John Dunne (PhD 1999, Harvard University) holds the Distinguished Chair in Contemplative Humanities, an endowed position created through the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also holds a co-appointment in the new Department of Asian Languages & Cultures.
John Dunne's work focuses on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialog with Cognitive Science and Psychology. His publications appear in venues ranging across both the Humanities and the Sciences, and they include works on Buddhist philosophy, contemplative practice and their interpretation within scientific contexts.
John Dunne speaks in both academic and public contexts, and he occasionally teaches for Buddhist communities, most notably at Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe. In addition to serving as a faculty member for the Center for Healthy Minds, he is a Fellow and former Board member of the Mind and Life Institute. Dr. Dunne also serves an academic advisor for the Ranjung Yeshe Institute.
For more information, see John Dunne's full CV.
John Dunne's work focuses on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialog with Cognitive Science and Psychology. His publications appear in venues ranging across both the Humanities and the Sciences, and they include works on Buddhist philosophy, contemplative practice and their interpretation within scientific contexts.
John Dunne speaks in both academic and public contexts, and he occasionally teaches for Buddhist communities, most notably at Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe. In addition to serving as a faculty member for the Center for Healthy Minds, he is a Fellow and former Board member of the Mind and Life Institute. Dr. Dunne also serves an academic advisor for the Ranjung Yeshe Institute.
For more information, see John Dunne's full CV.
Updates and upcoming activities
This year, "Zen Brain" has a new name: the "Varela Symposium." Please join us in May!
Starting March 19, 2018, John Dunne will lead an online course for Tricycle Magazine entitled "The Essence of Awakening."
"Unsaying, Not Knowing, and Pointing at the Moon: Language and Non-dual Practice," John Dunne's weekend seminar at Upaya Zen Center in February, 2018 is now available in Upaya's podcast series here.
For the 2017 Ranjung Yeshe Institute International Symposium, the tenth in the series, Dr. Dunne gave the keynote address, "Science and Buddhism: Why Bother?". All of the talks by a distinguished group of scholars are available here.
Many lectures from the 2106 International Symposium for Contemplative Studies, 2016, are now available. Below is Dr. Dunne's talk, "The Transdisciplinary Study of Contemplative Practices: Challenges and Opportunities."