Category Archives: Lecture

Wang Hui et al on Contemporary China (Harvard)

Thursday, February 23, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Liberalism, Globalization, Populism and Nationalism in the World Today
Wang Hui, Professor of literature and history at Tsinghua University
David Armitage, Lloyd C. Blankfein Professor of History, Harvard University
Malika Zeghal, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Professor in Contemporary Islamic Thought and Life, Harvard University
Mahdav Khosla, B. R. Ambedkar Academic Fellow, Columbia Law School and Ph.D. candidate in political theory, Harvard University.
James Kloppenberg, Charles Warren Professor of American History, Harvard University
Moderator: Peter Bol, Vice Provost for Advances in Learning and the Charles H. Carswell Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University
Sponsored by the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University
S010, Tsai Auditorium, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge

Angle to speak at HKBU on Wednesday, Feb 15

I know, all this self-promotion is getting a little embarrassing, but it’s great seeing old friends and meeting new ones. And if you are giving a lecture on a Warp, Weft, and Way topic, anywhere in the world, let me know and I’ll share the news! In any event: I’m lecturing on “Human Rights and Chinese Tradition” at 3:30pm on Wednesday, Feb 5 at Hong Kong Baptist University. It is free and open to the public, though they request registration; details are here.

Irene Cronin (UCLA): The Notion of Accepted Contradiction in Early Chinese Daoism. 12 Dec 2016 at CUNY Graduate Center

FALL 2016 Logic and Metaphysics Workshop

Date: Monday December 12, 4.15-6.15

Place: Room 5382, CUNY Graduate Center.

Speaker: Irena Cronin, UCLA

Title: The Notion of Accepted Contradiction in Early Chinese Daoism

Abstract: Although the representation of the Dao differs a little between the representative Early Chinese Daoist works Zhuangzi and Dao de jing, the differences are one of degree, rather than “substance”.  In Zhuangzi, the common man as possible master craftsman, whether it be as a cook, woodmaker, or fisherman, or other kind of craftsman, has the capability of understanding and embracing the Dao (although these occurrences would be relatively rare), while in Dao de jing, it is only the Sage, a rare man of extreme ability that can do so; all others do not have this capability and have minor, shadowy and totally indeterminable experiences of the Dao, and are “condemned” to live an ignorant and almost animal-like existence, finding solace in creature comforts.

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Alexus McLeod – Columbia Society for Comparative Philosophy Lecture: “The Madman of Chu: The Problem of Mental Illness and Self-Cultivation in Early Chinese Texts”, Dec. 2 @ 5:30pm

THE COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY

Welcomes: ALEXUS MCLEOD (University of Connecticut)
With responses from: ANDREW MEYER (Brooklyn College, CUNY)

Please join us at Columbia University’s Religion Department on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2nd at 5:30PM for his lecture entitled:

“The Madman of Chu: The Problem of Mental Illness and Self-Cultivation in Early Chinese Texts”

ABSTRACT: In Confucian and Zhuangist texts of the Pre-Han and Han period, we see characters described as “crazy, mad” (狂 kuang), and find descriptions or discussions of madness or mad persons—most prominently the infamous Jieyu, “Madman of Chu”. I argue that madness is seen by Confucians and Zhuangists as a kind of moral deformity that moves one outside of the boundaries of ritual and society and thus full personhood—a fact that leads the Confucians to shun mad people, and the Zhuangist to praise them.  Madness is seen not as a 病 bing (disorder, illness), but instead as based on a cultivated choice.   Continue reading →

Angle at LaTrobe — Lecture

I will be speaking at LaTrobe University in Melbourne tomorrow; the topic is “Why Comparative Philosophy Matters.” Details:

Date: Wednesday 16th November 2016
Time: 4:00 – 6:00pm
Venue: Martin Building, Level 3, Room 369, La Trobe University
Cost: Free
Enquiries: csrc@latrobe.edu.au

In addition, I will be in Melbourne through Saturday, and if anyone wants to get together and talk Chinese philosophy, please send me an email!

Angle lecture in Beijing Sunday 11/20

For anyone who’ll be in Beijing on the 20th, you are welcome to my lecture that evening, the title of which is “从进步儒学的角度看社会压迫 [Social Oppression as Viewed by Progressive Confucianism”].” Details follow. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

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Eric Schwitzgebel – Columbia Society for Comparative Philosophy Lecture: “Death and Self in the Incomprehensible Zhuangzi”, THURSDAY Oct.13 @ 5:30pm

THE COLUMBIA SOCIETY FOR COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY

Welcomes: ERIC SCHWITZGEBEL (University of California Riverside)
With responses from: CHRISTOPHER GOWANS (Fordham University)

Please join us at Columbia University’s Religion Department on *THURSDAY*, OCTOBER 13th at 5:30PM for his lecture entitled:

“Death and Self in the Incomprehensible Zhuangzi”

ABSTRACT: The ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi defies interpretation. This is an inextricable part of the beauty and power of his work. The text – by which I mean the “Inner Chapters” of the text traditionally attributed to him, the authentic core of the book – is incomprehensible as a whole. It consists of shards, in a distinctive voice. Despite repeating imagery, ideas, style, and tone, these shards cannot be pieced together into a self-consistent philosophy. This lack of self-consistency is a positive feature of Zhuangzi. It is part of what makes him the great and unusual philosopher he is, defying reduction and summary.  In this talk, I will look at Zhuangzi’s inconsistent remarks about death and the self. Continue reading →