In this episode, we explore Zhu Xi’s striking account of how to read philosophical and other important texts with what he calls “reverential attention.” Blending close reading with reflections on learning, character, and distraction in modern life, we discuss how Zhu Xi tries to make reading simultaneously transformative and objective. The discussion raises a fascinating puzzle at the heart of Zhu’s approach: how can we personalize our reading so that it shapes us, while also preventing our own biases from distorting the text? Continue reading →
Category Archives: Philosophy as a Way of Life (PWOL)
CFP: Upcoming Leadership and the Good Life Conference 2025
West Chester University’s “Life Worth Living” Leadership Hub, in collaboration with Yale’s Center for Faith and Culture, is now accepting proposals for the upcoming Leadership & The Good Life Conference in June 2025. Philosophers are invited to submit paper, presentation, and panel proposals that explore philosophical concepts of the “good life,” including ethical theory and applied ethical topics, as well as related pedagogy.
Submissions: abstracts (300-500 words) should be submitted via email to ZWOOTEN@wcupa.edu with the subject line: LWL PROPOSAL by March 15, 2025.
To learn more information of the program, visit the LWLLeadershipHub site or read this pdf.
CFP: Teaching Philosophy as a Way of Life
Jane Drexler and Ryan Johnson are co-editing a special issue of American Association of Philosophy Teachers Studies in Pedagogy focused on philosophy as a way of life, and are looking for contributions, including those with an emphasis on non-Western philosophies. See here for more information.
Philosophy as a Way of Life book series
Eli Kramer writes with the following announcement:
The official web-page for the series “Philosophy as a Way of Life: Text and Studies” is now up: https://brill.com/page/pwl
Philosophy as a Way of Life: Texts and Studies will make available English translations of key studies on PWL and publish scholarly monographs and edited collections that consider its different aspects and implications.
Books in this series will explore PWL in antiquity, the renaissance, the early modern period, and up to the present, PWL as a methodological approach to the history of philosophy, the implications of PWL for understanding education and its history, the cross-cultural possibilities it opens up, the relationships between PWL, virtue ethics and philosophy of culture, and the different literary genres of PWL, including the way these genres impact the style and content of ancient, medieval and early modern philosophical works.
Manuscripts should be at least 80,000 words in length (including footnotes and bibliography). Manuscripts may also include illustrations and other visual material. The editors will consider proposals for original monographs, edited collections, translations, and critical primary source editions.
Special issue of Metaphilosophy on PWOL
The journal Metaphilosophy has published a special issue on “Philosophy as a Way of Life,” including more than one article focusing on Chinese philosophy. Check it out here.
Bin Song on Ru Meditation
Bin Song has begun a podcast series of Ru meditation, starting from several audios about Ru Breathing. They are currently in his website: https://binsonglive.wordpress.com/ru-breathing/. He plans to do more in the future including topics such as postures of Ru meditation, Ru meditation in Motion, and how to manage one’s emotions, etc. Check it out!
