Form: Definition

Q: “HOW ARE YOU DEFINING MINDFULNESS?”
Mindfulness is a concept that has been explored and applied in various contexts, ranging from traditional spiritual practices to modern psychological and behavioral science. But whether spiritual, religious, philosophical, intentional discipline, scientific, or cognitive behavioral therapy, the meaning is the same:

Simple version: “It’s Adulting”. Observing and interpreting the intuitions rather than being a victom of them. Achieved by training in self regulation, by disciplined management of one’s attention, controlling one’s impulses, emotions and ideation, such that we align them with our goals, allowing suppression of neuroticism (impulsive negative thoughts) and especially treating ‘signaling’ from others as their responsibility(problem) not yours. This produces a calm mind. “mindfulness”.

Mindfulness as the Stoics use it:
The core Stoic principle of living according to reason and being continually aware of one’s thoughts and actions to ensure they align with virtue.
– Prosochē: This is a Greek term that is often equated with the Stoic practice of mindfulness. It translates roughly to “attention” and represents the practice of attentive focus and vigilance over one’s thoughts, judgments, and impulses. Prosochē involves being mindful of the present moment and making conscious, rational decisions.
– Cognitive Discipline: Stoic mindfulness involves a disciplined monitoring of one’s impressions (phantasiai), which are the raw data of experience that have yet to be assented to by reason. This means critically assessing one’s immediate perceptions, refraining from emotional or impulsive reactions, and choosing responses that are in line with Stoic virtues (wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation).

Mindfulness as Doolittle uses it:
Given Doolittle’s deep engagement with epistemology, morality, law, economics, and comparative civilization, mindfulness in his usage emphasizes a philosophical and introspective approach.
It might be defined as:
– Conscious Awareness and Reflection: Mindfulness involves a heightened state of awareness and deliberate attention to one’s thoughts, emotions, and environment without judgment. This form of mindfulness emphasizes the capacity to observe and reflect upon one’s own mental processes, ethical behaviors, and philosophical inquiries.
– Intellectual Rigor: In a philosophical context, mindfulness can be seen as a practice of rigorously examining one’s beliefs, values, and the ethical implications of one’s actions. It involves a continuous process of questioning, analyzing, and synthesizing information to achieve a clearer understanding of one’s mental and moral landscape.
– Application to Decidability and Truth: Mindfulness relates to Doolittle’s focus on decidability and performative truth, where the conscious effort to remain fully present and meticulously observant aids in making more accurate, just, and ethical decisions.
– Institutionalization: Doolittle argues that while hunter gatherer life produced mindfulness by social dependency, agrarian myth and religion by personal and social narrative and ritual, industrial and technological life has tried to produce it by education and political ideology, which are insufficient for the suppression of neuroticism, unpredictability and alienation, and instead modern peoples require education incorporate relatively costly and consistent repetition of one or more of the mindfulness methods throughout development.

Mindfulness as Used by Behavioral Scientists:
In the field of psychology and behavioral sciences, mindfulness is more specifically defined and studied within the context of mental health and cognitive functioning. It is often described as:
– Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, this program uses mindfulness meditation to help people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. Mindfulness, in this sense, is a therapeutic tool aimed at focusing the present moment in a non-judgmental manner.
– Cognitive Process: Behavioral scientists often study mindfulness as a cognitive process that involves maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. This definition emphasizes mindfulness as a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment.
– Evidence-Based Benefits: Scientifically, mindfulness has been linked to numerous benefits, such as reduced symptoms of depression, increased emotion regulation, and improved overall cognitive ability. These effects are believed to result from mindfulness meditation’s capacity to increase individuals’ control over their neurocognitive processes.

Bridging The Perspectives:
While Doolittle’s philosophical and introspective approach to mindfulness emphasizes a broader, more existential exploration, the behavioral science approach tends to be more empirical and focused on practical outcomes such as stress reduction and cognitive improvements. Both perspectives share a common recognition of mindfulness as a state of enhanced awareness and presence of mind, albeit applied for different ends.

Understanding these applications of mindfulness allows for a comprehensive appreciation of its potential benefits, ranging from deeper philosophical insights to tangible improvements in mental health and cognitive capacities.

Cheers
Curt Doolittle