Chinese Philosophy and World Philosophies

简历

Academic Biography

Professor Jana S. Rošker, studied Sinology and obtained her PhD degree at the Vienna University. She is the first Slovene Sinologist, co-founder and long-standing Head of the Department of Asian studies at the University in Ljubljana (Slovenia). Her academic interests include (Post)comparative philosophy, Modern and contemporary Chinese philosophy, Chinese epistemology and logic, and Methodology of transcultural research in Sinology. In these research areas, she has published thirty books, and over two hundred articles and book chapters. She is chief editor of the journal Asian Studies (https://journals.uni-lj.si/as ), president of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy (ISCP), and the cofounder, first president and honorary member of the European Association of Chinese Philosophy (EACP).

报告题目

Title of Talk

Chinese Philosophies in Planetary Perspective: The Method of Transcultural Sublation

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Crises facing humanity today are deeply interconnected and cannot be resolved within the narrow confines of individual nation-states. As global challenges, they require an inclusive, transcultural dialogue on a worldwide scale. However, this dialogue must extend beyond a mere logistical search for economic, technological, and military crisis-management strategies. It must emerge from a profound restructuring of global interconnections, transforming them into a diverse planetary network that encompasses multiple axiologies, ways of life, and economic systems.

Such a vision calls for a method that integrates different philosophical paradigms into a universal intellectual and ethical axiological framework—one that remains sensitive to historical, ethical, and cultural diversity while upholding fundamental human ethical considerations. This paper introduces a new approach to establishing and conceptualizing such interactions: the method of transcultural sublation.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Tea Sernelj is an associate professor of Sinology at the University of Ljubljana. She earned her Ph.D. from the same university in 2018. She expanded her knowledge at Nankai University in Tianjin, Yanshan University in Qinghuangdao. and at the Center for Chinese Studies in Taipei. Her research interests encompass classical and modern Chinese aesthetics, as well as Modern New Confucianism. She is the author of two monographs and numerous academic papers and book chapters. Currently, she is leader of two research projects: Confucian Revival and Its Impact on Contemporary East Asian Societies through the Prism of the Relationship between the Individual and Society (ARIS J6-50202) and The Problem of Freedom, Humanism and the Human Subject in Intercultural Perspective: Europe and Taiwan (CCKF RG001-N-23).

报告题目

Title of Talk

Xu Fuguan’s Hermeneutic Approach: Between Chinese Interpretive Traditions and Gadamerian Thought

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

This presentation examines the hermeneutic methodology of Chinese intellectual history developed by the Modern Confucian Xu Fuguan 徐復觀 (1904–1982). His approach differed significantly from the methodology advocated by proponents of a rigorous adoption of Western scientific methodology in historical research. Xu Fuguan was highly critical of such an approach. His own method is based on structural holism, similar to the hermeneutic circle. He highlights the need for seeking embodied experience (zhui tiyan de fangfa追體驗的方法) and inter-subjectiveness (zhuti jianxing主體間性). These concepts play a crucial role as they enable actualization of and communication with ancient thinkers in present times. But Xu’s approaches are also strikingly similar to Gadamer’s method of the fusion of horizons and Schleiermacher’s hermeneutic circle, which begs the question whether his critique of Fu’s adoption of Western methods was not based upon hypocritical grounds.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Michael Beaney (毕明安) is Regius Professor of Logic at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, Honorary Professor of History of Analytic Philosophy at the Humboldt University in Berlin, and Visiting He Lin Chair Professor of Philosophy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Educated at Oxford, he taught at various universities in London and Yorkshire before taking up his current posts. Recent books include The Oxford Handbook of the History of Analytic Philosophy (edited, OUP, 2013; translated into Chinese, 2023), Analytic Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2017; translated into Chinese, 2024). He was Editor of the British Journal for the History of Philosophy from 2010 to 2020, and remains an Associate Editor. As well as the history of analytic philosophy, his research interests include Chinese philosophy (especially ancient Chinese philosophy of language and logic), creativity, philosophical methodology (especially analysis), historiography, and philosophical translation.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Engaging with Chinese Philosophies Analytically

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

In this talk I discuss the importance and fruitfulness of engaging with Chinese philosophy analytically, illustrating it with examples from the Mozi and the Zhuangzi. I also show how it requires new forms of analysis, thereby enriching our conception of philosophical analysis, which should now be understood and pursued in a much broader cross-cultural and interlinguistic context.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Jessica Zu is the author of Just Awakening: Yogācāra Social Philosophy in Modern China (Columbia University Press, 2025). Her research uncovers surprising ways that ancient Buddhist processual philosophy was reinvented by overlooked groups to transform the self, seek justice, build community, and change the world. Her publications appear in leading academic journals such as Sophia, History of Religions, and Journal of Buddhist Philosophy.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Karmic Psychopolitics in Chinese Buddhist Social Imaginaire: May the Friendliest Thrive

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

This study presents a womanism-informed re-reading of the karmic tales regarding Virūḍhaka/ Viḍūḍabha (Ch: 流/琉離王), five hundred Shakya women, and the practice of boundless mettā and karuṇā (friendliness and care; Ch: 慈悲). Viḍūḍabha is widely known as the evil king who annihilated the Shakya clan due to caste-class conflict. This study investigates relevant Chinese texts by prioritizing the women’s perspective: for women targeted by wartime crime, threat of rape, and oppressive patriarchal politics, what does Buddhism have to offer to these suffering women? The answer is not much, if one considers this-worldly justice. However, in the Chinese narratives, these women were given the opportunity to join the saṅgha, being offered institutional support for life and liberation. This may not seem like justice. Yet, compared with their male counterparts Jeta and Prasenajit ( Viḍūḍabha’s half brother and father) who were murdered by Viḍūḍabha and were only given a better next life in heaven, these women were given a chance to escape the patriarchy sexual politics and war persecution in this very life and promise of nirvāṇa by practicing boundless friendliness and care. In this way, the Chinese narratives highlight the karmic psychopolitics of the saṅgha as a new form of sociality where the friendliest not only survive but also thrive.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Li-Hsiang Lisa Rosenlee is a full professor of philosophy at the University of Hawai’i – West O’ahu, and the author of Confucianism and Women: A Philosophical Interpretation (SUNY 2006) and Confucian Feminism: A Practical Ethic for Life (Bloomsbury 2024). Her other publications include: “Is It Possible to be a Feminist and a Confucian without Marginalization or Contradiction?” American Philosophical Association Blog (online 2025); “A Feminist Tribute to Roger T. Ames: Hybridity and Inclusivity,” in Four Exemplars of Ru 儒 (Confucianism) (Springer 2025); “Women and Gender in Ancient Chinese philosophy,” in Chinese Philosophy and Its Thinkers: From Ancient Times to the Present Day , Vol.I (Bloomsbury 2024); “The Scarcity of Women’s Records in Antiquity: Where did All the Women Go?” Journal of Chinese Philosophy 50 (2023) 379–392; “Confucianism and the Lives of Women,” in The Oxford Handbook of Confucianism (Oxford 2023); “Gender in Confucian Philosophy,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (online 2023).

报告题目

Title of Talk

“Is it possible to be a Confucian and a Feminist without Selling Anybody Out?”

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

(Please write 100-150 English words)

This presentation reflects on my latest monograph, Confucian feminism – A Practical Ethic for Life (2024), that proposes a new form of feminist theory based on Confucian terms, methods, and concerns such as ren 仁 (humaneness), xiao 孝 (filiality), you 友 (friendship), li 禮 (ritual), and datong 大同 (great harmonization)/pingtianxia 平天下 (pacification of the world). As a feminist and a Confucian, I do believe that confining feminist theorizing to the Western canon unnecessarily impoverishes our capability to envision a liberating future for women anywhere and everywhere. A feminist theory that seeks to liberate women from gender-based oppression can also be Confucian in value and in practice, much like liberal feminism fashions itself after liberal values and practices. Now with Confucian feminism joining the pantheon of feminist theories, a liberating future for women can also be Confucian and feminist at the same time without selling anybody out.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

1.学历：

上海外国语大学英语学院文学硕士（1999）

河南大学英语语言文学学士（1991）

2.教学经历

1999-至今：武汉科技大学外语学院翻译系教授,讲授课程:

英汉翻译理论与实践、翻译学、中国典籍翻译、中外翻译简史、非英语专业博士生学术交流英语

I.EDUCATION

Master of Arts in English literature, Shanghai International Studies University (1999)

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in Henan University (1991)

II. Teaching EXPERIENCE

1999--present: Professor of English, School of Foreign Languages, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei Province, Director of Institute of Translation Studies

Courses taught at WUST:

English-Chinese translation theory and Practice, Translation of Chinese Classics, Translation Studies, Translation History in the West and China, English Writing, Comparative Study of Chinese and English, English for Academic Communication for Non-English Major PHD students etc.

报告题目

Title of Talk

走向翻译哲学：一个译者对不可译性和翻译不确定性的反思

Toward a Philosophy of Translation: A Practicing translator’s Reflection on Untranslatability and Indeterminacy of Translation

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Philosophy of translation is not identical to translation of philosophy. Untranslatability is not the same as indeterminacy of translation either. We argue for a hermeneutical model of translation, which ‘treats translation as an interpretation of the source text whose form, meaning and effect are seen as variable, subject to inevitable transformation during the translating process.’ The untranslatable is viewed as a philosophically productive moment that reminds us to take a step back to check our understanding – to realise that ambiguity leads to questions that lead to creativity, dialogue, and exchange. Translation practioners are expected to refrain from making every effort to maximize the sameness and minimize the differences, but more often than not, aims at the effortless grace displayed by well acclaimed translators, who seem to follow the ethics of reciprocity when faced with alternatives such as no translation, “equivalent’ translation and manipulated translation in order to promote linguistic, cultural and national harmony.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Li Chenyang is a professor of Philosophy emeritus at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore . Prior to joining Nanyang Technological University in 2010, Li worked at Central Washington University , where he was a Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department and received a number of awards, including Distinguished University Research Professor Award, Distinguished Department Chair Award, and Key to Success Award (Student Service).

At Nanyang Technological University, he has served as the founding coordinator (2010 - 2014) and then head (2014 - 2018) of the Philosophy program, successfully building it from the ground up to a now fully-fledged program.

Li has published 21 books (7 single-authored) and over 100 sole-authored journal articles and book chapters. His most recent publication is Reshaping Confucianism: A Progressive Inquiry. New York: Oxford University Press, 2023.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Confucian Care, Civility, and Harmony:

Ethics for Living with Strangers

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Confucian ethics has often been understood as emphasizing personal roles and relations. The Confucian concept of li (礼, ritual or ritual propriety), for example, typically requires us to know our roles in social interactions and to act accordingly. There is another dimension of Confucian ethics, however, that extends beyond personal roles and relations. In this paper, I argue that Confucian care as expressed by the concept of ren (仁, often translated as humaneness or benevolence), and civility as promoted by the concept of li provide general guidelines for people to interact with one another without playing specific roles. This dimension of Confucian ethics is of particular significance for modern society where a large portion of people’s lives is to work with strangers.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Luca Maria Scarantino teaches Moral and Intercultural philosophy at the Aldo Moro University of Bari. His current work deals with the epistemic conditions for an intercultural approach to philosophy. Author of over 150 scholarly papers, he served as Secretary-general, then as President of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (2008-2024). Visiting Professor at the Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies, Peking University (2015), Guest Professor at Southeast University in Nanjing (2018-), Fudan Scholar (2023), member of the Academic committees of the Institutes for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences at Renmin and Zhejiang Normal universities. Since 2024 a Council Member of the International Confucian Association. He served as Chair of the Executive Committee, 24th World Congress of Philosophy (Beijing 2018), and as President of the 25th World Congress of Philosophy (Rome 2024). Member of the Editorial Boards of over 15 journals worldwide, in 2024 he was awarded the David Gold Medal from the Armenian Philosophical Academy.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Expanding the philosophical canon and its relevance for contemporary scholarship.

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

This talk will focus on the sense, which we observe across a growing number of scholarly communities, that the philosophical canon should be reassessed to include a growing plurality of philosophical traditions. It will try to make a case for the deep philosophical significance of non-Western conceptual traditions and will argue that expanding the canon of philosophy would require significant transformations in the way we conceive philosophy. It will claim that a critical revision of the canon is necessary to strengthen the cultural relevance of scholarship in philosophy, and it will link it to the prospective task of philosophers in today’s world.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

现为北京师范大学（珠海）历史文化研究所教授，同时担任北师香港浸会大学人文社科学院院长。 主要研究领域为《周易》注疏、国际易学、宋明理学、和清末民初思想史。出版专著4本、编辑论文集7 本，曾在Philosophy East and West, Journal of Chinese Philosophy, 《周易研究》等期刊上发表论文。

报告题目

Title of Talk

An Entangled World: The Process Cosmology in the Book of Changes

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Despite being an accomplished mathematician, a physicist, and a philosopher, Arthur North Whitehead (1861-1947) remains obscure among scholars in the west. In contrast, since the 1950s, Whitehead’s process cosmology has enjoyed warm reception among scholars studying Chinese philosophy. In this article, I will examine the sinologists’ attempt to interpret the Book of Changes (Yijing 易經) through the lens of Whitehead’s process cosmology. First, I will trace the various ways that the Yijing is understood via process cosmology. Second, I will use the Xici zhuan xi繋辭傳 (one of Ten Wings of the Book of Changes) to show the benefits and limitations of interpreting the Yijing via process cosmology. My argument is that while there is an affinity between Whitehead’s process cosmology and the philosophy of change in the Yijing, we must keep in mind that the Yijing offers a complex system of thought that covers cosmology, epistemology, and moral practice.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(143 words)

KWAK, Jun-Hyeok is Yixian Professor of Philosophy (Zhuhai) at Sun Yat-sen University. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago in 2002. His research interests lie at the crossroads of the history of political philosophy, contemporary political theories, and comparative political philosophy. He has published numerous articles and books, including his recent works, “Displacing the Christian Theodicy of Hell” (Religions 2025), “Individuality with Relationality” (Philosophy East and West 2023), “Confucian Role-Ethics with Non-Domination” (Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 2022), 《马基雅维利政治哲学导论》(中国社会科学出版社, 2025), and Relationality across East and West (Routledge 2025). Currently, he is writing a monograph, Machiavelli and Republican Leadership (Routledge, forthcoming), and he is serving as General Editor of the Routledge Series of Political Theories in East Asian Context.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Supplementing Filial Piety with Relational Non-domination: A Reappraisal of the Confucian Idea of Caring Responsibility

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

(150 words)

The problems of children education and aging poor in Northeast Asia compel a redirection of filial piety to account for mutual obligations of care and provide for policy directives that we put our filial duties into practice. In this context, this paper seeks to supplement the Confucian idea of filial piety with the hybrid principle of parental love with non-domination. Specifically, first, analyzing Roger Ames’s advocacy of family feeling as a minimalist shared morality across cultures, this paper shows the need for regulative principle that can help better rectify dysfunctional relationships in family without downplaying the role of parental love in the Confucian idea of filial piety. Second, elucidating Ahn Changho’s Confucian reappraisal of Christian love in the early modernity of Korea, I will suggest the hybrid principle of parental love with non-domination as a regulative principle that steers dysfunctional relationships in family toward the Confucian ideals of filial piety.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Martin Powers is Professor in the School of Arts at Peking University and Professor Emeritus in History of Art at the University of Michigan. He has published 3 books on visual culture and social justice in China and elsewhere. The first two won the Levenson Prize for best book in pre-20th century Chinese Studies. In 2019, Routledge published his China and England: the Preindustrial Struggle for Justice in Word and Image. Together with Dr. Katherine Tsiang, he co-edited Looking at Asian Art and the Blackwell Companion to Chinese Art. His new manuscript is entitled When Democracy Fails: 23 Lessons in Social Justice from East and West.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Advancing Social Justice with the China Paradigm

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Imagine a society where the state bears the cost of valid suits that any taxpayer brings to civil or criminal court. Any laborer could sue Big Tech for injustice and stand as an equal in a court of law. Imagine a society where official conflicts of interest were defined strictly so that the mere possibility of corruption was treated as cause for removal from office. Big business CEO’s would be barred from public office. Imagine a society where citizens all had the right to expose the deleterious effects of current policy. Whistleblowing would be a public duty, not a punishable crime. All of these rules were normative in Imperial China and some apply in China today. They were products of what I would call the China Paradigm. This paper will show how this cognitive model can foster a more egalitarian model for interstate, intergroup, and interpersonal relations.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Antonio Florentino Neto received his PhD in Philosophy from the Free University of Berlin, where he wrote his thesis on The Reception of Chinese Philosophy in German Philosophy. He holds a Master's degree in Epistemology of Psychoanalysis from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar). He is a Professor in the Postgraduate Program in Social Sciences at the State University of Campinas (Unicamp, Brazil), where he supervises doctoral theses on Brazil-China Relations. He is a full member of the Brazil-China Research Group at Unicamp; Editor-in-Chief of the Philosophy Journal "Modernos & Contemporâneos" (Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences at Unicamp); President of the Brazilian Nishida Society and full member of the Council of the Beijing Sinology Center. He organized the Oriental Philosophy Conferences at Unicamp. He has published and edited several works, with emphasis on topics such as Chinese Philosophy and Philosophy of the Kyoto School.

E-mail: aneto@unicamp.br

https://www.ifch.unicamp.br/ifch/pos/ciencias-sociais/corpo-docente

报告题目

Title of Talk

The late reception of Chinese philosophy in Brazil

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The reception of Chinese philosophy in Brazil can be divided into two main phases. The first, similar to that of many other countries, was marked by historical obstacles consolidated within the scope of Western philosophy, especially from the perspectives of Victor Cousin and Hegel, who excluded non-European traditions from the philosophical canon. The second phase, however, presents particularities linked to the Brazilian ethnic and cultural formation, since it is indirectly associated with the academic inclusion of thoughts of African and indigenous origin in universities. Considering that the Brazilian population is mostly composed of Afro-descendants and that indigenous peoples have achieved greater political organization and visibility, these groups broke the barrier imposed by the Hegelian-Cousinian tradition and demanded the recognition of their philosophical traditions in the university environment. This movement created an important precedent by shaking the Eurocentric epistemological wall, opening up space for Chinese philosophy to also occupy a place in the Brazilian academic scene, contributing to a more plural and representative intercultural dialogue.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Jacob Bender is Mount Hua Associate Professor of Philosophy at Xidian University, Xi’an, China. His works have been published in Philosophy East and West, Sophia, and British Journal for the History of Philosophy. He is also the author of Those Who Act Ruin It: A Daoist Account of Moral Attunement (SUNY Press 2024).

报告题目

Title of Talk

Thusness as Providing Moral Constraints: Chan Buddhism on Moral Conduct

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Many of the different philosophical traditions in China placed a great importance on the cultivation of dispositions and the role of the emotions in the moral life. This is especially the case if we look at the Chan Buddhist tradition, one school of Mahayana Buddhism that developed in China. This study explains how the Chan Buddhists understood moral conduct by examining what they would consider to be moral constraints and how these functioned. Doing this will first require outlining the Chan Buddhist account of reality as metaphysically non-dualistic. One of the implications of non-duality is that each aspect of reality can be understood as thusness or as qualitatively unique. Building on the Chan Buddhist’s account of thusness, I further explain how the Chan Buddhist provides a new account of what it means to be “unconditional”. What we will see is that their account of reality holds that each aspect of existence participates in the same “higher order” pattern of relationships. This reiterating, “higher order” pattern of relationships is what dictates how the Chan Buddhist would respond to situations and how their account of moral constraints would function.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Shuchen Xiang (BA Cantab first class honors, PhD, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and King’s College London, summa cum laude) is the Mt. Hua Professor of Philosophy at Xidian University, China. She is the author of Chinese Cosmopolitanism: The History and Philosophy of an Idea (Princeton University Press, 2023), which won an honorable Mention for the Asia and Asian America Section Book Award, American Sociological Association. She is also author of A Philosophical Defense of Culture: Perspectives from Confucianism and Cassirer (State University of New York Press, 2021), the coeditor of The Islamic-Confucian Synthesis in China (Lexington, 2023), the coeditor of How China Shaped the Enlightenment: A Transcultural History of Modern Thought (Routledge, forthcoming), the translator of History of Chinese Philosophy Through Its Key Terms (Springer, 2020), and the author of around forty academic articles, including “Decolonising Sinology: On Sinology’s Weaponization of the Discourse of Race” (Social Dynamics), “Sinophobia, Imperialism, Disorder without Responsibility” (Sartre Studies International) and “Organic Harmony and Ernst Cassirer’s Pluralism” (Idealistic Studies). Her third monograph is entitled A More Complete Humanism: The Confucian Alternative to the Liberal-Capitalist Subject.

报告题目

Title of Talk

The Concept of the Political in the Confucian-Legalist State

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

This talk defines the nature of the “political” in dynastic China with a focus on certain concepts: de (德), li (力), fa (法), su (俗), and min (民). The endurance of the Chinese state flies in the face of many social science orthodoxies. Although China was arguably the first bureaucratic state in human history, it was not accompanied by the various forms of disenchantment popularized in the thought of Max Weber and in Foucauldian analyses of the technocratic state. Relatedly, contrary to orthodox assumptions about the role of law in a state, dynastic Chinese law actively sought to reshape public morality. Ultimately, the concept of the political in dynastic China saw no fact-value dichotomy and saw the role of the state as promoting both private and public morality.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

LEE Cheuk Yin received his undergraduate degree at the University of Hong Kong. A former Swire Scholar and Commonwealth Scholar, he received his doctorate from the Australian National University. He was previously head of the Department of Chinese Studies and founding director of the Wan Boo Saw Research Centre for Chinese Culture at the National University of Singapore. He is Guest Professor of the Nanjing University, Hubei University and Wuhan University, and Academic Advisor of the National Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies at Fudan University, China. He is currently Senior Professor at the Institute of Asian Studies (IAS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Prof. Lee’s interest is Chinese intellectual history, Muslim activities in China and traditional medicine. He is editor of the book series Overseas Chinese Studies (Guangxi Normal University Press) and Emotion and the State of Mind in East Asia (Leiden: Brill).

报告题目

Title of Talk

The Four Teachings of the Great Learnings （大学）and the Shared Values of Mankind

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The Great Learning in the four books of Confucianism talks about the way of cultivating the self, regulating the family, governing the state, and pacifying the world. This is also regarded as the four teachings of the Great Learning. At the beginning of the book, it says: "The way of the Great Learning (University Education) is in exemplifying the innate virtues, taking care of the people, and reaching the ultimate goodness", which was also called the "Three Guarding Principles" （三 纲领）of the Great Learning by later Confucian.

This paper expounds the meaning of the four teachings of the Great Learning in today’s context and the Confucian ideal of pacifying the world. The modern significant of the teachings to our young people will also be discussed. We may say that the Confucian ideal of pacifying the world is comparable to the idea of shared future of mankind. A community with a shared future for mankind is a great ideal, but it is not a goal that can be achieved in short terms, and must be accomplished by the next generations, that is, our young people.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Julia Garcia Vilaça de Souza holds degrees in International Relations and Language and Literature. Her master's thesis consists of the translation, contextualization and commentary of chapter 2, Qiwulun 齐物论, of Zhuangzi's book, and her doctoral thesis deals with how Chinese interrelationality is expressed by Chinese philosophy, constitutes society in China and guides a relational direction for human rights. In her studies, she noted the importance of questioning the idea of Western theoretical superiority and perceived significant connections between various philosophies and concepts developed in the global South, including Chinese and Brazilian philosophies. She currently works as a lecturer at Hebei University, in China.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Humanity beyond people: relationality through Brazilian and Daoist philosophies.

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Abstract thinking is one of the major features that characterize what has become known as “Western” philosophy, and it is often what makes European and American philosophies considered “superior” to others. However, it is abstractions that have often created distortions, and at times even dissociations, in Western understandings of the world and reality. One of the biggest problems generated by abstract thinking is the existence of a supposed separation between nature and culture. This separation is fictitious, and many non-Western epistemologies clearly perceive this. The native Brazilian philosophies and Daoism, for example, understand the connections between nature and culture and go beyond. These philosophies discuss that society is not only built upon the relations between humans, but also on the relations between humans and nature/humans and earth, so that even nature can be considered human too. This perspective can lead us to see a more meaningful and truthful configuration of reality, necessary for us to access the current world and its challenges.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

王晨光，Xidian University 的副教授，台湾中央研究院的访问学者（2017），UCBerkeley 历史系的访问学者（2023）。在《文史哲》、《史学月刊》、《宗教学研究》等中国期刊上发表研究成果。出版过一本中国越南历史地理的著作。以往所发表的研究，采取历史语境学的方法，讨论中国思想与观念形成的原因。2024年至今的关注点彻底转向跨宗教研究，注重具体修行方法，以及宗教哲学的本体论。

（ Wang Chenguang is an Associate Professor at Xidian University, and has been a visiting scholar at Academia Sinica in Taiwan (2017) and at the Department of History, UC Berkeley (2023). He has published research in leading Chinese academic journals such as Wenshizhe, Historical Journal (Shixue Yuekan), and Religious Studies. He is also the author of a book on the historical geography of China and Vietnam. His earlier work employed historical contextualism to examine the formation of Chinese thought and concepts. Since 2024, his research focus has shifted entirely to cross-religious studies, with particular emphasis on concrete spiritual practices and the ontological dimensions of religious philosophy.）

报告题目

Title of Talk

五层自我：中西方宗教进入空性感知的修行心法（Five Layers of the Self: Inner Practices for Entering the Perception of Emptiness in Eastern and Western Religions）

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

由于中国哲学概念的限制，导致不同文献对人性的定义产生冲突。时而指向“真宰”“自性”，时而指向有限时空中感官意欲。相较于中国，印度哲学“五鞘”更试图明确界定自我的多层次内涵，其区分了追逐欲望的表层自我；血气情感的自我；能够觉知或克制前两者运作的意志力自我；跳出善恶二元对立的真实自我；以及主体消融、万物一体的空性。这其实也是佛教、基督教、道教的训练进阶系统。（Due to limitations in the concepts of Chinese philosophy, different texts often have conflicting definitions of "human nature." Sometimes it points to the "true lord" or "self-nature," and other times it refers to our desires and senses within the confines of time and space. Although Song Dynasty scholars proposed the division of "temperament nature" and "Heaven and Earth nature" to explain the dual aspects of human nature, it remains too simplistic. In contrast, Indian philosophy's "Five Koshas" theory tries to more clearly define the layers of the self. It distinguishes between the surface self driven by desires, the self connected to emotions and physical vitality, the willpower self that can observe or control the first two, the true self that transcends the duality of good and evil, and finally, the state of emptiness where the self dissolves and everything becomes one. This is also a progressive system found in the spiritual practices of Buddhism, Christianity, and Daoism.）

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Xia Chen is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in Beijing. She serves on the Executive Committee of the International Council of Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH) and is the Co-Chair of the Scientific Panel for the UNESCO Silk Roads Youth Research Grant. Additionally, she was a 2022-2023 Berggruen Fellow at the Berggruen Institute China Center (BICC).

Xia has held visiting scholar positions at Harvard University, served as a Fulbright Scholar at Brown University, and has been affiliated with Calvin College, SOAS, and Sciences Po Bordeaux. Her research specializes in Chinese philosophy and religions, with a particular focus on Daoism.

Xia is the author of Daoist Ethics: Traditional Expressions and Contemporary Interpretations (2023), Body in Daoism: An Ecological Perspective (2019), Introduction to the Philosophy of Daoism (2017).

报告题目

Title of Talk

On Zhuangzi’s The Art of Forgetting

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Abstract: Everyone knows the importance of memory, but the meaning of forgetfulness is often overlooked. In western philosophy, the position of memory is higher than the "forgetfulness". In ancient Chinese thought, relatively speaking, Confucianism also emphasizes the memory. But Zhuangzi is inventive, he puts much more emphasis on "forgetfulness", regards "forgetfulness" is more important than memory. Zhuangzi’s forgetting can be summarized as four categories, i.e., forgetting materials, forgetting knowledge, forgetting morality, forgetting oneself. Forgetting materials means to get rid of the constraint of materials, forgetting morality means to free oneself from social relationships, forgetting knowledge is to get out from the pursuit of knowledge , forgetting oneself is to detach oneself from one’s sensations. This is a process to forget things from outside to inside, from the material to people, from the body to mind, from the shallower to the deeper. In people's spiritual journey, forgetting is to sublate the emotional, rational and moral to obtain freedom. To forget the unfit so as to fit with oneself is a very high spiritual realm.

(Please write 100-150 English words)

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历 

Academic Biography 

(Pleas Tong Chee Kiong is Visiting Professor at the Department of Public and International Affairs, City University of Hong Kong. He also holds the International Council of Philosophy and Human Studies (CIPSH) Honorary Chair in New Humanisms. He has held various positions including Chair Professor and Director of the Institute of Asian Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore. His research focus on the Chinese in Southeast Asia, Comparative Religions and Asian Business Networks. His book publications include Chinese Death Rituals (Routledge, 2004), Rationalizing Religion (Brill, 2007), Identity and Ethnic Relations in Southeast Asia (Springer, 2010) and Chinese Business (Springer, 2014). Chee Kiong has also published papers in the British Journal of Sociology, International Migration Review, Asian Ethnicities, Diaspora, International Sociology, and Journal of Asian Business

e write 100-150 English words) 

报告题目 

Title of Talk 

 Towards a New Humanism: Spirituality and Secularity in the Modern World

报告 

主要观点 

Abstract of Talk 

 Humanism can be understood as a broad category of philosophies about ethics and human values and seeks to support human interests and search for truth and morality. In doing so, it rejects explanations based on theistic claims and is rather based on reason and the reliability of tested evidence. This paper traces the development of the concept of humanism from philosophical humanism, cultural humanism to naturalistic humanism and scientific humanism. It will compare these with the ideas of Confucian humanism. It will also explore the role and function of humanism in modern society, especially the social dimension of a humanistic world view, and how it is used to solve the problems of the human condition. Based on data collected in various Southeast Asian countries, it will offer new insights into how humans conceive identity, meaning and in social interaction with others. It is postulated that combining the concept of spirituality and humanism can offer a new conceptual model of humanism to understand human behaviour and social interaction in the modern world.

(Please write 100-150 English words) 

主讲人照片 

Picture of Speaker 

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Fan He is an Associate Researcher and Doctoral Supervisor in the Department of Philosophy at Sichuan University. Specializing in Chinese philosophy, political philosophy, and comparative philosophy, his research focuses on classical Chinese concepts such as tong (sameness) and he (harmony), exploring their ethical and sociopolitical implications. He has authored a monograph, Comprehensive Harmony, and published extensively in journals like Asian Philosophy, Dao, and Philosophical Forum, addressing topics from Daoist epistemology to Confucian-Mohist debates.

报告题目

Title of Talk

How heaven and humanity are united as one: Tong as an alternative to tianren heyi

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The relationship between heaven (tian) and humanity (ren) is a central theme in Chinese philosophy, traditionally framed through the concept of tianren heyi (heaven-human unity), often regarded as a cornerstone of Chinese thought. This talk challenges the validity of tianren heyi as a lens for understanding this relationship, arguing it is an anachronistic and ambiguous construct that misrepresents early Chinese philosophy. By analyzing its absence in pre-Qin texts, critiquing its nebulous connotations, and questioning its overstated cultural significance, I propose tong (sameness, continuity) as a more historically and conceptually robust alternative. First, I demonstrate tong’s prevalence across early philosophical traditions, contrasting its textual prominence with tianren heyi’s obscurity. Second, I examine tong’s divergent applications in Mohist shangtong (upward coherence), Confucian datong (great unity), and Daoist xuantong (mysterious unity), illustrating how distinct schools employed tong to theorize ideal heaven-human relations. By prioritizing tong, this study offers a clearer foundation for reconstructing classical Chinese conceptions of cosmic and ethical harmony.

(Please write 100-150 English words)

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Wang Pei is an Assistant Professor at the School of Chinese and a Research Fellow at the Centre on Contemporary China and the World, both at the University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include Confucianism, comparative philosophy and Chinese intellectual history. She is particularly interested in Confucian feminism and how traditional Confucian virtues can be morally justified in modern China. She is the co-author (with Daniel. A. Bell) of Just Hierarchy: Why Social Hierarchies Matter in China and the Rest of the World, published by Princeton University Press in 2020. She is a manuscript reviewer for Polity and has authored over thirty academic articles in English, Chinese, and French, primarily on Confucianism and comparative philosophy. Her work has been published in journals such as Philosophy & Social Criticism, China Review, and Jung Journal, among others.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Confucian Filiality Revisited The Case of Contemporary China

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The ideal of filiality (xiao) -- care and reverence for elderly parents and ancestors -- is one of the central values in Confucianism. It has been hugely influential in Chinese society. However, it has often been misused and vulgarized in practice, leading to significant human suffering. Hence, there is a need to articulate a morally defensible and realistic interpretation of filiality that is appropriate for the Chinese context. In this article, I articulate an account of filiality that can be deployed to enhance understanding of the ideal, criticize misuses, and promote healthy relations among family members. I argue that filiality comprises five parts that have been influential in Confucian philosophy and Chinese society. For each component, I demonstrate that a morally defensible and realistic interpretation must be sensitive to the age and health condition of family members, as well as the particularities of modern Chinese society such as the legacy of the one-child policy. I support my argument with empirical research findings from China. I do not deny the possibility that my argument may be valid outside of China, but I leave it as an open question.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Daniel A. Bell  (貝淡寧) is Professor, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University (Qingdao) from 2017 to 2022.   His books include The Dean of Shandong (2023),  Just Hierarchy (co-authored with Wang Pei, 2020), The China Model (2015), The Spirit of Cities (co-authored with Avner de-Shalit, 2012), China’s New Confucianism (2008), Beyond Liberal Democracy (2007), and East Meets West (2000), all published by Princeton University Press.   He is also the author of Communitarianism and Its Critics (Oxford University Press, 1993).  He is founding editor of the Princeton-China series (Princeton University Press) which translates and publishes original and influential academic works from China. His works have been translated in 23 languages. He has been interviewed in English, Chinese, and French. In 2018, he was awarded the Huilin Prize and was honored as a “Cultural Leader” by the World Economic Forum.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Title: Xunzi, Ibn Khaldun, and Political Realism

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

This talk discusses and compares the political ideas of Xunzi and Ibn Khaldun. Both thinkers were concerned with the issue of how to establish communal solidarity in times of chaos and warfare . We will ask if their theorizing offers lessons for today’s world.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Dr. Yong Li, (PhD, Saint Louis University), Professor of Philosophy at Wuhan University, associate dean of School of philosophy. Dr. Li works primarily in ethics and political philosophy, and focuses on Confucian ethics and comparative political philosophy. He serves as a book review editor for Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, an associate editor for Journal of Social and Political Philosophy, co-editor for the Book Series Routledge Studies in Contemporary Chinese Philosophy. His book Moral Partiality was published by Routledge in 2022. His recent book, Confucian Comparative Political Philosophy, is published by Routledge in 2025. His publications appear on Contemporary Political Theory, International Philosophical Quarterly, Acta Analytica, Asian Philosophy, etc.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Progressive Confucianism and its Challenges

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Contemporary Confucians are divided into Progressive Confucians (PCs) and Conservative Confucians (CCs). On moral and political issues, PCs embrace liberal values and argue either that those liberal values can be provided with Confucian justifications or that those liberal values can be complemented with some Confucian refinements. In contrast, CCs claim that liberal values are Western local values that are alien and not superior to Confucian values.

Many PCs endorse liberal values by turning Confucianism into a version of liberalism. For them, rights and autonomy become the heart of Confucianism. Moral and political equality become the key features of Confucianism too. Fairness is identified as righteousness in Confucianism. Other PCs accept certain liberal values without embracing liberalism. Liberal values become part of a backup mechanism. In this paper I point out challenges for the above two subgroups of PCs. For the first subgroup, many key elements of Confucianism are incompatible with liberalism. For the second subgroup, liberal values are erosive and gradually eating away other elements of Confucianism. As a result, PCs are in a very difficult situation.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Guido Kreis is a Professor in Philosophy at Aarhus University, Denmark. He received his Dr. phil. degree from the University of Heidelberg (Germany) in 1999. Before joining Aarhus in 2016, he has been employed at the universities of Heidelberg (2000-03), Bonn (2003-15) and Aachen (2015-16). His research interests range over modern Western history of philosophy (Kant and post-Kantian philosophy), Critical Theory (Adorno), aesthetics, philosophy of music, and classical Chinese philosophy. Main publications: "Cassirer and the Forms of Spirit" (in German, 2010); "Negative Dialectics of the Infinite: Kant, Hegel, Cantor" (in German, 2015); "Arguments for the Existence of God" (in German, co-edited with J. Bromand, 2011). He has also co-edited, together with Michael N. Forster and Tze-wan Kwan, three special issues of the Journal of Chinese Philosophy in five volumes (2017, 2022, 2023).

报告题目

Title of Talk

Zhuangzi, Adorno, and the Concern for Non-Identity: On Some Parallels between Daoism and Critical Theory

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Both classical Chinese Daoism and Frankfurt School Critical Theory regard culture and civilization as complex, inherently ambivalent phenomena. On the one hand, they provide the necessary conditions for human development and flourishing. On the other hand, the tendencies toward generalization and standardization inherent in all culture pose risks to the recognition of individual persons, things, and unique identities. In particular, the works of Zhuangzi and Adorno reveal a deep concern for the non-identity of persons and things. Both traditions propose models of normativity that are sensitive to individuality—norms that guide human conduct and reasoning in ways that respect and respond to the uniqueness of each person and object. This stands in contrast to type-based models of normativity, which treat individual differences as mere idiosyncrasies to be corrected or eliminated. This presentation explores the different forms of individuality-sensitive normativity found in the thought of Zhuangzi and Adorno.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

André Bueno is a professor of Oriental History at the State University of Rio de Janeiro – UERJ, working mainly in Sinology and in the field of Chinese Thought. He is a member of several associations focused on the study of China, such as ALADAA, AEFC, RIBSI, SinoLatina, International Confucian Association and Red ALC-China, in addition to directing the Orientalism Project [UERJ].

报告题目

Title of Talk

Chinese Philosophies in Brazil: movements, searches and dialogues

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The study of Chinese philosophies in Brazil has existed for over a century, in a fragmented and discontinuous manner, but with original and thought-provoking productions. In our brief presentation, we will present the phases of this history of Chinese thought in Brazil, starting with the initiatives of an imperial sinology in the 19th century; then, the Chinese cultural influences throughout the 20th century, and some of the Brazilian productions on the subject [very strongly influenced by European readings]; finally, the recent productions, which involve theories directly inspired by Chinese philosophies and also, research with an intercultural focus that performs a comparative approach between Brazilian and Chinese authors.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Edwin Etieyibo is Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta (Canada). His expertise and competence are in several areas of philosophy including African philosophy, critical thinking/elementary logic, decolonization, ethics, history of philosophy, intercultural philosophy, philosophy for (and with) children, philosophies of disability and law, social and political philosophy, and social contract theories. Etieyibo served, for many years, as Secretary/Treasurer of the International Society for African Philosophy and Studies (2014-2023), and between 2018 and 2022 as Editor- in-Chief of the South African Journal of Philosophy. Until recently, he was Head of Philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand (2019-2024). Currently, he serves as Secretary of the African Philosophy Society—a pan-African organization, which he co-founded and, that organizes research clusters among African philosophers as well as mentors young and promising scholars in African philosophy. A selection of his publications includes 3 authored/co-authored books, the recent being A Case for Environmental Justice (2022); 10 edited/co-edited books (one of which is Decolonisation, Africanisation and the Philosophy Curriculum published in 2018 by Routledge); and 7 guest edited journal special issues, which include (i) “African Philosophy, Women, and Feminism” in the South African Journal of Philosophy, 2023, (ii) “Politics and Decolonization in Africa” in Africa Today, 2021, and (iii) “Africanising the Philosophy Curriculum in Universities in Africa” in the South African Journal of Philosophy, 2016.

报告题目

Title of Talk

African Philosophy and Confucianism on Being Human

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

One thing that African philosophy and Confucianism have in common is that they take a “moral view” of what it means to be human. This conception of human goes beyond mere biology or our genetic history and understands human beings as communal beings. For African philosophy through Ubuntu, being human is to be embedded selves or simply put, to live morally, communally, and harmoniously with others. For Confucianism through ren, being human is when our identity derives from our interaction with the broader human community and our conduct within it. In this presentation, I examine the sense in which for Ubuntu and ren, being human is to be a “we” or how both philosophies advocate a “we ontology.” My motivation is to make the case that once we properly calibrate the notion of a “we mode of being” of Ubuntu and ren, we understand that Africa and China (and like traditions and civilizations) have a lot to contribute to a fragmented world governed not only by nationalism and nativism but also by practices of hate, division, competition, and zero-sum games—contributions that scholars in African and Chinese philosophies should healthily embrace, be proud of, and keen to bellow from the rooftop.

(Please write 100-150 English words)

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Robin R. Wang is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles and The Berggruen fellow (2016-17) at The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS), Stanford University. Her teaching and research focus on Chinese and Comparative Philosophy, particularly Daoist philosophy, as well as the intersections of women and gender in Chinese thought and culture. She is the author of the acclaimed book, Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and the editor of and Images of Women in Chinese Thought and Culture: Writings from the Pre-Qin Period to the Song Dynasty (Hackett, 2003). She is the member of the Steering Committee member for Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie (International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP 2018 to present) where she actively engages in shaping the future of philosophical inquiry on a global stage. She was President of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, 2016-18.

Please write 100-150 English words)

报告题目

Title of Talk

Dwelling in Clarity: Zhuangzi’s Ming 明and Flowing Proximity

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

This talk examines Daoist classic Zhuangzi’s concept of ming (明)—often translated as “clarity” or “illumination”—as a mode of relational attunement rather than epistemic certainty. Rather than positioning clarity as the apprehension of fixed truths, Zhuangzi invites a form of perceptual openness responsive to shifting contexts and intersubjective flows. By placing ming in dialogue with the framework of flowing proximity, this talk proposes that Zhuangzi’s clarity is best understood as a situated and dynamic sensibility—an ability to dwell within changing distances without becoming fixed or estranged. Such a reading foregrounds ming as an orientation toward rhythmic abiding, where clarity manifests not in control or grasping, but in the subtle calibration of nearness and distance.

(Please write 100-150 English words)

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Tom Dwyer, Full Professor of Sociology, University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. CNPq Researcher. Director of ‘CASS-Unicamp Center for China Studies’ since 2019. President of the Brazilian Sociological Society 2005-2009.

Dwyer, T. et ali. (Eds) Handbook of the Sociology of Youth in BRICS Countries, (World Scientific, Singapore, 2018), In a Sino-Brazilian version: Li Chunling, and Dwyer, T. (Eds) Qing Nian Yu She Hui Fa Zhan. Beijing, Social Sciences Academic Press, 2022.

Idealized “BRICS un espace ignoré”, Hermès no. 79, (2017, CNRS, Paris). Chief editor (in Portuguese) of: Dwyer, T., Zen. L., Weller, W., Jiu, S., and Guo, K (Eds). Young University Students in a changing world: a Chinese-Brazilian survey. Brasilia, IPEA. 2016. In Chinese: Jiu, S: Guo, K: Dwyer, T.; Zen. L. e Weller, W. Bian Ge Shi Jie Zhong De Da Xue Sheng – Zhong Guo, Ba Xi Bi Jiao Yan Jiu. Beijing, 2016. Social Sciences Academic Press.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Towards Civilization Exchange: China and Brazil discuss the future of Modernization through Sociology.

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

In 2008 La Nouvelle sociologie chinoise (New Chinese Sociology- NCS) was published. Its fundamental difference from previous books on contemporary Chinese sociology, it permitted Chinese sociologists to discuss their own society in their own terms. This later developed into the conceptualization of ‘post-western sociology’ (Li Peilin, Francoise Roulleau-Berger et. ali). Partly inspired by NCS, three large handbooks of Sociology in BRIC(S) countries were published.

On 9.10.19 the CASS Institute of Sociology inaugurated the CASS-Unicamp Center of China Studies. From 2021, Chinese professors began teaching classes on contemporary Chinese sociology, on-line, with Brazilian commentators. Since 2023, Chinese students became involved. Consequences of these movements are examined.

Brazil’s globalization has transformed China into an irreplacable economic, and currently poorly understood partner, seen as a challenge and potential threat. The world’s youngest and oldest civilizations engage in “Civilizational Exchange,” within the framework of learning - in comparative terms - about modernization and its futures.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

Academic Biography

PhD student in Social Sciences at the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). Holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the Graduate Program in Social Sciences at the Federal University of Maranhão (2016). Earned a Bachelor's degree and a teaching certification in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Maranhão (2014). Currently works as a Sociology professor at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão.

Title of Talk

Dialogues Between Latin American Social Thought and Contemporary Chinese Philosophy

Abstract of Talk

The proposed presentation is situated within ongoing debates on the Anthropocene and seeks to offer reflections that may contribute to the following guiding question: Is it possible to establish a dialogue between contemporary Chinese philosophy and Latin American social thought?

To this end, we draw from Chinese philosophy, particularly Yuk Hui’s (2022) reflections on technodiversity and cosmotechnics, as well as the concepts of Tianxia and Chinese cosmopolitanism as developed by Zhao Tingyang (2016) and Shuchen Xiang (2023), respectively.

From Latin American thought, we engage with debates on decoloniality, neo-extractivism, Buen Vivir, and the Rights of Nature.

Given that the Anthropocene signals a civilizational crisis, it is no longer tenable to imagine solutions grounded in the ideals and practices engendered by the Global North. Envisioning possible futures is a collective task that demands transcending anthropocentrism, the belief in infinite progress and development, and the separation between humanity and nature. 100-150 English words)

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues is full professor and morning star scholar in the Yuelu Academy, Hunan University China. He specialises in ethics, political theory, philosophy of religion and African philosophy.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Why should Africa and China collaborate in Public Health?

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Africa and China share several public health systems on a local and global scale. This paper offers practical and philosophical reasons for deepening Africa–China collaboration in public health. I will focus mainly on arguing that philosophical values such as ubuntu and Confucian principles converge on a shared ethic of solidarity, reciprocity, and communal responsibility, which is critical for public health.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Dr. Yao Xinzhong has been Professor of Ethics at Renmin University of China, & Professor Emeritus at King’s College London since 2013. He worked in UK higher education institutes (University of Kent, University of Cardiff, University of Wales, Oxford University and King’s College London) for 23 years (1990-2014). He became Professor of Religion and Ethics in 2002 and served as Head of Department of Theology and Religious Studies at University of Wales, Lampeter 1999-2003. He was appointed as a senior Research Fellow at the Ian Ramsey Centre, University of Oxford (2004-2007), before moving to King’s College London as Professor of Religion and Ethics in 2008. At King’s College he founded King’s China Institute and served as its Director for five years (2009-2014). He was elected as a Fellow of Royal Society of Arts in 1998 and has been the Fellow of Royal Asiatic Studies since 2001. He is currently the Associate Editor-in-General of Journal of Chinese Philosophy , and Deputy Executive Director of the International Society of Chinese Philosophy (USA). His research and teaching areas range from comparative philosophy, ethics, Confucian studies, to religious studies and Chinese religion. He has published books and research articles both in Chinese and in English. Among his English publications are Religion in Contemporary China (eds., Routledge 2017), Reconceptualizing Confucian Philosophy in the 21 st Century (ed., Springer & China Higher Education Press, 2017), Confucian Studies—Critical Concepts in Asian Philosophy (eds., Routledge, 2010), Chinese Religion—A Contextual Approach (Continuum, 2010), Religious Experience in Contemporary China (University of Wales Press, 2007); Wisdom in Early Confucianism and Israelite Traditions (Ashgate, 2006; Routledge, 2016); Encyclopedia of Confucianism (ed., Routledge, 2003); An Introduction to Confucianism (University of Cambridge Press, 2000) and Confucianism and Christianity--A Comparative Study of Jen and Agape (Sussex Academic Press, 1996).

报告题目

Title of Talk

走进世界的中国哲学

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The global expansion of Chinese philosophy marks a significant development in cross-cultural intellectual exchange, offering profound insights for contemporary philosophical discourse. This presentation examines how traditional Chinese thought—particularly Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism—has transcended its cultural origins to engage with global philosophical, ethical, and spiritual traditions. By analyzing key themes such as harmony, relational ethics, and self-cultivation, we explore how Chinese philosophy contributes to debates on modernity, environmental ethics, and intercultural dialogue. Scholars like Yao Xinzhong have played a crucial role in this process, bridging Eastern and Western perspectives through comparative studies. The talk highlights both the challenges and opportunities in interpreting Chinese philosophical concepts for a global audience, addressing issues of translation, cultural adaptation, and theoretical integration. Ultimately, the worldwide reception of Chinese philosophy demonstrates its enduring relevance, providing alternative frameworks for understanding human flourishing, social governance, and cosmic interconnectedness in an increasingly pluralistic world.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Michael N. Forster is Alexander von Humboldt Professor and Chair for Theoretical Philosophy at Bonn University. He taught for 28 years at The University of Chicago, where he served for 10 years as chairman of the Philosophy Department and was Glen A. Lloyd Distinguished Service Professor, and where he still teaches as a regular visitor. His historical interests include ancient philosophy and especially German philosophy; systematically, he focuses largely on epistemology (especially skepticism) and philosophy of language (in a broad sense of the term that includes hermeneutics and translation theory). He has authored seven books on German philosophy, including Hegel and Skepticism (Harvard University Press, 1989), Hegel’s Idea of a Phenomenology of Spirit (University of Chicago Press, 1998), After Herder: Philosophy of Language in the German Tradition (Oxford University Press, 2010), German Philosophy of Language: From Schlegel to Hegel and Beyond (Oxford University Press, 2011), and Herder’s Philosophy (Oxford University Press, 2018). He also co-edited several volumes, including the Oxford Handbook of German Philosophy in the Nineteenth Century (Oxford University Press, 2015), the Cambridge Companion to Hermeneutics (Cambridge University Press, 2019), and Romanticism, Philosophy, and Literature (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020). In addition, he is the author of numerous scholarly articles. He is currently finishing a book on Friedrich Schlegel’s philosophy for Oxford University Press.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Views of Contradiction West and East

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Views about contradiction and the law of contradiction have a long and well-known history in the West, a history mainly of rejection of contradictions and insistence on the law of contradiction. The picture in China is interestingly different: Among classical Chinese philosophers, Mozi and his school did indeed formulate a version of the law (together with various other logical principles likewise known from the West). But other philosophical schools, including Daoism and even Confucianism, seem less committed to the law. This becomes especially interesting in the context of a sophisticated recent project in Western philosophy of rejecting the law (as in Graham Priest's "dialetheism"). The paper outlines these similarities and contrasts between the two traditions and also offers some thoughts about their relevance for both the development of mathematics / natural science and religious / ideological intolerance / tolerance.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Ph.D. in Philosophy, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Marxism, Tsinghua University. Academic roles include: Board Member of the International Association of Women Philosophers (IAPh); Member of the Bioethics Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Ethics Committee of China; Convenor of the Section on the Sinicization of Marxist Feminist Theory, Chinese Women’s Research Society; Vice President of the Beijing Women's Theoretical Studies Association; Chief Expert of a major project funded by the National Social Science Fund of China; and Member of the Ethics Committee on Science and Technology at Tsinghua University.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Vulnerability: A Relational Ethical Concept

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

In August 2024, the 25th World Congress of Philosophy was held in Rome, Italy. In his opening speech, Luca Maria Scarantino, the President of the Congress and of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP), quoted a striking idea from Thai philosopher Chaiwat Satha-Anand: philosophy is a tool that teaches us how to cultivate the ability to become vulnerable in the face of the dangers posed by indifferent globalization. This thought-provoking statement inspired deep reflection among the attendees on the ethical meaning of vulnerability. Scarantino further emphasized: “To me, treating philosophy as an education in mutual vulnerability is neither a delusion nor a naïve utopia. On the contrary, it is one of the core driving forces of philosophy, profoundly linked to both human nature and the cultural dimension.”

Although this assertion may appear paradoxical, it carries profound implications. While traditional philosophy has long valued reason, autonomy, and independence, the concept of vulnerability reveals the inherent dependency, sensitivity, and openness of human beings to others. In confronting the increasing apathy, exclusion, and technological alienation brought by globalization, a re-examination of vulnerability offers not only moral insight but also a cross-cultural ethical pathway.

From an ethical perspective, vulnerability is not a weakness but a fundamental existential condition. It discloses the nature of human beings as relational beings. Within the tradition of relational ethics, the moral identity of individuals does not emerge from an abstract self, but from their interrelations with others. It is precisely through conditions of being "woundable" and "dependent" that individuals awaken the capacities for empathy, care, responsibility, and justice. Thus, vulnerability is not only the precondition for ethical responsiveness, but also the moral foundation for constructing a culture of peace.

Moreover, from the standpoint of philosophical history, mutual vulnerability can be seen as a latent theme running through classical ethics, modern theories of subjectivity, and contemporary care ethics, feminist ethics, and environmental ethics. For instance, Emmanuel Levinas stressed that the “face of the Other” calls me into ethical responsibility; Judith Butler argued that human injurability underpins political and ethical communities; and thinkers in care ethics, such as Joan Tronto, have rooted the ethic of care precisely in the fragile interdependence among people.

In this age of radical uncertainty, technological indifference, and escalating ecological crises, reaffirming the ethical status of vulnerability is not only a way for philosophy to meaningfully engage with the world, but also a practical path toward peaceful coexistence. Only by acknowledging our finitude and openness can we foster genuine understanding and trust with others, and seek reconciliation and coexistence amid pluralistic conflicts.

(Please write 100-150 English words)

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Kefang Jia is Distinguished Research Fellow and Deputy Director of Globalization and Culture Development Strategies Studies Institute at Beijing Normal University. He received his PhD in Philosophy from Peking University in 2012. He was professor of Philosophy at Northwest Normal University. He has published numerous articles on Globalization studies and Early Modern western philosophy, especially Descartes and Locke.

报告题目

Title of Talk

Nothingness as the real: a comparative study of Daoist nothingness

作为实在的虚无：道家虚无概念的中西哲学比较

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

According to the tradition of Western metaphysics, the concept of nothingness is often regarded as subordinate to and antithetical to the concept of existence/being, and that only existence/being is real, while nothingness cannot be directly thought or spoken of, and is therefore not real. Chinese Taoist philosophy emphasizes nothingness and its crucial role of in coping with the world, which is a unique way of thinking different from Western tradition. However, the Taoist concept of nothingness is full of controversies and ambiguities. These controversies and ambiguities obscure the philosophical insights unique to the Taoist nothingness. I will highlight an interpretation of the Taoist concept of nothingness, according to which nothingness and existence are equal parts of one same unity. I will also argue that although nothingness is dependent on existence, existence is also dependent on nothingness, and therefore nothingness remains real; although nothingness cannot be directly contemplated, a contemplation that is concerned with nothingness is an indispensable wisdom for dealing with the world. The ontological position of nothingness is based on the Taoist conception of the oneness of reality. This philosophical insight is significant for a deep understanding of the structure of the world and of human activity itself.

在西方形而上学中，虚无概念往往被看作是存在、有等概念的附属和对立面，并且，只有存在是实在的，虚无不可被思考，也不可被言说，因而不是实在的。中国道家哲学强调虚无，重视虚无概念对于把握世界的关键作用，这是与西方哲学迥异的一种思考方式。然而，关于道家哲学的虚无概念的理解充满了各色的争议和含混。这些争议和含混掩盖了道家虚无概念所独具的哲学洞见。按照我所强调的一种解释，在中国道家哲学中，虽然虚无是依附于存有的，但是，存有也依存于虚无，因此，虚无依然是实在的；虽然虚无不可以被直接思考，但是一种关切着虚无的思考却是与世界打交道所不可或缺的智慧。虚无的本体论位置是基于有无一体的道家观念的。这一哲学洞见对于深刻理解世界结构和人类自身活动有着重要意义。

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

(Please write 100-150 English words)

Xiaoyang ZHANG is an Assistant Professor at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Public Administration), Beihang University. He holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Essex, UK. His research focuses on applied ethics, with specific interests in public health ethics, climate change ethics, and emergency management ethics. Dr. Zhang employs computational social science methods to address these pressing societal issues. He is the Principal Investigator for a National Social Science Fund youth project on urban political ecology and a key participant in a major NSSFC project on the ethical pathways to a global community of health for all, coordinating the sub-project on global public health (environmental health) ethics. He has published numerous articles in these areas.

报告题目

Title of Talk

"人类命运共同体"理念与中国哲学智慧对全球气候公正转型的贡献

The Community of Shared Future for Mankind and Chinese Philosophical Wisdom: Contributions to Global Just Climate Transition

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

(Please write 100-150 English words)

This paper examines how Chinese traditional philosophy and the concept of "Community of Shared Future for Mankind" provide a distinctive theoretical framework and practical guidance for global just climate transition. Breaking through the Western-dominated climate justice discourse, the study interprets Confucian benevolence and reciprocity, Daoist holism and naturalism, and Mohist universal love and frugality in a modern context, revealing the theoretical value of Chinese wisdom in addressing historical responsibility, North-South cooperation, and intergenerational equity. The research demonstrates that Chinese wisdom offers an ethical foundation beyond zero-sum games, a holistic systems thinking approach, and a shared development pathway for just transition. These contributions are transforming from conceptual frameworks into institutional designs and practical actions in global climate governance, significantly enriching the pluralistic perspectives on global climate ethics and promoting theoretical innovation in climate governance.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Dai Beifen is an Associate Professor at Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics). She obtained her Ph.D. in Philosophy from Tsinghua University in 2015, specializing in Ethics. Her current research focuses on feminist ethics and AI ethics. She has published a monograph titled "Foucault's Theory of the Subject and Its Feminist Applications" and over a dozen academic papers focusing on gender studies and subject theory. Currently, she leads a national-level research project titled "Privacy Studies on Computational Photography Faces."

报告题目

Title of Talk

Relational Selves in a Fragmented World: Confucian Ethics and the Limits of Western Individualism

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

The historical development of Western individualism has undergone three crucial phases: from the civic-oriented individual in ancient Greek polis, to the soul standing before God in Christianity, and finally to the modern conception of rights-bearing subjects. This evolutionary trajectory, while facilitating significant advancements in equality and liberation (as evidenced by feminist and civil rights movements), has simultaneously precipitated a profound ontological fragmentation. Individuals have become isolated bearers of rights, exemplifying what Heidegger termed "thrownness" (Geworfenheit) - a paradoxical state where human beings enjoy unprecedented freedom yet lack substantial existential grounding. This fundamental tension manifests most visibly in modern society's capacity to rationally acknowledge others' rights (such as expressing sympathy for refugees) while remaining unable to establish authentic co-existence at the most basic level of human life.

Confucian ethics counters through "Xiao Ti" grounding individuals in life's continuity. Its "benevolent love" extension creates responsibility ethics where duties emerge naturally from life's resonance ("heart of compassion"), balancing self-cultivation with communal bonds.

Synthesizing both approaches - protecting rights while rebuilding belonging through life's empathy - the "relational individual" paradigm offers deeper resolution to modernity's crisis than atomized autonomy can provide. 

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker

简历

Academic Biography

Leah Kalmanson is the Bhagwan Adinath Professor of Jain Studies in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of North Texas. She received her PhD in philosophy from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her books include Cross-Cultural Existentialism (2020), A Practical Guide to World Philosophies co-authored with Monike Kirloskar-Steinbach (2021), and Local Gods: A Philosophy of Spiritual Diversity (forthcoming).

报告题目

Title of Talk

Scholarship as a Way of Life: Ruist Contributions to World Philosophies

报告

主要观点

Abstract of Talk

Engagement with world philosophies involves not only the content one studies but one’s very idea of what counts as a philosophical method. Within the Euro-American traditions of philosophy, methods typically include analysis, argumentation, hermeneutics, and phenomenological reduction. Ruist methodologies ask us to think beyond philosophy as an academic activity to consider scholarship itself as a contemplative exercise and spiritual way of life. This is part of Ruism’s distinctive contribution to world philosophical discourse.

主讲人照片

Picture of Speaker