The Mind’s Argument for Materialism

"When I’m deeply asleep and something wakes me up – an alarm or physical need – my mind uses this as evidence that physical reality is more real than consciousness. How can I respond to this argument? Rupert says: ‘The world we experience in the waking state is real – it’s just not real in the way it appears to be. When the alarm goes off, does that experience take place in consciousness? When you feel the need to pee, does that take place in consciousness? You get up, go to the bathroom, come back – do you ever encounter anything that doesn’t take place in consciousness? No. So what’s the argument for matter, which is defined as something outside consciousness? Nobody’s ever experienced anything outside consciousness. Your mind is making an argument for something you’ve never experienced. Be scientific, be rigorous – put that theory to the test. If there’s something called matter outside consciousness, let’s find it. Nobody ever has.’"

From event 05 - 12 October, 2025 Seven-Day Retreat at Garrison Institute, 5–12 October 2025

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