About Symposium
Brain, mind & consciousness
Brain is one of the most fascinating object we all carry and use every minute. A typical brain contains around 100 billion cells—almost as numerous as the stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Its intricate and complex workings and relationship with our thoughts and our private inner world of reflection, perception, contemplation, and above all, with our subjective conscious experiences, are areas of research at frontline today.
What are thoughts which we have every second? Is mind different from brain? Do we have free will? Is our conscious experiences product of neurons or they belong to our spiritual dimension? Can we reexplore the age-old question of ‘who I am?’ in present day framework of neuroscientific developments? What is self-awareness and where lies its roots? How do we reconcile neuroscience, psychology and spiritual wisdom? Can developments and challenges in last 100 years of quantum physics indicate answers to some of the fundamental issues in neuroscience today? How to handle binding problem and hard problem of consciousness?
How to take care of whole person, his/her 360 degree healthcare – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual? What is the impact of spirituality and integrative medicine on mental well-being? What role does spirituality and ancient Indian Knowledge systems practices such as yoga, meditation, prayers and alternative medicines play in healthcare today? Can they help reducing effects of serious illnesses such as cancer or neurological disorders?
The present symposium aims to explore these and many such questions by re-examining the intricate relationship between the brain, mind, and consciousness through an interdisciplinary lens, bringing together neuroscientists, psychologists, philosophers, quantum physicists, basic sciences researchers and spiritual scholars.