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PSYC 330: Perception. ALT-PECEPTION Mindfulness and Phenomenology. The Western Tradition. Phenomenology – “Being in the world”; reality consists of objects and events perceived by human consciousness
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PSYC 330: Perception ALT-PECEPTION Mindfulness and Phenomenology
The Western Tradition • Phenomenology – “Being in the world”; reality consists of objects and events perceived by human consciousness • Methodology = “reduction” = strategy for unpacking excess meaning around our perceptions (aka epoche; aka bracketing) – get to big b as opposed to little b (see above Being) • Qualia – “felt” experience; the “redness” experience of seeing red • Has its modern brand in many studies of “embodied” psychology; humanistic therapies
The Mindfulness Tradition: Some History • Shamanas – ancient introspective tradition in India • Descriptive Science of Mind? • Manipulation (yoga, asceticism) • Observation (samatha, vipassana) • As contrasted with 3rdperson approach in the west
Reaching Conclusions • Self-empiricism • Induction • Tentative Generalizations • Impermanence • Non-self • Interrelatedness (cause-effect)
The Buddhist Conception of Mental Experience – The Aggregates • Matter (6 “sense doors”) • Eye – Shape • Ear – Sound • Tongue – Taste • Body – Touch • Nose – Odor • Mind - Thought
The Buddhist Conception of Mental Experience – The Aggregates • 1. Matter (6 “sense doors”) • Eye – Shape • Ear – Sound • Tongue – Taste • Body – Touch • Nose – Odor • Mind – Thought • 2. Consciousness (aka sensation, sort of)
The Buddhist Conception of Mental Experience – The Aggregates • 1. Matter (6 “sense doors”) • Eye – Shape – vision (eye consciousness) • Ear – Sound – hearing (ear consciousness) • Tongue – Taste – tasting • Body – Touch – touching • Nose – Odor - smelling • Mind – Thought - thinking • 2. Consciousness (aka sensation, sort of)
Contact – Bare Attention EYE OBJECT VISION
Additional Steps • 3. Sensations (Feelings, emotional flavor) • Positive • Negative • Neutral • 4. Perceptions (Perceptions + Memory) • Recognition aided by experience • Preconceptions • 5. Mental Formations (Tendencies, traits) • “Conditioned” responses • Motive, volition, dispositions, leads to actions
Ordinary Experience Discrete and linear: e.g. EYE consciousness EAR consciousness THINKING THINKING SEEING, ETC. Why don’t we experience it this way? not mindful, fast
Mindfulness Practice • Formal and Informal • Elements • Attention (to breath, sense, movement) • Non-judgment • Returning • Stillness • Why?
Our Assignment • Take off watches • Complete silence • Return to ending location each remaining class day (unless email notification otherwise) • Written assignment (reflection paper) will be completed IN CLASS (time TBD) • Read two articles for context