Foundational Questions Institute: Intelligence in the Physical World

Foundational Questions Institute: Intelligence in the Physical WorldSponsor Initial Proposal Deadline: February 11, 2019Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline (if invited): June 17, 2019Award Amount: Grants totaling about $1.5M will be available for projects up to 2 years in duration

This Foundational Questions Institute (FQXi) program targets research on Intelligence in the Physical World, both in physics and also in related fields including cosmology, astrophysics, philosophy of physics, complex systems, biophysics, neuroscience, computer science, and mathematics. Intelligence in the Physical World seeks to inspire investigations into the many connections between basic physical laws and the nature of intelligence and intelligent agents. This RFP is limited to research with potentially significant and broad implications for our understanding of the deep or “ultimate” nature of reality, and is intended to fill a gap, not a shortfall, in conventional funding. This program builds upon FQXi and the Fetzer Franklin Fund’s past program on Agency in the Physical World, with a focus on foundational questions at the frontiers of physics, biology, and consciousness research. Applicants should ensure that the research or outreach project can be completed with a guaranteed final date of August 31, 2021 or earlier.