Towards a new understanding of embodiment: alternative models to the Western mind-body relationship

Abstract

The prevailing worldview in the West is dualist. For some, this reductionism is materialist: there is only what science can measure, and mental states (such as beliefs or emotions) are nothing but the manifestation of physical states in the brain. For others, mostly in the computer science domain, the essence of reality does not belong to the spectrum of the physical but to information. However, the dualist view is inconsistent with current scientific findings which highlight the intricate relationship between physical and emotional health. Particularly relevant examples of this are the importance of gut microbiome on mental health or the key role of the vagus nerve both in the regulation of the activity of internal organs and on the management of stress. There is a need to develop more sophisticated models of embodiment which can support better approaches to mental and physical health, as well improving decision-making. Some existing cultural models of the body, particularly in the East, could be a good starting point for these new conceptions. This paper presents this need for more elaborated understanding of embodiment and presents models that have emerged in other cultures and that can serve as a basis for this project.The prevailing worldview in the West is dualist. For some, this reductionism is materialist: there is only what science can measure, and mental states (such as beliefs or emotions) are nothing but the manifestation of physical states in the brain. For others, mostly in the computer science domain, the essence of reality does not belong to the spectrum of the physical but to information. However, the dualist view is inconsistent with current scientific findings which highlight the intricate relationship between physical and emotional health. Particularly relevant examples of this are the importance of gut microbiome on mental health or the key role of the vagus nerve both in the regulation of the activity of internal organs and on the management of stress. There is a need to develop more sophisticated models of embodiment which can support better approaches to mental and physical health, as well improving decision-making. Some existing cultural models of the body, particularly in the East, could be a good starting point for these new conceptions. This paper presents this need for more elaborated understanding of embodiment and presents models that have emerged in other cultures and that can serve as a basis for this project.