GIU Provost Prof. Tan Kwan Hong Submits Final Dissertation for Dual PhD

Graham International University (GIU) is pleased to announce that our Provost, Dean & Director, Prof. Tan Kwan Hong, has submitted his final dissertation for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philosophy of Religion and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cognitive Psychology. 

The dissertation, titled Pratītyasamutpāda as a Dynamic Causal Architecture: A Computational and Network-Theoretic Formalization of Dependent Origination for a Unified Psychology of Suffering and Flourishing, runs 544 pages.

About the Dissertation

Prof. Tan’s work presents an interdisciplinary, three-phase project that translates the Buddhist doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination) into a formally specified, testable model for contemporary psychological science. The thesis (briefly):

• Proposes the Causal Architecture of Mind (CAM) — an 8-node network formalization of dependent origination — as a new non-linear causal metaphor for understanding suffering (dukkha) and flourishing.
• Uses computational simulations (Boolean networks and dynamical systems) to show how the CAM produces self-sustaining “saṃsāric” attractors and how mindfulness can act as a bifurcation parameter to induce phase transitions toward cessation.
• Provides empirical validation through network psychometric analyses (cross-sectional N=512; longitudinal N=216) and an experimental mindfulness intervention that weakened a predicted critical link (feeling tone → craving).

Together, these strands argue that pratītyasamutpāda can be operationalized as a dynamic causal architecture with implications for theory, clinical practice, and future AI-assisted research.

Significance for GIU and Academia 

This dissertation showcases GIU’s commitment to bold, interdisciplinary scholarship by bridging Buddhist studies, computational science, and empirical psychology. Prof. Tan’s CAM framework proposes practical avenues for personalized, network-targeted interventions and sets an agenda for future hybrid AI simulations, reproducible code repositories, and ethically informed research programs.

GIU warmly congratulates Prof. Tan Kwan Hong on the successful submission of his final dissertation toward the award of dual PhD degrees in Philosophy of Religion and Cognitive Psychology, recognizing his significant contribution to advancing research at the intersection of contemplative studies and psychological science.

For enquiries about the dissertation or about Prof. Tan’s research, please contact Graham International University’s Team at frankiegrahamjr@fgjf.org.