In partnership with the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) and Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, Science & Wisdom LIVE has announced an upcoming public dialogue titled “Body, Mind, Consciousness: Perspectives from Scientists and Contemplatives.”
“During this Science Day, we’ll explore the theme of Body, Mind, Consciousness together with scientists and contemplatives,” Science & Wisdom LIVE said in an announcement shared with BDG. “It will be the perfect occasion to hear more about ‘the mind-body problem’ and its current state of affairs, the new field of ‘consciousness studies,’ and how we can look at different parts of our mind and consciousness from a contemplative perspective.
“Three scientists will go into an open dialogue with three contemplative practitioners to discuss the relation of mind to body and consciousness. They will touch upon the many questions around consciousness in our culture, share their knowledge about contemplative tools that might help us in making the connection between our body and our mind, and discuss the far-reaching debates about what (and if!) consciousness actually is.”
Speakers taking part in the dialogue include Prof. Anil Seth, Prof. John Vervaeke, Hilary McMichael, Mabel Odessey, Prof. Marjorie Woollacott, Scott Snibbe, and Geshe Tenzin Namdak, the resident Dharma teacher at Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London.
Full-day program, 29 October (UK local time):
10am: Hilary McMichael and Mabel Odessey
1.30pm: Prof. Anil Seth and Geshe Tenzin Namdak in dialogue
4pm: Prof. John Vervaeke and Prof. Marjorie Woollacott in conversation
“Whereas in the West we often speak about ‘mind’ as something separated from the rest of our body, and more analogous to thoughts, Eastern philosophies like Buddhism often talk about the ‘Heart-Mind,’ or ‘citta,’ which is a mind that combines all aspects of compassion and love along with ‘thoughts’ and the ability of rational choices,” said Science & Wisdom LIVE.
Science & Wisdom LIVE is a project of Jamyang Buddhist Centre London in partnership with Mind & Life Europe, working to support dialogue between meditation practitioners and scientists on variety of topics discuss involving the intersections of scientific research, mindfulness practices, and the challenges of living on contemporary society.
Jamyang London Buddhist Centre was established in 1978 to facilitate the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism following the lineage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The center is also affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) under the spiritual direction of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and offers a structured curriculum of courses and classes on Buddhist philosophy and practice.
The FDCW is an international education project and UK-registered charity of the FPMT specializing in developing secular programs and resources based on universal human values. Based on Buddhist philosophy and psychology, FDCW programs are open to all, regardless of background, culture or faith.
Science & Wisdom LIVE explained: “There is still much to investigate and talk about—Body, Mind, and Consciousness all seem to belong together, but we still can’t really seem to figure out how they are connected exactly. How does something immaterial (like consciousness) act on, and interact with, the material body and world around us? Therefore, it might be helpful to bring both scientists and contemplative practitioners together in dialogue, so as to better understand the different positions and experiences that relate to these topics.”
The full-day program will be held online from London on Saturday, 29 October. A limited number of free “early bird” tickets are available for early registrants.
Click here for full details and registration information
“Science & Wisdom LIVE brings meditation practitioners in conversation with scientists to address the problems of contemporary society and come to new possible solutions,” said Science & Wisdom LIVE. “The dialogue between science and contemplative traditions can inspire positive action and inform an ethical response to the challenges of our times, grounded in the human values of cooperation, compassion and equality.” (Science & Wisdom Live)
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Jamyang London Buddhist Centre
Science & Wisdom LIVE
FPMT
FDCW (FPMT)
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