I am a neuroscientist and philosopher working at the intersection of consciousness studies, clinical neuroimaging, and philosophy of mind. My work builds on earlier research in philosophy of science and cognitive theory while maintaining a sustained focus on the neural and conceptual foundations of consciousness and self. My academic career also included an extended period devoted primarily to university service and participation in Taiwan's democratic transition before returning to an active research program.
A central focus of my research is a multimodal neuroimaging clinical trial on disorders of consciousness, integrating fMRI (including…
I am a neuroscientist and philosopher working at the intersection of consciousness studies, clinical neuroimaging, and philosophy of mind. My work builds on earlier research in philosophy of science and cognitive theory while maintaining a sustained focus on the neural and conceptual foundations of consciousness and self. My academic career also included an extended period devoted primarily to university service and participation in Taiwan's democratic transition before returning to an active research program.
A central focus of my research is a multimodal neuroimaging clinical trial on disorders of consciousness, integrating fMRI (including ASL and MRS) and FDG-PET to study the conditions under which consciousness is impaired, preserved, or recoverable. The goal is to improve clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. More broadly, my research employs multimodal neuroimaging to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying a range of neurological and psychiatric disorders, with particular emphasis on consciousness and self-related processes including brooding rumination, body ownership, sleep-related alterations of self-awareness, and phenomena such as blindsight.
My work has been shaped by the mentorship and enduring influence of Carl Hempel and Julian Jaynes. Hempel's work on scientific explanation and confirmation established the methodological framework that continues to guide my approach to scientific inquiry, while Jaynes's work on consciousness inspired my enduring interest in that field. Building on these foundations, I integrate empirical neuroscience with conceptual analysis to investigate the neural and clinical basis of consciousness and to advance the study of recovery of consciousness following neurological insult.
