CFA: Biological Naturalism

Call for Abstracts: Biological Naturalism

November 5–6, 2026 · University of California, Los Angeles

Can non-biological systems be conscious? If not, why not? These questions have taken on new weight as AI systems become increasingly sophisticated, not least because our answers bear on which entities might matter morally.

This conference focuses on biological naturalism: the family of views holding that certain biological properties are required for consciousness. Biological naturalism is often positioned as the principal alternative to functionalism. But compared to its rival, biological naturalism remains underdeveloped as a positive research program—its central commitments are still being clarified, its empirical predictions are still being articulated, and the range of strategies for defending it are only now being explored systematically.

Our aim is to bring together researchers who want to make progress toward developing a positive version of biological naturalism. We welcome abstracts outlining many different projects, ranging from the conceptual to the empirical to the practical. Possible topics include:

• Empirical approaches to evaluating biological naturalism relative to its competitors

• Explanatory links between candidate biological properties and structural features of conscious experience

• The relationships between biological naturalism and various forms of functionalism

• Potential differences in the explanatory power of biological naturalism and computational functionalism

• Connections to animal consciousness research

• Moral and policy implications for AI welfare

We are primarily interested in papers that develop, refine, or extend biological naturalism, rather than critiques of the view or critiques of its competitors. That said, internal critiques—those that identify obstacles with the aim of overcoming them—are very welcome.

Keynote speakers: Jonathan Birch, LSE; Ned Block, NYU; Rosa Cao, Stanford; Matthias Michel, MIT

Submission: Please submit abstracts of up to 1,000 words, prepared for blind review, via this form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeObQDaMzxhjTWKYIJZNoqBoSWetxKKGtD1mO3DZf0SUtzYgA/viewform) by June 30, 2026. Decisions will be communicated by July 31, 2026.

Funding: Travel support is available for graduate students and untenured faculty.

Organizers: Josh Armstrong, UCLA; Hayley Clatterbuck, UCLA and Rethink Priorities; Bob Fischer, Texas State University and Rethink Priorities

Questions? Please contact Bob Fischer ([email protected]).