The International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS) arose from the commitment of the founders, Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Reverend Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, to create an integrated worldview that could serve as the basis for a peaceful, harmonious future.

At that time, the founders saw that as the scientific community was searching for academic truth, they were fragmenting into increasingly narrow sub-disciplines. Although many new discoveries were being made, disciplines were growing more and more isolated from each other. The value of such research would then be marginalized if it could not be connected to the rest of human society or even to related disciplines within the field. Despite these negative outcomes, this was generally thought to be the way toward more breakthroughs in science.

Sponsored by the International Cultural Foundation, ICUS was established to provide a platform for transdisciplinary discussions and cultivate a holistic viewpoint centered on absolute values that would benefit all humanity. Such a worldview would foster well-balanced research, order in human knowledge, and the resolution of conflicting value systems.

Hence, the two enduring themes of ICUS—Unity of Knowledge and Science and Absolute Values—were raised as a challenge to stimulate the creativity of the world’s scientists and scholars.

Starting with 20 participants in 1972, ICUS expanded its scope year by year, deepening its relationship with the worldwide academic community. This growing phase culminated with the historic Tenth ICUS, which convened in 1981 in Seoul, Korea, with 808 participants from over 100 countries. By this time, ICUS had gained recognition from the world academic community for its unique value as an interdisciplinary, international gathering of scholars and scientists addressing issues of fundamental concern to humanity.

By the 1990s, scientific endeavors were becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and collaborative. Because the urgency of the first concern of ICUS had passed, subsequent ICUS conferences were held less frequently. After ICUS XXII, held in the year 2000, the founders turned their attention to other pressing humanitarian matters concerning international conflicts arising from religious, racial, and cultural differences.

Related Pages:

About ICUS

ICUS History

Searching for Absolute Values and Unity in the Sciences:
Science for the Benefit of Humanity

Searching for Absolute Values and Unity in the Sciences:
Science for the Benefit of Humanity

Absolute Values and the Unity of the Sciences:
The Origin of Human Responsibility

ICUS XIX

August 19–22, 1992

Hotel Inter-Continental
Seoul, Korea

Conference Chair:
Prof. Tor Ragnar Gerholm

200 participants
from 40 nations

Absolute Values and the New World Order

Committee 1: The Nuclear Option in the Past, Present and in the Future

Committee 2: The Global Empowerment of Families

Committee 3: Theoria and Praxis in Unification Thought

Committee 4: The Modern University in Transition

Committee 5: Cross-Culturization: The Role of Transportation and Communication

Committee 6: Values and the Social Order

Link to ICUS XIX papers on icus.org

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ICUS XVIII

August 23–26, 1991

Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel
Seoul, Korea

Conference Chair:
Dr. Alvin M. Weinberg

210 participants
from 40 nations

Absolute Values and the Reassessment of the Contemporary World

Committee 1: The Limits of Science?

Committee 2: Agricultural Genetic Engineering and Society

Committee 3: Nationalism and World Unity: Educating for the 21st Century

Committee 4: The Contemporary Family in Cross-Cultural Context

Committee 5: East-West Perspectives on Science and Spirit: Time and Consciousness

Committee 6: Unification Thought and the Global Transformation of Consciousness

Committee 7: The Ethics of Nuclear Deterrence

Link to ICUS XVIII papers on icus.org

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ICUS XVII

November 24–27, 1988

Stouffer Concourse Hotel
Los Angeles, California

Conference Chair:
Dr. Alvin M. Weinberg

260 participants
from 47 nations

Absolute Values and the Reassessment of the Contemporary World

Committee 1: The Evolution of Man

Committee 2: Ethnocentrism vs. World Unity: Impacts on Socialization and Education

Committee 3: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Development and Modernization

Committee 4: East-West Perspectives on Spirit and Science

Committee 5: Eco-Philosophy As a New Metaphysical and Cultural Reconstruction

Committee 6: Neurobiology in Relation to Global Ideology and Values

Committee 7: The Ethics of Nuclear Deterrence

Link to ICUS XVII papers on icus.org

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ICUS XVI

November 26–29, 1987

Stouffer Waverly Hotel
Atlanta, Georgia

Conference Chair:
Dr. Alvin M. Weinberg

225 participants
from 47 nations

Absolute Values and the Reassessment of the Contemporary World

Committee 1: The Unity of the Universe

Committee 2: The Value of Human Life

Committee 3: Towards Ecumenism in World Philosophy

Committee 4: A Critical Assessment of the Achievements of the Economic Approach

Committee 5: The Human Food Chain: The Problem of Nourishment

Committee 6: Eastern Approaches to the Unity of Spirit and Matter: Qi and Science

Committee 7: In Search For Understanding Among the Monotheistic Religions

Link to ICUS XVI papers on icus.org

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ICUS XV

November 27–30, 1986

J.W. Marriott Hotel
Washington, DC

Conference Chair:
Prof. Kenneth Mellanby

240 participants
from 45 nations

Absolute Values and the New Cultural Revolution

Committee 1: Unifying Principles in Science

Committee 2: The Value of Human Life

Committee 3: Towards Ecumenism in World Philosophy

Committee 4: The Relationship Between Science an the Arts and Its Relevance to Cultural Transformation

Committee 5: Problems of the Third World Developments: The Case of Africa

Committee 6: Eastern Approaches to Knowledge and Values: With an Emphasis on Qi

Committee 7: Global 2000 Revisited: Reassessing Man's Impact on Spaceship Earth

Link to ICUS XV papers on icus.org

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ICUS XIV

November 28–December 1, 1985

Hotel Inter-Continental
Houston, Texas

Conference Chair:
Prof. Kenneth Mellanby

240 participants
from 40 nations

Absolute Values and the New Cultural Revolution

Committee 1: Unity of the Sciences: Organization and Change In Complex Systems

Committee 2: Synthesis and Relationships in Culture

Committee 3: Forms and Symbols: The Root of Behavior

Committee 4: Modernization, Appropriate Values and Education

Committee 5: The Search for Global Ideology

Committee 6: The Universe and Its Origin: From Ancient Myth to Present Reality and Fantasy

Link to ICUS XIV papers on icus.org

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ICUS XIII

September 2–5, 1984

J.W. Marriott Hotel
Washington, DC

Conference Chair:
Prof. Kenneth Mellanby

225 participants
from 40 nations

Absolute Values and the New Cultural Revolution

Committee 1: Unity of the Sciences

Committee 2: Theoretical Empiricism: A General Rationale for Scientific Model-Building

Committee 3: Human Beings and the Urban Environment: The Future Metropolis

Committee 4: Crises in Education in the 1980's: A Survey of Educational Values and Systems

Committee 5: The Ocean in Human Affairs

Committee 6: Spirit and Science: Imaginary and Reality

Committee 7: The Search for Global Ideology

Links to ICUS XIII Papers on icus.org

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ICUS XII

November 24–27, 1983

The Chicago Marriott Hotel
Chicago, Illinois

Conference Chair:
Prof. Morton A. Kaplan

300 participants
from 80 nations

Absolute Values and the New Cultural Revolution

Committee 1: Unity of the Sciences

Committee 2: The Challenge of Education in African Social Transformation

Committee 3: Art and Technology

Committee 4: Developmental Experiences in East Asia and Latin America

Committee 5: The Emotions: Focus on Inter-Male Aggression and Dominance Systems

Committee 6: Global Environmental Problems

Link to ICUS XII papers on icus.org

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ICUS XI

November 25–28, 1982

Franklin Plaza Hotel
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Conference Chair:
Prof. Morton A. Kaplan

525 participants
from 100 nations

The Search for Absolute Values and the Creation of the New World

Committee 1: Responsibility of the Individual in World Society

Committee 2: Technology as a Panacea?

Committee 3: Human Populations in the Future

Committee 4: Models of Rationality

Committee 5: Self, Society, and the Cosmos

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ICUS X

November 9–13, 1981

Hotel Lotte
Seoul, Korea

Conference Chair:
Prof. Morton A. Kaplan

808 participants
from 100 nations

The Search for Absolute Values and the Creation of the New World

Committee 1: Comparative Development: The Present

Committee 2: Technology and Society in Transition

Committee 3: The Future of Technology and Society

Committee 4: Transformations of The Individual in Society

Committee 5: Transformations in Consciousness

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ICUS IX

November 27–30, 1980

Fontainebleau Hilton Hotel
Miami Beach, Florida

Conference Chair:
Prof. Morton A. Kaplan

600 participants
from 80 nations

Absolute Values and the Search for the Peace of Mankind

Committee 1: Values and Consciousness

Committee 2: Change and Development

Committee 3: Population and Quality of Life

Committee 4: Vision and Direction of the Future

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ICUS VIII

November 22–25, 1979

Century Plaza Hotel
Los Angeles, California

Conference Chair:
Prof. Eugene P. Wigner

485 participants
from 67 nations

The Responsibility of the Academic Community
in the Search for Absolute Values

Committee 1: Values and Consciousness

Committee 2: Change and Development

Committee 3: Population and Quality of Life

Committee 4: Vision and Direction of the Future

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ICUS VII

November 24–26, 1978

Sheraton-Boston Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts

Conference Chair:
Prof. Eugene P. Wigner

450 participants
from 60 nations

The Re-evaluation of Existing Values
and the Search for Absolute Values

Committee 1: Religion and Philosophy

Committee 2: The Social Sciences

Committee 3: The Life Sciences

Committee 4: The Physical Sciences

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ICUS VI

November 25–27, 1977

Fairmont Hotel
San Francisco, California

Conference Chair:
Sir John Eccles

400 participants
from 50 nations

The Search for Absolute Values in a Changing World

Committee 1: Religion and Philosophy

Committee 2: The Social Sciences

Committee 3: The Life Sciences

Committee 4: The Physical Sciences

Link to ICUS VI papers on icus.org

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ICUS V

november 26–28, 1976

The Washington Hilton
Washington, DC

Conference Chair:
Sir John Eccles

360 participants
from 53 nations

The Search for Absolute Values: Harmony Among the Sciences

Committee 1: Religion and Philosophy

Committee 2: The Social Sciences and Humanities

Committee 3: The Life Sciences

Committee 4: The Physical Sciences

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ICUS IV

november 27–30, 1975

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
New York, New York

Conference Chair:
Prof. Eugene P. Wigner

Honorary Chair:
Prof. Robert S. Mulliken

340 participants
from 57 nations

The Centrality of Science and Absolute Values

Section I: Unity of Science

Section II: The Standard of Value in Society

Section III: The University, Research Institutions, and Human Society

Section IV: The Future World Order

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ICUS III

November 21–24, 1974

Royal Lancaster Hotel
London, England

Conference Co-Chairs:
Prof. Kenneth Mellanby
Prof. Reginald Victor Jones

Honorary Chair:
Lord Edgar Adrian

128 participants
from 28 nations

Science and Absolute Values

Committee 1: Quality of Life: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Aspects

Committee 2: Value Change and Absolute Values

Committee 3: The Unity of Science

Committee 4: The Idea of the University in a Troubled Society

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ICUS II

November 18–21, 1973

The Imperial Hotel Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan

Conference Chair:
Prof. Nobusige Sawada

60 participants
from 17 nations

Modern Science and Moral Values

Committee 1: Science and Philosophy

Committee 2: Science, Technology and Society
— Socio-Cultural Implications of R & D in Science-Technology —

Link to ICUS II papers posted on icus.org

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ICUS I

November 23–26, 1972

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
New York, New York

Conference Chair:
Mr. Edward Haskell

20 participants
from 8 nations

Moral Orientation of the Sciences

Tools for Solution of Scientific Problems: Meta-Theory

Application of Unicsci Tools: Solutions of Key Problems

Concrete Applications of Unified Science Solutions

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