Portalism: An Externalist Theory of Consciousness - Paperback

by Jeffrey Laird (Author)

The mind is not the brain. The locus of our consciousness is in the world. Portalism embraces radical phenomenal externalism and represents a contemporary form of dualism that rejects materialist assumptions of mind/brain identity. As a philosophy of mind, Portalism breaks with traditional thinking in two significant ways: first by holding that consciousness is in fact a fifth fundamental force of nature endowed with behavioural attributes not unlike that of gravity, and second by arguing how consciousness inheres in all living organisms regardless of their biological sophistication. Portalism compels us to reject traditional monist theories about the nature of consciousness and boldly enter into a new way of thinking about our own reality.

Author Biography

Jeffrey M. Laird is a retired certified mapping scientist and geographic information systems professional. He gained a BA in Geography at George Mason University, a University Certified Cartographer GMU and a BA in Philosophy at the University of New Orleans. Raised in Washington DC, he now resides in Frankfort, Kentucky, USA, where he can be found philosophizing with his friends in the quiet pubs and sidewalk cafes of small town Frankfort.