IAS Research Centre for Life, Mind and Society, University of the Basque Country.


The IAS‑Research Centre for Life, Mind & Society is a multidisciplinary team of philosophers and scientists at UPV/EHU focused on understanding living and cognitive systems. Their work is organized around three core research areas:

  1. Conceptual Frameworks for Complex Systems — They develop philosophical models (especially around autonomy) to explain how living, cognitive, and social systems self-organize and act. Science.eus+2IAS Research+2

  2. Minimal and Naturalistic Models — The group builds and studies minimal systems (e.g., protocells, adaptive robots) to explore the roots of life, cognition, and social interaction. Science.eus+1

  3. Epistemology, Methodology & Ethics — They reflect on the philosophical, methodological, and ethical implications of their models, and produce work with direct societal relevance (e.g., bioethics, philosophy of science). Science.eus

Beyond theory, IAS‑Research contributes to practice and impact: they run initiatives like the European Summer School on Life & Cognition, which brings together philosophy, biology, and cognitive science. Life Cognition School Their research has also informed technology development (e.g., cognitive robotics) and public discussions about autonomy in living systems