2019 Buddhism, Science & Future
3rd Woodenfish Forum
3rd Woodenfish Forum: Buddhism, Science, and Future
The 3rd Annual Buddhism, Science and Future Conference hosted by the Woodenfish Foundation convened from May 4–5, 2019, at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Centered on the intersection of emerging technologies—such as neuroscience, genetics, and artificial intelligence—and contemplative practices, the landmark event brought together an international group of scholastic, philosophical, and practical minds to explore how frontier advancements, from wearable computers to bio-engineering, interface with Buddhist philosophy and the modern quest for awakening.
Key Themes & Discussion Highlights
Organ Transplantation · Cryonics · Telomerase · Gene Repair · Regenerative Medicine · Brain–Computer Interfaces · Legal and Ethical Issues
The Intersection of Emerging Tech & Contemplative Practices
Exploring how rapid advancements in fields like neuroscience, artificial intelligence, genetics, and biotechnology intersect with traditional Buddhist philosophy and "technologies of awareness." Scientific
Replication of Spiritual Experience
Examining modern attempts to replicate, accelerate, or duplicate deep contemplative states—asking whether technology can offer alternatives to decades of traditional meditation practice ("meditating like a Zen master at the push of a button").
Ethical & Philosophical Implications
Debating the ethical boundaries and potential risks of the "science of happiness," including modifying genetic traits for increased happiness and intelligence to reduce human suffering.
A Spectrum of Awakening Tools
Investigating a broad array of modern mediums—ranging from wearable computers, meditation apps, and pharmaceuticals to bio-engineering and cyborg interfaces—and evaluating their true effectiveness in fostering awakening versus becoming mere "Buddhism-lite."
Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Future Possibilities
Reflecting on the core mission of the conference, the Woodenfish Foundation emphasized that Buddhism’s long history of developing "technologies of awareness" naturally aligns with modern scientific exploration rather than resisting it. By fostering an open, cross-disciplinary dialogue between scholastic minds, philosophers, and technologists, the symposium demonstrated how ancient contemplative techniques and frontier advancements—from artificial intelligence to biotechnology—can collaboratively inform one another in the modern quest for awakening and human well-being.
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Dates: May 4-5
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Venue: University of Washington
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Organizer: Woodenfish Foundation (USA)
Forum Speakers
Oren Etzioni
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Oren Etzioni has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence since its inception in 2014. He has been a Professor at the University of Washington's Computer Science department since 1991, and a Venture Partner at the Madrona Venture Group since 2000. He has garnered several awards including Seattle's Geek of the Year (2013), the Robert Engelmore Memorial Award (2007), the IJCAI Distinguished Paper Award (2005), AAAI Fellow (2003), and a National Young Investigator Award (1993). He has been the founder or co-founder of several companies, including Farecast (sold to Microsoft in 2008) and Decide (sold to eBay in 2013). He has written commentary on AI for The New York Times, Nature, Wired, and the MIT Technology Review. He helped to pioneer meta-search (1994), online comparison shopping (1996), machine reading (2006), and Open Information Extraction (2007). He has authored over 100 technical papers that have garnered over 2,000 highly influential citations on Semantic Scholar. He received his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon in 1991 and his B.A. from Harvard in 1986. (AI2 Bio)
