对意识的科学探索及其与道家哲学的关系

本文论述了三位诺贝尔奖获得者用科学方法研究意识所做的工作,及其工作中存在的各种问题,认为这些问题的根源在于哲学概念上的贫乏.当代英美心灵哲学的主流是各种版本的一元物理还原论,二元论发展明显不足.中国传统道家哲学为新的知觉二元论提供了思想渊源和理论基础,新的二元论既与科学的基本成就相一致,又能证明人类精神及其价值的实在性;既能解答科学家关于心脑本体关系问题的疑惑,还能帮助他们对脑科学中的大量复杂发现提供诠释.攻克意识奥秘将需要哲学和科学的共同努力.

Scientific Approaches to Consciousness and the Revelations from Taoism

The paper examines the scientific works on Consciousness by three Nobel Prize Laureates,John Eccles,Francis Crick and Gerald Edelman,and their inherited problems.The problems are duo to their deficiency in philosophy.Given the various monist echoes in current Western Philosophy,Chinese traditional Taoism has a crucial role to play.We believe that there exists a mutual relation of support and compatibility exists between Taoist dualism and the works in neuroscience.Taoism can provide an insight into the complex findings in neuroscience.A correct interpretation of the achievements in neuroscience can extend a support for the reality of human spirituality.A creative interface between science and religion may lead to an expansion of scientific method from purely third-person objective observation to a notion accommodating subjective conscious experience.