What is this conference all about?

Consciousness has been the most elusive object in all scientific explorations of reality. With gradual advances in modern science, it is increasingly receiving the singular focus simply because all our perception of reality is rooted in it.

Despite incredible success in Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience as well as basic sciences like physics and biology, we have practically no clue as to how information translates into meaning and experience in this world. While the hard problem of consciousness stares at our face, we have started to appreciate what information is and its fundamental role for a conscious observer in this world.

The mind-body problem has occupied the centre stage of western philosophical thought for millennium. Consciousness research is now at the forefront of all scientific research.  Can we really build intelligent and conscious machines? How does consciousness arise? How does information translate to meaning and experience? Are our experiences of the world real or part of virtual reality?

Probably we are now standing at the crossroads so as to choose decisive steps to reality. At such a juncture, Vedantic philosophical and spiritual traditions may hold key to the next leap in our empirical quest for truth.

With a panel of excellent speakers listed below, Jijnasa-2021 will delve into the heart of the issue.

1.     Prof. Subhash Kak, Padma Shri Awardee & Regents Professor of Computer Science Department at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater

2.     Prof. Mario Beauregard, Cognitive Neuroscientist, University of Arizona

3.     Prof. Edward F. Kelly, Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS), Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia

4.     Dr. Sudhir V. Shah, Padma Shri Awardee Neurologist, Sterling Hospital, Ahmedabad

5.     Prof. Laxmidhara Behera, Poonam & Prabhu Goel Chair Professor, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, IIT Kanpur

6.     Prof. Ramesh Goel, Environmental Engineering & Microbiology, University of Utah

7.     Mr. Marcus Schmieke, Inventor, Author & Head of Scientific Research, ECR-Institute, Berlin

8.     Dr. Howard J. Resnick, Vaisnava Scholar, Institute for Vaisnava Studies, Florida

9.     Prof. Graham M. Schweig, Director of Studies in Religion, Christopher Newport University, USA

10.  Dr. Mauricio Garrido, BIHS Florida

11.  Mr. Martin Fleming, Director, Science, and Philosophy Initiative, London

12.  Prof. Gopal K Gupta, Joe Dunham Distinguished Associate Professor of Ethics, Aurora University

In this unique conference, scheduled on 18th and 19th Dec, we expect the participation of more than 1000 researchers and students across the globe. There will be both morning (9 am – 12 noon) and evening (5 pm – 8 pm) sessions.

For more information visit: https://issdelhi.org/jijnasa