Paul D’Ambrosio, “From present to presentation: A philosophical critique of Hartmut Rosa’s ‘situational identity'” has just been published in the journal Time and Society. Paul informs me that it includes lots on Daoism. Here’s the link: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0961463X18787059.
(Please continue to send me information about anything related to Chinese or comparative philosophy published outside the specialist journals that we routinely cover here at Warp, Weft, and Way.)
Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
2018.06.18 View this Review Online View Other NDPR Reviews
Hans-Georg Moeller and Paul J. D’Ambrosio, Genuine Pretending: On the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi, Columbia University Press, 2017, 221 pp., $35.00, ISBN 9780231183994.
Reviewed by Susan Blake, Bard College
“A romp through ‘the vast wilds of open nowhere'” — Roger Ebert
“Better than any existing work on humor” — Aristotle
“Nothing more than a success” — Guy Smiley
“A demonstration of nothing . . . in a technical sense” — Ford Prefect
“A tour de force through the ‘homeland of non-even-anything'” — Steven Colbert
This book presents a novel reading of the Zhuangzi that illuminates its humor and presents it as responding to philosophical concerns of its day. To the extent that these philosophical concerns are also those of the present day — the search for a sane and healthy response to the impossible demands of sincerity — we can, through the discussion here, gain an understanding of an alternative to the unsatisfying ethical approaches of both sincerity and authenticity. The book is impressive in bringing together diverse passages in this difficult text under one interpretation.
Hans-Georg Moeller and Paul J. D’Ambrosio will be giving a lecture on their new book
on the philosophy of the Zhuangzi at Ghent University on June 1, 2018. The lecture is entitled
“Genuine Pretending: A Daoist Mode of Existence”.
Venue: Ghent University, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Campus Boekentoren (Blandijnberg 2), Ghent (Belgium), 5th floor, room 150.018. Time: 14.00 – 15.30. The poster is available here.
For any additional information, please mail to ady.vandenstock@ugent.be
The Brill series Modern Chinese Philosophy, has just published two new volumes:
Studies on Contemporary Chinese Philosophy (1949-2009) by Quo Qiyong, Wuhan University; Translated by Paul J. D’Ambrosio, East China Normal University (http://www.brill.com/products/book/studies-contemporary-chinese-philosophy-1949-2009)
The Humanist Spirit of Daoism, by Chen Guying, Peking University; Translated by Hans-Georg Moeller, University of Macau; Edited by David Jones, Kennesaw State University and Sarah Flavel, Bath Spa University (http://www.brill.com/products/book/humanist-spirit-daoism)
The latest issue of the Journal of Daoist Studies has been published. It can be ordered from http://threepinespress.com/, and the Table of Contents is below.
The latest issue of FPC is available, with a focus on “Contemporary Explorations of the Thought of Laozi.” Read on for the details.
Columbia University Press has published Genuine Pretending: On the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi, by Hans-Georg Moeller and Paul J. D’Ambrosio. It looks terrific! More information here.
The Department of East Asian Languages & Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania is delighted to announce an interdisciplinary symposium in honor of Nathan Sivin at Perry World House, 3803 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, on Oct. 14-15, 2017.
The symposium is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Just click here if you’d like to attend:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/body-and-cosmos-in-china-an-interdisciplinary-symposium-in-honor-of-nathan-sivin-tickets-37455848451.
Michael Sandel and Paul D’Ambrosio have edited a book on Chinese philosophy titled “Encountering China: Michael Sandel and Chinese Philosophy” that will come out on Harvard University Press in early January 2018. A flyer with more information is available here, and the Table of Contents follows.
Authority versus Authenticity: 12th International Conference on Daoist Studies
Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 1-4 June, 2018
[PENDING APPROVAL BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (expected by December)]
This year’s theme is the relationship of inner truth in contrast (and conflict) with outer circumstances, an issue that pervades Daoist history and culture, since Daoists highly value naturalness and integrity that often crosses or even runs in opposition to mainstream values, notions, and practices—both without and within the religion itself.
