Montreal Program- 20th October, 2014

Place: McGill University, Room number: TBA, Time:9.00 AM-4.00 PM

Conference Outline

Conversations on Consciousness 

We want to facilitate a conversation between different academic and spiritual disciplines on the topic of consciousness. To focus this conversation we have provided two questions: 1) what does meditation teach us about consciousness? and 2) how should our knowledge about consciousness affect our interactions with animals? 

This first question is concerned with what can be learned about the mind and consciousness from the subjective experiences characterizing various meditative practices. We are interested in how this knowledge could continue to be in conversation with knowledge about consciousness from the cognitive sciences. 

Our second question is concerned with the ontological position of consciousness. Is consciousness a category in the world? Is it shared by humans and animals? If consciousness is shared, what are the moral consequences of this similarity between human and non-human life?

Tentative Format of the Conference  (9am-4pm tentatively)

15 Minute Introduction

2 Hour Treatment of First Question (15 min break)

• 1 presentation + conversation 

• refreshments

• 1 presentation + conversation

1 Hour Meditation (Instruction, Practice, Questions)

1 Hour Lunch (10 minute Silent Eating Meditation; 50 minute normal lunch) 

2 Hour Treatment of Second Question (15 break)

• 1 presentation + conversation 

• refreshments

• 1 presentation + conversation

30 Minute Tea (10 minute Silent Tea)

1 Hour Closing Panel and Audience Questions

15 Minute Closing