[RichardPfau (01.12.2011.07:25NepalTime)
Bill/Planning Committee,
I recently became aware that the Mind & Life Institute is based in Boulder,Colorado (7007 Winchester Cir., Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301, phone: 303-530-1940, http:/www.mindandlife.org). You may wish to invite the Institute to send an interested person or two to the 2012 Conference.
Among other things, this nonprofit organization “has been exploring productive interfaces between contemplative practice and theory (especially Buddhism) and the sciences, especially (but not exclusively) the neurosciences” (according to one of their web pages).
The Institute might also be invited to present a paper relevant to PCT, possibly including Buddhist theory and practice concerning perception, reference levels (goals/values), action, and interactions between these areas. (Of course, they would need to be given an overview of PCT and guided towards a key reference or two).
The benefits of inviting people from the Institute may be mutual. Life and Mind people would be introduced to PCT, and our thinking about areas relevant to PCT may be expanded. By the way, as you may know, Buddhist theory is big on mutual causality between people and their environments (which is relevant to the feedback idea of PCT), perception (including thought as one of the major 6 perceptions, in addition to the basic 5 senses), goals/values (as references for action), and on ways of affecting such areas.
With Regards,
Richard Pfau