Francesco Maria Catanzaro – DREST, DSAAM, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (2023–present)

Recipient of a PhD scholarship funded by the UBI Research Center, with the project:"Buddhism and Technological Innovation: Historical and Modern Case Studies"

This research focuses on Japanese Buddhist thought and its non-dualistic view of sentient (sattva) and non-sentient beings (asattva), particularly in relation to materiality, objects, and technology. By analyzing concepts such as hongaku shisō (original enlightenment of all things), sōmoku jōbutsu (Buddha-nature of the non-sentient), and immo (the suchness of things), the project explores how Buddhism can offer ethical and soteriological perspectives on the relationship between humans and technology.

The goal is to contribute to an alternative—and culturally grounded—understanding of technological innovation, emphasizing the spiritual and moral implications of a relational and interdependent worldview.