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A review by chrudos
The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience by Francisco J. Varela
2.0
The implementation of Merleau-Ponty's framework into modern cognitive science is definitely important and well presented (hence the 2 stars). But that's where the value of this book ends (IMHO).
What again is the added value of all the Buddhist references? Mindfulness is undoubtedly a promising research tool. However, I am a bit tired of all the "look, they used it for thousand of years, we have to listen to them". Show how Buddhist phenomenology can refine the western one or how it can offer a superior conceptual framework for our research of consciousness. If your whole point is show that it might and should be relevant, then I am not impressed. I want to see HOW. And if you want to - based on these weak arguments and related alleged authority - jump to some ethical conclusions, then I am not interested.
What again is the added value of all the Buddhist references? Mindfulness is undoubtedly a promising research tool. However, I am a bit tired of all the "look, they used it for thousand of years, we have to listen to them". Show how Buddhist phenomenology can refine the western one or how it can offer a superior conceptual framework for our research of consciousness. If your whole point is show that it might and should be relevant, then I am not impressed. I want to see HOW. And if you want to - based on these weak arguments and related alleged authority - jump to some ethical conclusions, then I am not interested.