Exploring the Externalism and the Mental : A Dialogue with Prof Madhucchanda Sen
Authors in Conversation Exploring the Externalism and the Mental A Dialogue with Madhucchanda Sen On 15 March 2026 at 6:00 PM IST, Poorvam International Journal of Creative Arts and Cultural Expressions invites you to an engaging philosophical dialogue with Prof. Madhucchanda Sen on her important contribution to contemporary philosophy of mind. At the heart of philosophical inquiry lies a persistent and profound question: What is the relation between mind and world? The debate between internalism and externalism—whether mental content is determined solely by what is inside the subject or partly by factors external to it—has shaped much of recent philosophy of mind and language. Yet, despite decades of argumentation, the terms of this debate often remain unquestioned. In Externalism and the Mental, Prof. Sen revisits this foundational dispute with striking originality. While acknowledging her own sympathy toward externalist positions, she resists the simplicity of taking sides. Instead, she interrogates the conceptual scaffolding that has sustained the divide itself. What do we really mean by “external”? What counts as “internal”? And does the boundary between them hold under sustained scrutiny? Through a rigorous analysis of the history of externalist thought, the book exposes tensions embedded within compartmentalised frameworks that have long structured philosophical reflection. It calls for a paradigm shift—one that reimagines the mind–world relation not as a binary opposition but as a dynamic, interwoven field. Significantly, this work opens a rare and necessary conversation between analytic philosophy, phenomenology, and the precision of Navya-Nyāya logic. In doing so, it gestures toward a philosophical future that moves beyond inherited East–West divisions and cultivates a genuinely dialogical mode of thinking. This event promises a rich discussion on: The contemporary state of the externalism–internalism debate The relationship between mind, language, and embodiment The philosophical cost of rigid conceptual binaries The possibility of cross-traditional philosophical engagement Join us for an evening of rigorous inquiry and intellectual generosity as we explore how rethinking the “external” and the “mental” may transform our understanding of consciousness itself. Date: Sunday, 15 March 2026 Time: 6:00 PM IST onwards RSVP: editor@poorvam.com Curated by Poorvam International Journal of Creative Arts and Cultural Expressions
