Copelj, Erol (2019) Mindfulness: the feeling of being tuned-in, and related phenomena : phenomenological reflections of a Buddhist practitioner. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This work develops a phenomenological account of mindfulness, and related phenomena. It is divided into two main parts. The aim of part one is to articulate a pre-phenomenological sketch of mindfulness (and related phenomena) by (1) drawing on passages from some of the classic works of Western literature and everyday life, (2) through an interpretation of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta and (3) by the means of a critical analysis of the contemporary attempts to account for these phenomena. Part two adds further detail to the sketch by entering a dialogue with the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl. A key distinctions made here is between the transcendental horizon (which is filled in by our possibilities) and the open horizon (which is filled in by thingly possibilities). This difference allows cultivating mindfulness to be defined as the practice of tuning-out of the transcendental horizon and tuning-in to the open horizon. Mindfulness—the potential fruit of tuning-in-tuning-out—is defined as the feeling of being tuned-in to the open horizon (or to thingly possibilities).A key findings of this research is that tuning-in-tuning-out is a difference practice than the phenomenological epoché; whereas the latter discloses the transcendental horizon, the former discloses the open horizon—on which the transcendental horizon (and the practice of the epoché) is dependent. These findings open up the possibility of a phenomenological description of certain phenomena that are closely related to mindfulness (and with which mindfulness may be confused). Some of these phenomena are: Mindful attention, which is defined as the function of foregrounding a sub-horizon within the open horizon and the pushing of the other sub-horizons into the background. Concentration (samādhi): the narrowing down of the open horizon to one of its sub-horizons. Insight (vipassanā): the activity of isolating a sub-horizon, discerning its thingly possibilities, zooming out, isolating a second sub-horizon and discerning its thingly possibilities, and then contrasting the two in such a way that their difference becomes vividly present.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BQ Buddhism
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Mindfulness (Psychology), Meditation -- Buddhism, Transcendentalism, Satipațțhāna (Buddhism) -- Criticism and interpretation, Attention
Official Date:	2019
Dates:	Date Event 2019 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Philosophy
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Chadha, Monima ; Poellner, Peter
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	268 leaves
Language:	eng

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