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Political Consciousness from a Neurophilosophical Perspective
https://doi.org/10.30727/0235-1188-2025-68-5-81-101
EDN: DJFYCK
Abstract
Given the growing significance of neuroscience for political theory and practice, the article explores the problem of integrating contemporary neurobiological data into the conceptual framework of the philosophy of politics. The study analyzes the results of empirical research revealing the neurobiological mechanisms underlying conscious political experience. The primary aim is to articulate the philosophical implications of recent neuroscientific findings, thereby mapping the theoretical landscape of the emerging interdisciplinary field of the neurophilosophy of political consciousness. Drawing on a review of highly cited Russian and international research published between 2019 and 2024, the paper frames political consciousness as a network of neural patterns whose activity corresponds to dynamic conscious experiences shaped by politically oriented mental imagery. This political dimension of consciousness – comprising the mental representations and psychophysiological mechanisms used to process politically significant stimuli – encompasses core concepts of political philosophy, such as power, the state, citizenship, and freedom. The author argues that neuroscientific data can significantly enrich our philosophical understanding of political consciousness, particularly through the lens of methodological naturalism. Conversely, the philosophy of politics can provide an ontology suitable for the empirical, natural-scientific study of these phenomena. Philosophical reflection offers vital theoretical and methodological grounding for neurobiological research, safeguarding it against radical reductionism while helping to integrate disparate empirical findings. The study concludes by emphasizing the need to construct a general theory of political consciousness based on the convergence of methods from neurobiology, philosophy, psychology, and the social sciences.
About the Author
Maxim V. Yakovlev
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Maxim V. Yakovlev – D.Sc. in Political Science, Professor, Department of Philosophy of Politics and Law, Faculty of Philosophy, Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Moscow
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For citations:
Yakovlev M.V. Political Consciousness from a Neurophilosophical Perspective. Russian Journal of Philosophical Sciences. 2025;68(5):81-101. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30727/0235-1188-2025-68-5-81-101. EDN: DJFYCK
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