Curriculum vitae

Roberto Ferrari (Modena, 1964), was trained as biologist and entomologist. Since his degree in 1988 he has been doing researches at the Department of Evolutionary Experimental Biology - University of Bologna. Social Insects (Isoptera, Rhinothermitidae) biology and behaviour is main field of research, both in laboratory and on field, beside organic methods of insect defence; more than 25 scientific pubblications on Entomology and research experiences in Spagna, Francia, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cina, Camerun, Nigeria, USA.
Currently he is focusing his studies on cognitive ethology and on the emerging proprieties of collective minds, based on the Francisco Varela's life-mind connection and his enactive approach to mind embodiment. He collaborates with Asia Study Centre directed by Franco Bertossa, in a steady confrontation between the scientific research on mind and consciousness, philosophy of mind and the oriental tradition of experienced research on mind. On this issues he attend as speaker to congresses and lectures, and publish on philosophical review and collective books.

He teaches Hatha Yoga since1993, and meditation since 1997. He has been teaching for many years at the University Sport Centre of the University of Modena, and in 2005 he founded, together with other teachers, the Association Asia Modena, a centre for cultural exchange, Yoga practicing, meditation and martial arts where he is in charge as President. He has a teaching collaboration from 2004 with the University of Urbino-ISIA, for the intensive workshops of "Philosophy of the Project", and with the Institute ISYCO, a 4 years course for Yoga Teachers offered by the Department for Oriental Studies of The University of Torino where he teaches "Applied Phisiology and Yoga" and "Didactics of Yoga".

His education on the mind-body disciplines began in 1986 at the age of 22, practicing Hata-Yoga with Giulio di Furia, pupil of Gerard Blitz, pioneer of yoga in Europe. Between 1988 and 1993 he continued practicing and travelling, also staying for long periods of time in the East: in the Ramanashram of Tiruvannamalai, by Ramesh Balsekar in Bombay, by Madre Teresa in Calcutta, by Vimala Takar in Dalhousie and by buddist monasteries in Zanskar and Nepal. He met several European and American Yoga Teachers, he experienced practicing according to different traditions. Since 1993 he is a direct pupil of Master Franco Bertossa, for the disciplines of meditation and Ki-Aikido.

His philosophical education is grounded on the steady research and exchange activity at Asia Study Centre. He has taken part in several intensive seminars and courses (mainly summer schools of 4-7 days) in Italy and abroad with:

• Michel Bitbol (Philosopher e Biophisic, CNRS/CREA Paris) on epistemology and consciousness studies - 2007, 2008, 2009.
• Henk Barendregt (Matematician, Nimjen University) on buddist Vipassana meditation - 2008.
• Giulio Giorello (Philosopher, University of Milano) on Philosophy of Science - 2008.
• Luigi Perissinotto (Philosopher, University of Venezia) on Wittgenstein and '900 philosophy - 2007.
• Ohashi Ryosuke (Philosopher, Kyoto University) on texts of Maestro Zen Dogen and the Japanese Philosophers of '900 of the Kyoto School - 2006, 2007.
• Ueda Shizuteru (Philosopher of Religions, University of Kyoto) on the buddist text "Ten images of the man with the ox" - 2006.
• Tupten Jimpa (Philosopher, McGill University, Montreal) on the texts of Nagarjuna, and on philosophy of Tibetan Buddism - 2004, 2005.
• James Heisig (Philosopher and priest, Nanzan Institute-Japan) on interreligious dialogue - 2005.
• Douglas Hofstadter (Cognitive Scientist, Indiana University) on cognitive sciences and self-reference - 2004.
• Mario Piantelli (Orientalist Philosopher, University of Torino) on philosophy and mistics of India - 2003.
• Mauro Bergonzi (Philosopher and Psicologist, University of Napoli) on buddist psicology - 2002.
• Piergiorgio Odifreddi (Logician, University of Torino) on logic and mathematic - 2001.
• Stephen Bachelor (Master of meditation and writer, Sharpam College, UK) on buddism and western culture - 1999.
• Giangiorgio Pasqualotto (Philosoph, University of Padova), on eastern and western philosophy (1998).
• Vimala Takar (Philosopher and Master of Meditation, University of Nagpur) on the texts "Bhagavat Gita" and "Ishavasya Upanishad" - 1992.
• Francisco Varela (Biologist e Neuroscientist, CNRS/CREA Paris) seminar on cognitive sciences "A know-how for ethic" - 1991.
• In the same years he attended to several congresses and working groups on interrelation between science, philosophy and spirituality.

 

Current research

I am interested in exploring the possibilities of deepening the human feeling and the understanding, by means of Yoga practicing and by Meditation. Generally speaking, I'm trying to question the topics of knowledge, suffering and on the meaning of all this.

The most theoretical part of actual researches concerns enactive approach, neurophenomenology, epistemology and comparative oriental-occidental philosophy. The most "lived" one concerns the attendace of the strange and powerful direct experience of existing "here and now", as indicated by the oriental contemplative tradition and by the mind-body disciplines. In this respect, the school founded by Master Franco Bertossa where I have been trained, is a continuously enlighting reference point.

In the end the main issue is: is it possible that the problem of meaning, experienced in the body - by means of meditation, or exposition to great art, or in instants of insight,- could be lived in a non-pathologic, nichilistic or tragic way, but instead to be embraced by cultural and existential categories which can turn it into a path towards consciousness?

Beside this central core, inner curiosity drives me towards other studies as

• Mental experiments and relationship with philosophical movies
• Will a computer ever be able to meditate?
• Theoretical biology and evolutionarism: what is the nature of the "living"?
• Systemic Physiology and PNEI (psiconeuroendocrinimmunology); yoga phisiology
• Neuroscience and meditation: neuroplasticity
• Was Ludwig Wittgenstein buddist?
• Ecological crisis and sustainable development: is an existential ecology possible?
• Communication and educational strategies, labs of science and experiences in Universities and High Schools
• Ethic of scientific experiments on sentient being and animal rights
• Art and poetry
• Death and dying attendance

 

Pubblications

Bertossa F., Besa M., Ferrari R., Ferri F. (2008), Point Zero. A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Subjective Physical Location of Consciousness, in "Perceptual and Motor Skills", 2008, 107, 323-335.

Chia B., Bertossa F., Teneggi C., Ferrari R., Valentini I.(2007), Il Progetto Cosciente. Un'esperienza didattica, in "Progetto Grafico", 10, 28-58.

Ferrari R., Ricardo P., Ferri F. (2006), Menti connettive e produzione di mondi negli Insetti sociali. Un modello per l'esperienza cosciente? In "Dedalus", 1, 27-39.

Bertossa F., Ferrari R., (2006), Meditazione di presenza mentale per le scienze cognitive. Pratica del corpo e metodo in prima persona, in Neurofenomenologia a cura di M.Cappuccio, Bruno Mondatori, Milano.

Ferrari, R. (2006) Scienze della coscienza e pratica fenomenologica: strumenti e metodi tra occidente e oriente, in "Biblioteca husserliana. Rivista di fenomenologia ALIAS "Che cosa significa 'studiare la coscienza' Intervista a Roberto Ferrari."

Bertossa F., Ferrari R., (2005), Lo sguardo senza occhio. Esperimenti sulla mente cosciente tra scienza e meditazione, Alboversorio, Milano.

Bertossa F., Ferrari R., Besa M. (2004), Matrici senza uscita. Circolarità della conoscenza oggettiva e prospettiva buddhista, in Dentro la matrice pp. 117-128, a cura di Cappuccio M., Alboversorio, Milano.

Bertossa F., Ferrari R. (2002), Cervello e autocoscienza. La mente tra neuroscienze e fenomenologia, in "Rivista di Estetica", 21, n.s., 3/2002, anno XLII. Sito Centro Studi Asia - Sezione scienze cognitive e filosofia.

 

Speeches on invitation at Conferences and Seminars

2010
- Council of Modena, Library A.Delfini, Conferences on biodiversity. 11 June 2010, Speech on: Co-interdependency in Oceanic Islands and lived experience of finiteness (Ferrari R.).

- CREA/CNRS Ecole Polytecnique de Paris, Colloques “Ecology in the first person”, 6 April 2010. Invited paper: Co-interdependency in Oceanic Islands and lived experience of finiteness (Ferrari R.).

2009
- University of Modena-ReggioEmilia, Dep. Animal Biology, 22 May 2009, Course "Molecular Biology of wellness". Speech on: Meditation and wellness: aim or collateral effect? (Ferrari R.).

- University of Urbino ISIA, 2 February 2009, Conference on "The sustainable Project". Speech on: The sustainable island. What project on the years of ecological crisis? (Ferrari R.).

2008
- CESIPc, School of cognitive therapy of constructivistic orientation, Florence 13 June 2008, Conference on Constructivism and Human Sciences: the cultural, social and spiritual dimension. Speech on: the spiritual dimension. Construction and deconstruction of meaning between co-determination and flashes of vacuity (Ferrari R.)

- Council of Meran (Bz), 29 March 2008, Seminar "At the centre of the mind. Science and philospphy study the consciousness " (Ferrari R., Teneggi C.)

- University of Bologna, Faculty of Medicine, 19 February 2008, Seminar "Experiments on animals and medical science". Speech on: Animals as sentient being. Philosophy and biology of feeling. (Ferrari R.)

2007
- Paris Ecole Polytechnique CREA/CNRS, 13 March 2007, Seminar Consciousness Studies. (Bertossa F., Benfenati B., Teneggi C., Ferrari R., Ferri F.).

2006
- University of Studies of Milan, 4 October 2006. Conference Trascendentalism and naturalization . On the tracks of Neurophenomenology of Francisco Varela. Speech on: Meditation: lived self-reference. (Bertossa F., Ferrari R.)

- Loiano, Palace Loup, 24 June-1 July 2006. International Workshop "Primordial Questions about Consciousness". Speech on: Point zero. A seat for conscious experience (Bertossa F., Besa M., Ferrari R.).

2005
- University of Urbino ISIA, Years 2005-2006-2007-2008, Intensive seminars "Philosophy of Project. The conscious project " (Chia B., Teneggi C., Ferrari R., Valentini I.)

- University of Studies of Milan, 27 May 2005, seminar ASTUFILO Neuroscience and Phenomenology. Speech on: a buddist approach to Cognitive Sciences. Sperimental Philosophy in the stillness of the body (Ferrari R.).

2002
- Council of Modena, Library A.Delfini, 2-3 March 2002, Conferences on Science and Meditation. Speech on: Brain and self-counsciousness (Ferrari R.).

 

Other on-line works (in Italian)

Ferrari R. (2010), Esistential Darwinism, Appunti Yoga (Asia Modena blog)

Ferrari R. (2010), Wittgenstein and the Buddhism. Notes on the question about sense, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (2009), The extranged death. How to cope with the limit?, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (2004), Why we can't say we are not nichilists. Occidental symptoms and buddist therapies, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (2004), The Matrix, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (2003), Evolution for the sake of nothing? Notes for a esperiential biology, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (2000), Biology and Metabiology. Am I my brain?, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (1999), Technology and tedium. Meaningful and meaningless time, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy

Ferrari R. (1998), Schönberg: Music instead of silence, silence instead of nothing, Website Asia Study Centre - Section cognitive science and philosophy