Cultivating wisdom, compassion, and global leadership for a better future.
Woodenfish
Foundation
Buddhism, Science & Future Series
Since its founding in 2017, the Buddhism, Science & Future (BSF) conference series has brought together leading scholars, scientists, technologists, Buddhist practitioners, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to explore one of the defining questions of our time: How can Buddhist wisdom inform humanity's technological future?
As advances in artificial intelligence, neuroscience, biotechnology, genetics, robotics, and cognitive science continue to reshape society, BSF provides an international forum for thoughtful dialogue on consciousness, ethics, well-being, and the future of human life. The conference examines both the opportunities and challenges emerging technologies present for Buddhist philosophy and practice, while asking how Buddhist perspectives can contribute to responsible innovation.
Since its inaugural conference in Shanghai, BSF has convened annual gatherings in cities including Shenzhen, Seattle, and beyond, featuring speakers from leading institutions such as Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, Brown University, Columbia University, Kyoto University, and the University of British Columbia. Over the years, the conference has explored themes including robotics and AI, neuroscience and mindfulness, mental well-being, Buddhist consciousness, bioethics, and the relationship between scientific discovery and contemplative traditions.
Each edition focuses on a contemporary frontier. Recent conferences have examined AI and consciousness, Buddhist ethics and artificial intelligence, the future of contemplative technologies, and Buddhism, BioEngineering & BioLife, addressing topics such as synthetic embryos, gene editing, regenerative medicine, brain-computer interfaces, organ transplantation, cryonics, karma, dependent origination, and the ethical implications of emerging biotechnologies.
More than an academic conference, Buddhism, Science & Future serves as a global platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering dialogue between ancient wisdom traditions and cutting-edge science. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the series seeks to shape a compassionate, ethical, and deeply human vision for the future of technology and civilization.
Rewriting Reincarnation in the Light of Frontier Biotechnology
When brain-machine interfaces, cryonics, and regenerative medicine allow us to extend—and potentially restart—human life, what happens to our understanding of death and rebirth? At the 7th Woodenfish Forum on Buddhism, Science & Future at the Grand Hotel in Taipei, neuroscientists, bioengineers, and Buddhist scholars gathered under the theme "Rewriting Reincarnation." From updating ancient doctrines on rebirth in an era of IVF and memory uploading to exploring postmortem consciousness with researchers from MIT and Harvard, the symposium tackled the ultimate boundaries of life, mind, and human ethics.
Taipei, Taiwan
June 5-7, 2026