About
John D. 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 is also distinguished professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, where he recently served as department Chair.
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, philosophical and cultural contexts.
John Dunne speaks in both academic and public contexts, and he occasionally teaches for Buddhist communities. In addition to serving as core faculty in the Center for Healthy Minds, he is a Fellow and former Board member of the Mind and Life Institute, a contributor to Mind and Life Europe, and an academic adviser for the Rangjung Yeshe Institute.
For more information, see John Dunne's full CV.
For recent publications, see below or the publications page.
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, philosophical and cultural contexts.
John Dunne speaks in both academic and public contexts, and he occasionally teaches for Buddhist communities. In addition to serving as core faculty in the Center for Healthy Minds, he is a Fellow and former Board member of the Mind and Life Institute, a contributor to Mind and Life Europe, and an academic adviser for the Rangjung Yeshe Institute.
For more information, see John Dunne's full CV.
For recent publications, see below or the publications page.
Updates and Activities
John Dunne will give the 2025 Yin-Cheng Distinguished Lecture in Buddhism as a keynote address for "Agency and Experience: Buddhist and Cognitive Perspectives," hosted by Princeton University, January 16-17, 2025.
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The new translation of Nāgārjuna's Ratnāvalī is now available from Wisdom Publications.
Based on the version created by John Dunne and Sara McClintock for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's UCLA visit in 1994, this fully updated translation includes editions of the Sanskrit and Tibetan texts and a detailed introduction. |
The Mind and Life Institute podcast, led by Wendy Hasenkamp, has an episode with John Dunne.
Selected Recent Publications |
Nicholas, C. R., Banks, M. I., Lennertz, R. C., Wenthur, C. J., Krause, B. M., Riedner, B. A., Smith, R. F., Hutson, P. R., Sauder, C. J., Dunne, J. D., Roseman, L., & Raison, C. L. (2024). “Co-Administration of Midazolam and Psilocybin: Differential Effects on Subjective Quality Versus Memory of the Psychedelic Experience." Translational Psychiatry, 14(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-03059-8
McClintock, S.L. and Dunne, J.D. (2024). Nāgārjuna's Precious Garland: Ratnāvalī. Classics of Indian Buddhism. New York: Wisdom Publications.
Dunne, J.D. and Manheim, J.S. (2024). “Compassion, Self-Compassion and Skill in Means: A Mahāyāna Perspective.” Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01864-0
Wilson-Mendenhall, C.D., Davidson, R.J., & Dunne, J.D. (2022). “Visualizing Compassion: Episodic Simulation as Contemplative Practice.” Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01842-6
Hirshberg, M.J., Colaianne, B., Greenberg, M.T. , Kurotsuchi Inkelas, K., Davidson, R.J., Dunne, J.D. Germano, D., Roeser, R.W. (2022). “Can the Academic and Experiential Study of Flourishing Improve Flourishing in College Students? A Multi-University Study.” Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01952-1 [P]
Dunne, J.D. (2022). “Contemplative Science and Buddhist Science.” In Oxford Handbook of Buddhist Practice. Edited by P. Arai and K. Trainor. New York: Oxford University Press.
Inkelas, K.K., Colaianne, B., Hirshberg, M.J., Greenberg, M.T., Davidson, R.J., Dunne, J.D., Germano, D., & Roeser, R.W. (2021). “Does Variability Across Three Universities in the Implementation of a College Course on Human Flourishing Affect Student Outcomes?” Journal of College Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1920956
Wilson-Mendenhall, C.D. & Dunne, J.D. (2021). “Cultivating Emotional Granularity.” Frontiers in Pyschology 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703658
Lott, D. T., Yeshi, T., Norchung, N., Dolma, S., Tsering, N., Jinpa, N., Woser, T., et al. (2021). “No Detectable Electroencephalographic Activity After Clinical Declaration of Death Among Tibetan Buddhist Meditators in Apparent Tukdam, a Putative Postmortem Meditation State.” Frontiers in Psychology 11:1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.599190
Compendium Selection Committee, Dalai Lama XIV, and Dunne, J.D. (2020). The Mind. Edited by Thupten Jinpa. Introduction by the Dalai Lama XIV. Contextual essays by J.D. Dunne. Translated by J.D. Dunne and D. Rochard. Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 2. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
Dunne, J.D. (2020). “Pac-Man to the Rescue? Conceptuality and Nonconceptuality in the Dharmakīrtian Theory of Pseudo-Perception.” Philosophy East & West 70/3: 571-593.
Wilson-Mendenhall, C., J.D. Dunne & P. Condon. (2020). “Achieving Deep Integration Across Disciplines: A Process Lens on Investigating Human Flourishing.” In Self, Motivation, and Virtue: New Findings from Philosophy and Psychology. Edited by N. Snow & D. Narvaez. Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral Theory. London: Routledge: 109-126.
Dunne, J.D. (2019). “Innate Human Connectivity and Śāntideva’s Cultivation of Compassion.” In Readings of Śāntideva’s Guide to Bodhisattva Practice. Edited by J. Gold and D. Duckworth. New York, NY: Columbia University Press: 235-252.
Dunne, J., E. Thompson and J. Schooler. (2019). "Mindful Meta-Awareness: Sustained and Non-Propositional." Current Opinion in Psychology 28: 307-311.
Dunne, J. (2019). "Is Buddhism Scientific or Religious?" Tricycle.
Rosenkranz, M., J. Dunne & R.J. Davidson. (2019). “The Next Generation of Mindfulness-Based Intervention Research: What have we learned and where are we headed?” Current Opinion in Psychology 28: 179-183.
Wielgosz, J., S.B. Goldberg, T.R. Kral, J. Dunne & R.J. Davidson. (2019). “Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 15: 2.1-2.32.
Dunne, J. (2018). “Reflexivity in Buddhist Epistemology: Implications for Cooperative Cognition.” In Dualities, Dialectics, and Paradoxes in Organizational Life. Edited by W. Smith et al. Perspectives on Process Organization Studies. New York: Oxford University Press: 82-105.
McClintock, S.L. and Dunne, J.D. (2024). Nāgārjuna's Precious Garland: Ratnāvalī. Classics of Indian Buddhism. New York: Wisdom Publications.
Dunne, J.D. and Manheim, J.S. (2024). “Compassion, Self-Compassion and Skill in Means: A Mahāyāna Perspective.” Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01864-0
Wilson-Mendenhall, C.D., Davidson, R.J., & Dunne, J.D. (2022). “Visualizing Compassion: Episodic Simulation as Contemplative Practice.” Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01842-6
Hirshberg, M.J., Colaianne, B., Greenberg, M.T. , Kurotsuchi Inkelas, K., Davidson, R.J., Dunne, J.D. Germano, D., Roeser, R.W. (2022). “Can the Academic and Experiential Study of Flourishing Improve Flourishing in College Students? A Multi-University Study.” Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01952-1 [P]
Dunne, J.D. (2022). “Contemplative Science and Buddhist Science.” In Oxford Handbook of Buddhist Practice. Edited by P. Arai and K. Trainor. New York: Oxford University Press.
Inkelas, K.K., Colaianne, B., Hirshberg, M.J., Greenberg, M.T., Davidson, R.J., Dunne, J.D., Germano, D., & Roeser, R.W. (2021). “Does Variability Across Three Universities in the Implementation of a College Course on Human Flourishing Affect Student Outcomes?” Journal of College Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1920956
Wilson-Mendenhall, C.D. & Dunne, J.D. (2021). “Cultivating Emotional Granularity.” Frontiers in Pyschology 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.703658
Lott, D. T., Yeshi, T., Norchung, N., Dolma, S., Tsering, N., Jinpa, N., Woser, T., et al. (2021). “No Detectable Electroencephalographic Activity After Clinical Declaration of Death Among Tibetan Buddhist Meditators in Apparent Tukdam, a Putative Postmortem Meditation State.” Frontiers in Psychology 11:1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.599190
Compendium Selection Committee, Dalai Lama XIV, and Dunne, J.D. (2020). The Mind. Edited by Thupten Jinpa. Introduction by the Dalai Lama XIV. Contextual essays by J.D. Dunne. Translated by J.D. Dunne and D. Rochard. Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 2. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
Dunne, J.D. (2020). “Pac-Man to the Rescue? Conceptuality and Nonconceptuality in the Dharmakīrtian Theory of Pseudo-Perception.” Philosophy East & West 70/3: 571-593.
Wilson-Mendenhall, C., J.D. Dunne & P. Condon. (2020). “Achieving Deep Integration Across Disciplines: A Process Lens on Investigating Human Flourishing.” In Self, Motivation, and Virtue: New Findings from Philosophy and Psychology. Edited by N. Snow & D. Narvaez. Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral Theory. London: Routledge: 109-126.
Dunne, J.D. (2019). “Innate Human Connectivity and Śāntideva’s Cultivation of Compassion.” In Readings of Śāntideva’s Guide to Bodhisattva Practice. Edited by J. Gold and D. Duckworth. New York, NY: Columbia University Press: 235-252.
Dunne, J., E. Thompson and J. Schooler. (2019). "Mindful Meta-Awareness: Sustained and Non-Propositional." Current Opinion in Psychology 28: 307-311.
Dunne, J. (2019). "Is Buddhism Scientific or Religious?" Tricycle.
Rosenkranz, M., J. Dunne & R.J. Davidson. (2019). “The Next Generation of Mindfulness-Based Intervention Research: What have we learned and where are we headed?” Current Opinion in Psychology 28: 179-183.
Wielgosz, J., S.B. Goldberg, T.R. Kral, J. Dunne & R.J. Davidson. (2019). “Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 15: 2.1-2.32.
Dunne, J. (2018). “Reflexivity in Buddhist Epistemology: Implications for Cooperative Cognition.” In Dualities, Dialectics, and Paradoxes in Organizational Life. Edited by W. Smith et al. Perspectives on Process Organization Studies. New York: Oxford University Press: 82-105.
From the Archives
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.
For Mind & Life XXX, "Perception, Concepts, and Self" (2015), Dr. Dunne had the honor of presenting on a Buddhist theory of concept formation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Video available here.