The wholeness of humanity: Coleridge, cognition, and holistic perception

Journal article

Holistic perception is an antidote to the subject–object divide, a divide that leads to a mechanistic understanding of the world and can see human beings only in terms of parts, without a robust articulation of wholeness. In this piece, I argue that philosopher of science Henri Bortoft offers an empirically grounded theory, based on consciousness studies, which recasts the problem of the many and the one, offering insight into just such a holistic perception. I further argue that Samuel Taylor Coleridge's philosophy of unity and multiplicity agrees in many respects with that of Bortoft. However, Coleridge draws further implications of his philosophy for Trinitarian theology. I will argue, in line with Bortoft and Coleridge, that perception is a hinge point in this discussion, allowing the move between the discussion of wholeness, subjectivity, and identity. I conclude that a holistic perceptual shift reconstitutes the human person in a way that is theologically significant, especially with respect to Christian Trinitarian doctrine.

Authors: Wallace, R

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Open Library of Humanities
• Journal: Zygon
• Volume: 57
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 656-673
• Publication date: 2022-09-02
• Acceptance date: 2022-09-01
• DOI: 10.1111/zygo.12792
• EISSN: 1467-9744
• ISSN: 0591-2385
• Language: English
• Keywords: ontology; embodied cognition; Christianity; brain; anthropology; embodiment; perception; personhood; cognitive science; cognition