Max Velmans

Max Velmans ( born May 27, 1942) is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London and has a personal chair at the University of London.

Velmans from 2003 to 2006 Chairman of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society, on whose foundation he was involved.

Velmans is the author of numerous writings on the study of consciousness and the Philosophy of Mind. He has developed his own position, which he calls " reflexive monism ". It is based on the view that the world at the lowest level of analysis forms a unit and consists of a network of uniform entities. Velmans sees himself in the tradition of Spinoza, after which the dualistic opposition between body and soul or mind and brain is dissolving into a doctrine of two aspects of a unified, natural phenomenon. In the course of evolution distinguishable from an initially undifferentiated structure physical things have emerged, some of which have developed the ability to make conscious experiences. This includes the people. Although each equipped with individual consciousness has its own perspective on his environment, it remains involved, and depending on this in the overall context of the universe. In this sense has the individual part in the overall process in the world. In particular Velmans discussed the paradox that consciousness does not contribute to the development of information seem to make of the third-person perspective, while this seems to be a necessary part of human action from the perspective of the first person. For Velmans there is no scientific evidence that certain functions such as seeing, hearing, or other sensory experiences presuppose the capacity for language and rational thought. Thus, conscious processes are not triggered only spiritually, but experiences may originate outside of consciousness. With this position, Velmans applies not only to a dualism, but also against a reductionist naturalization of consciousness through a physicalism, such as Francis Crick represent him or Daniel Dennett, or against functionalism.

The forward by Velmans view shows in their process orientation close to the process philosophy, as developed by Alfred North Whitehead.