materialistic view in capturing the richness of human experience. The discussion has encouraged a broader exploration of alternative frameworks, such as dualism or panpsychism. However, these alternatives, while promising as they defend the irreducibility of consciousness to matter, have their own limitations. From the perspective of I-RISE, the best alternative to physicalism is the monistic objective idealism championed by Rudolf Steiner in his book, The Philosophy of Freedom, sometimes also titled, The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity. [Buy the book here or read it online here. Also read Nicanor’s early article on the hard problem of consciousness, see Mystery of Consciousness: A Critique].

That this article has been published in Psychology Today, with its very strong title, proves that a new science is underway. As more scientists begin to challenge long-held materialistic beliefs, we hope this movement also prompts interdisciplinary dialogue between philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology so that a more holistic approach could yield deeper insights into the nature of existence and consciousness. [Read Deepak Chopra On the Role of Consciousness in Scientific Inquiry, David Lorimer on Challenging the Assumptions of Western Science, Brains on Earth is Nearing a Transition: What Does This Mean for Humanity?, Beyond Reductionism—Understanding the True Power of the Human Mind