Daniel Bell will join five panelists to discuss his book The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy (Princeton, 2015) at Duke University on Monday, October 19, 5-6:30pm. Details are here.
Category Archives: Lecture
Harvard Lecture: Ethics and Professions in Asia
Ethics and the Professions – Good Practitioners in a Rising Asia
Friday, October 16, 2015, 12:15pm
S153, 1st Floor, CGIS South, 1730 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA
Kenneth Winston, Visiting Scholar, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School
Many Asian countries are in transition, as they struggle to meet the demands of a global world. This struggle is not only economic and political; it is moral. Simply put, it is a struggle to preserve what one believes to be of value in one’s own culture or tradition while responding to new circumstances and participating in new relationships. Thus, it often involves a hybrid of traditional beliefs and transplanted values, which makes Asian countries fascinating sites for the study of political and ethical development. In particular, emerging democratic aspirations and increasing commitment to standards of professionalism are constituent elements of the new moral environment in Asia. As a result, the ethical challenges faced by practitioners have a special urgency and demand close attention. This talk presents a general framework for thinking about these challenges, focusing on the kinds of moral competence professionals require in working for the good of others.
Upcoming Lecture in Taiwan
An interesting-sounding lecture that touches on the possible “new life” to be found in the Neo-Confucian compendium, Reflections on Things at Hand; June 18th at Taiwan Normal University:
「當代與東亞儒家市民論壇」
講 題：朱熹、呂祖謙合編「近思錄」的古意和新生
主講人：朱浤源教授 （中央研究院 近代史研究所）、呂榮海律師 （蔚理法律事務所）
主持人：潘朝陽教授 （國立臺灣師範大學 東亞學系）
時 間：民國一０四年六月十八日（週四）晚上七點至九點
地 點：臺師大誠大樓九樓 政治學研究所多功能會議室
Events next week in Hong Kong
As I have already mentioned, on Friday May 15, there will be an all-day symposium on Joseph Chan’s book Confucian Perfectionism at HKU. There are at least two other Chinese-philosophy related events taking place next week in Hong Kong (please let me know if you know of others!):
- On Thursday May 14, David Wong (Duke University) will be speaking on “Moral Beauty” at HKU (Room 966, 9/F, The Jockey Club Tower) at 4:30pm.
- On Wednesday May 13, I will be speaking on “Varieties of Knowing in Neo-Confucianism” at the Center for East Asian and Comparative Philosophy, HK City University (Conference Room 1, To Yuen Building), 4:00pm.
Lecture at Yale tomorrow
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
The Seduction of Daoist Philosophy: What Was Lost on the Way to Understanding the Daoist Religion?
Room 202, Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Avenue
James Robson – Professor, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University
David Elstein – Columbia Society for Comparative Philosophy Lecture: “The Possibility of a Confucian Doctrine of Free Expression”, Mar. 27 @5:30pm
THE COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY
Welcomes: DAVID ELSTEIN (SUNY New Paltz)
With responses from: WARREN FRISINA (Hofstra University)
Please join at Columbia University’s Religion Department on FRIDAY, MARCH 27 5:30PM for his lecture entitled:
“The Possibility of a Confucian Doctrine of Free Expression“
ABSTRACT: Most contemporary New Confucian advocates for democracy take a robust right of free expression for granted as a necessary condition for democratic practice. Yet whether or how Confucianism can justify such a right is often passed over without much analysis. On the face of it, the case does not look good. Classical Confucians of course do not mention any such right, and what they do say is generally neutral or outright hostile to free expression. Various limitations on free expression have also been endorsed by later Confucians, including some contemporary thinkers. The usual liberal justifications of free expression as protecting individual autonomy and preserving access to truth probably will not work for Confucians. For one thing, autonomy is not valued in the same way as in liberalism. Second, Confucians have generally been confident that truth and falsehood can be reliably distinguished by the more enlightened and there is not much to be gained by allowing the persistence of obviously false doctrines. The bigger concern is the harm false doctrines can cause. In this paper I will examine Confucian opposition to free expression, where Confucians will disagree with liberal views, and consider whether Confucianism can justify free expression along with how the Confucian right may differ in application. Continue reading →
Berge-Becker at Columbia Neo-Confucianism Seminar
The next session of the Columbia University Seminar on Neo-Confucian Studies will convene Friday, November 7 from 3:30 to 5:30pm in the Heyman Center for the Humanities at Columbia University.
Zach Berge-Becker of Columbia University will present the paper “Imagined Seclusion: The Construction of Su Shi’s (1037-1101) Literary Persona at Huangzhou.” A copy of the paper can be obtained by contacting the organizers.
All are welcome to attend. Please join us after the seminar for dinner at a location to be announced.
Columbia Society for Comparative Philosophy lecture by Jake Davis: “‘The scope for Wisdom’: Early Buddhism on Reasons and Persons”, Friday October 24 @5:30pm
THE COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY
Welcomes: JAKE DAVIS (CUNY Graduate Center)
With responses from: CHARLES GOODMAN (SUNY Binghamton)
Please join at Columbia University’s Religion Department on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24 at 5:30PM for his lecture entitled:
“‘The scope for Wisdom’: Early Buddhism on Reasons and Persons“
ABSTRACT: The idea that meditation leads to the realization that there is no self, and that this realization motivates selfless action for the welfare of all beings, is widely understood to be a central feature of Buddhist doctrine. Continue reading →
Angle lecture: “Neo-Confucian ‘Civil Society’?”
I will be in London next week, and among other things, giving a talk at LSE in the Political Philosophy Seminar series on Tuesday, 24 June at 4pm, in the Old Building, Graham Wallas Room (5th floor; ask for directions at reception). The title is “Neo Confucian ‘Civil Society’?” It’s open to all; please come by if you are interested!
Lecture tomorrow at Oxford
Reminder of the following paper to be delivered at the Interdisciplinary Workshop for Manuscript and Text Culture (WMTC) at The Queen’s College, University of Oxford
Please note the change of rooms.
Wednesday 11 June: Maria Khayutina (Munich University): Writing Agents in Early China (ca. 11-8 cc BCE): Secretaries and Makers of Slabs
