Through the intensive presentations, dialogues, and discussions, the Summer School 2026 aims to bring out various thought experiments covering the following core areas:

1. Mind and Matter – there has always been debate from philosophy to quantum physics and from neuroscience to psychology, whether ‘mind’ separate from the physical brain exists or not? Various thought leaders have proposed intriguing notions about this debate. One of the important goals of this summer school is to review various thought experiments which have been already proposed in different scientific and philosophical disciplines as well as come up with new thought experiments to shed light and fresh insights about this debate.

2. In recent times many great thinkers have raised the issue of irreducibility of life, i.e., various features of life, such as moral responsibility, intention, etc., indicate that life cannot be reduced to a combination of atoms and molecules. There seems to be some fundamental irreducibility in life and its functioning against the old prevailing notion of reductionism. Is it possible to come up with some possible thought experiments to access and verify this claim about irreducibility of life?

3. The biggest question for humanity from all times and for all leaders from different walks of life – the question of the existence of God. From philosophers and mathematicians to physicists and spiritual leaders, everybody has opined whether God exists or not. Though it may be well beyond the rigorous proof of scientific disciplines and mathematical formulation to settle this question, can some thought experiments help us to explore this question further and come up with new insights about it?

4. The question about meaning and purpose behind this universe has been an intriguing and mind-boggling issue. Various great minds have expressed that there must be some purpose and meaning behind this universe which we live in; while some others find it a pointless universe. Can we come up with some interesting thought experiments to deeper explore this question of purpose?

5. Many great scientists and scholars while deeply exploring the universe such as Wolfgang Pauli, James Jeans, and others have felt that the universe might include more laws than the laws of physics which we have already discovered. They have opined that our amazing universe might include more physical and even psychological laws in addition to the wonderful laws of physics which we have. Could thought experiments help us to explore possibilities of these new laws, which the great leaders have hinted upon? Could we even attempt to draw rough sketches of these new possible laws by coming up with interesting thought experiments, to further enhance our understanding of life and reality?

6. Can thought experiments be used to bring transformation in one’s heart and make us a better person with qualities such as humility, gratitude, forgiveness and love & care for other lives as well as our planet, which our world needs the most today?

Therefore, joining this three-day summer school would be an exciting opportunity as it will offer to ponder over the numerous thought-provoking as well as pertinent questions. A number of stimulating lectures would be delivered by distinguished professors and scholars from premier institutes of the country and abroad. The school would also be promising to develop priceless interactions with the researchers for an extended period of time.