Updated Conference Program and Session Allocations – Vedānta & Science 2026

[Dr Sumangala]

Dear Esteemed Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well.

We are pleased to inform you that the proposed schedule, session structure, and talk titles for the upcoming international conference **“Vedānta & Science 2026”** have now been formally updated and published on the conference website.

You may view the updated programme here:

https://scsmathworldwide.com/conferences/vedantaandscience/2026/#sessions

The revised structure reflects a more refined thematic alignment across disciplines, spanning fundamental physics, systems biology, neuroscience, cognitive science, philosophy of science, and epistemology. Each session has been carefully organized to facilitate deeper interdisciplinary engagement on the nature of consciousness, life, and reality.

We are especially pleased to highlight the participation of several distinguished scholars whose contributions will significantly enrich the academic depth of the conference. Among them:

* **Prof. James A. Shapiro (University of Chicago)**, who will present his evolving insights on natural genetic engineering and the active role of cellular systems in biological evolution, challenging conventional neo-Darwinian frameworks.

* **Prof. Terrence W. Deacon (UC Berkeley)**, whose work on emergent dynamics, constraint-based causality, and the role of absence in biological systems offers a profound rethinking of the foundations of mind and life.

*Alongside them, leading researchers from physics, biotechnology, neuroscience, and philosophy will address critical questions concerning whether consciousness is a fundamental principle or an emergent property of material processes.

The conference aims to foster rigorous, respectful, and genuinely interdisciplinary dialogue between contemporary scientific inquiry and Vedāntic ontological perspectives, particularly concerning causality, information, emergence, and the nature of subjective experience.

We kindly request all invited speakers and participants to review their updated session allocations and submit their final paper titles and abstracts at the earliest convenience, to facilitate timely coordination and publication preparation.

We deeply appreciate your scholarly engagement and look forward to your valuable participation in what promises to be a significant international dialogue at the intersection of science and philosophy.

With respectful regards,

Sumangalā Devī Dāsī, Ph.D.

Organizing Committee

Vedānta & Science 2026