Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Perspectives on Neuroscience
Published on: July 31, 2007
Fundamental awareness: A framework for integrating science, philosophy and metaphysics
Neil D Theise1, Menas C Kafatos2
1Department of Pathology and Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Fundamental Awareness is proposed as the universe's foundational, non-material reality, unifying science, philosophy, and metaphysics. This framework views existence as information and Awareness, resolving the "hard problem" of consciousness.
Area of Science:
- Metaphysics
- Philosophy of Mind
- Theoretical Physics
Background:
- Current understanding of consciousness spans science, philosophy, and metaphysics.
- Existing frameworks struggle to integrate these diverse perspectives.
- A need exists for a unifying ontologic framework for consciousness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose an ontologic framework of Fundamental Awareness.
- To establish Awareness as the foundational, non-dual reality of the universe.
- To integrate scientific, philosophical, and metaphysical views on consciousness.
Main Methods:
- Ontologic framework development.
- Conceptual integration of consciousness studies.
- Mathematical expressibility of proposed concepts.
Main Results:
- Awareness is foundational, non-material, and identical to existence.
- The universe is a self-organizing holarchy of recursive interactions.
- Qualia are foundational elements, not a "hard problem".
Conclusions:
- The proposed framework unifies diverse perspectives on consciousness.
- It reframes the nature of reality as fundamentally Awareness-based.
- This model aligns with Western philosophy, mystical traditions, and scientific thought.
Related Concept Videos
Understanding Consciousness
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced...
Structuralism
Titchener's approach to structuralism was unique. He...
Understanding Self-Concept
Subconsciousness and No Awareness
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Self-Awareness and Its Effects

