The conundrum of finding a consistent first principle causal mechanism for the origin of consciousness and conscious experience has virtually baffled the greatest thinkers of our time. Despite ongoing advances in consciousness studies, we have not been able to answer the so-called ‘hard problem’ of consciousness satisfactorily. Interestingly, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) have addressed the issue within a holistic framework without necessarily adhering to the physicalist and reductionist paradigms of modern science. Specifically, IKS provides a number of interventions from the yoga sutras, Sankhya, Ayurveda, and other traditional texts. These interventions may include yoga, meditation, ayurveda, and other Indian performing arts. Thus, there is a great need of imbibing the insights from IKS and its numerous interventions in order to solve the fundamental questions in relation to consciousness and conscious experience for cognitive wellness and mental health. The international conference, “Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (MBC): Perspectives from Indian Knowledge System,” organized by the Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications (IKSMHA) Centre, envisages a healthy discussion among scientists and philosophers on consciousness as well as different IKS interventions for cognitive wellness and mental health.
The conference will be the first of its kind to bring together scholars from all walks of life, i.e., neuroscientists, psychologists, AI and robotics researchers, physicists, mathematicians, biologists, computer scientists, traditional scholars and practitioners of Indian Knowledge Systems, etc. We welcome papers and posters from all the areas mentioned above. The conference will have plenary talks, parallel sessions (for paper and poster presentations), and brainstorming panel discussions.