Institute for Science and Spirituality Delhi

The Institute for Science and Spirituality (ISS) is a recognized IKS (Indian Knowledge System) Research Centre by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. ISS operates with the mission of advancing and disseminating the scientific and philosophical basis of the Indian Knowledge System. With advancements in AI, there is a rapid surge in the study of mind and consciousness. However, many scientists accept that a physicalist and reductionist approach fall short of capturing the most essential element, i.e., the subjective conscious experience. This conscious experience is the well-known "hard problem of consciousness". On the other hand, fundamental science struggles with the so-called "measurement problem" in quantum physics, which essentially results from decoupling conscious experience/observer from the theory of matter. However, Sankhya philosophy can resolve the issue by providing a new perspective to study matter and the mind. The first part of our project envisages empirically investigating imprints of Samkhya's understanding of matter and mind in varied systems ranging from ecology to human beings. Thus, we delve into cognitive neuroscience and fundamental sciences to study the mind and consciousness. The second part of our project deals with core theological and philosophical investigations in light of Gaudiya Vaishnava Vedanta, also termed "achintya-bhedabheda" philosophy. This system of Vedanta was propagated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, expanded by great acharyas like Jiva Gosvami, and further disseminated by their successors in several Bharatiya bhashas. Feel free to connect if you share similar interests or see opportunities for collaboration.