Author Archives: Steve Angle

Call for Abstracts of Papers: Timothy Williamson Encountering Chinese Philosophy

School of Philosophy, Fudan University, will host a conference on “Timothy Williamson Encountering Chinese Philosophy” on November 6-7, 2026. This is the 4th event in the conference/book series of “Fudan Studies of Encountering Chinese Philosophy”, following the ones focused on Michael Slote, Ernest Sosa, and Simon Blackburn respectively. This one is focused on the work of Timothy Williamson. Following the previous practice in the series, there will be a dozen or so scholars of Chinese philosophy critically engaging various aspects of Williamson’s philosophy by drawing on various aspects of Chinese philosophy, to which Williamson makes responses. Revised versions of these critical comments and responses will be collected into an edited volume, with the same title of the conference, in the series mentioned above.

This call for paper is addressed to scholars of Chinese philosophy who are interested in Williamson’s work. As the first step, we call for expressions of interests and abstracts of papers. The deadline is March 15, and we will announce the result by the end of March. We will provide airfare and room and board in the duration of the conference for all participants at the conference.

Please send your expressions of interests/abstracts of papers to: yonghuang@fudan.edu.cn

Liu, The Rise of Analytic Chinese Philosophy

A guest post by JeeLoo Liu

The Rise of Analytic Chinese Philosophy

JeeLoo Liu

The existence of Chinese philosophy has long been dismissed from both sides of the world. In the West, Hegel famously denied the presence of Chinese philosophy, focusing on the essential speculative nature of “philosophy” itself. Of Confucius, he wrote that Confucius was “only a man who has a certain amount of practical and worldly wisdom—one with whom there is no speculative philosophy.” Of the Daodejing, Hegel wrote: “If Philosophy has got no further than to such expression, it still stands on its most elementary stage. What is there to be found in all this learning?” (Hegel’s Lectures on the History of Philosophy, vol. 1). When Derrida visited China in 2001, he proclaimed that China “does not have any philosophy, only thought” on the grounds that “philosophy” is “something of European form.” This has since become a popular, if not the received, view in the Western philosophical world.

Continue reading →

CFP: Walking, Wandering, and Journeying: Approaches from Chinese and Greek Thought

From Dimitra Amarantidou and Thomas Michael…

We are writing to share the Call for Papers for a joint special issue entitled Walking, Wandering, and Journeying: Approaches from Chinese and Greek Thought, to be published in Religions and Philosophies.

With this joint special issue we aim to open new, exciting dialogues between the Chinese and Greek philosophical and religious traditions. We invite you to contribute papers that explore the themes of walking, wandering, and journeying as guiding metaphors and embodied practices, whether within a single tradition or from a comparative perspective. The following timeline gives everyone ample time to develop their ideas:

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: January 30, 2026
  • Full Manuscript Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026

This schedule is designed to allow for preparation and may also align with the related “Way and Being: Between Daoist and Presocratic Approaches” Workshop planned in Germany (Tübingen) on 24-30 August, 2026, offering a potential venue for early discussion of your work.
Continue reading →

ACPA On-line Celebratory Roundtable

A message from the current leadership of the ACPA:

The Association of Chinese Philosophers in North America (ACPA) warmly invites you to an online celebratory roundtable marking the 30th anniversary of the association’s founding.
Theme: Honoring the Beginnings: Reflections on the Present State of Engagement with Chinese Philosophy in Anglo-America
Date: Friday, December 5th, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM EST
Roundtable participants: Li Chenyang, Huang Yong, JeeLoo Liu, Ni Peimin, Robin Wang

Zoom link: https://sfu.zoom.us/j/84044319399#success

Instead of formal talks, this anniversary event will take the shape of an open, lively conversation. Our speakers will reflect together on their experiences with the ACPA and on the evolving status of Chinese philosophy in Anglo-America, responding to one another in an informal, spontaneous, and organic exchange. Audience members are warmly invited to join the discussion, ask questions, and share their perspectives throughout the session.

Whether you are an ACPA member, a former board member, have participated in ACPA panels over the years, or are a young scholar interested in the current state of Chinese philosophy in North America, we encourage you to join this meaningful celebration and be part of this conversation about the impact and future of the ACPA in our field.

New Book: Beaney, The Joy of Chinese Philosophy

Michael Beaney has just published The Joy of Chinese Philosophy (De Gruyter, 2026); see here for full-text access. The publisher’s blurb:

This book introduces some central ideas and themes in ancient Chinese philosophy through a detailed analysis of one famous passage – the happy fish dialogue – in the Zhuangzi, one of the two founding texts of Daoism. The Zhuangzi is the most exhilarating and intellectually challenging of all the texts of ancient Chinese literature, and appreciating its spirit is as important as understanding its ideas. Methodologically, this book shows how we can approach Chinese philosophy analytically, an approach that is needed if Chinese philosophy is to be recognized in Western (analytic) philosophy today. At the same time, it seeks to broaden our conceptions and practices of analysis and our methods and styles of philosophizing in learning from Chinese philosophy. Throughout the book the emphasis is on engaging the reader in thinking through the issues for themselves.

Chinese Philosophy-relevant panels at 2025 AAR

Michael Ing assembled the following list of panels at the annual American Academy of Religion (AAR) meeting, currently underway…

Here are panels of interest at the AAR this weekend. The entire program can be found here: https://papers.aarweb.org/program-book/30613. Looking forward to seeing you.

Sunday, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Sheraton, Boston Common (Fifth Floor)
Session ID: A23-109
Hosted by: Confucian Traditions Unit
Theme: Beyond Boundaries: Confucianism and The Evolution of Chinese Utopian Thought

The concept of utopia has long captivated thinkers across cultures, including in China, where diverse utopian visions emerged within Confucian, Daoist, and Legalist traditions. Scholars often argue that while Confucian utopias emphasized hierarchy and morality, Daoist models championed harmony with nature, whereas Legalist visions sought strict governance. However, rigid classifications overlook the fluidity of Chinese utopian thought, as thinkers often blended elements from different traditions. This panel challenges traditional paradigms by exploring varied Chinese utopian visions. The first paper critiques the Legalist utopia of Shang Yang and Han Feizi, highlighting its dystopian consequences. The second examines the utopian poetry of Tao Yuanming, revealing its Confucian influences. The third analyzes contemporary Confucian philosopher Zhang Xianglong’s proposal for Special Districts for Confucian Culture, showing its fusion of Confucian, Daoist, and Western ideas. Together, these studies demonstrate the adaptability of Chinese utopian thought, transcending rigid intellectual boundaries to shape evolving ideals of society.

Continue reading →