| 础辫谤补拧测尘补蝉 |
Conceptions of free will are essential for the way we think about who we are and how we (should) interact with others. Understanding what we mean by free will depends on drawing out distinctions between what we control and what we do not. And from this we determine notions of responsibility, and commitment, as well as develop our senses of self and meaning. But sometimes when feel a push back. We can notice that much of our lives is conditioned by luck. We are not responsible for the talents we are born with, and even how we might develop them can say more about the way society than our own intentions. As we widen the breathe of consideration, we quickly find ourselves more and more beholden to luck. It penetrates deeply into all aspects of our lives鈥攚hat, if anything, is not subject to happenstance, historical conditions, and interconnection with others?In this talk we will discuss the way ancient Chinese thinkers reflected on these problems. Inspired by Confucian and Daoist thought, we can think less in terms of differentiating between what we control and do not, or what is a matter of luck and what is not, and more in terms of how we might cultivate the luck that we have, and are. In other words, rather than try to think about who we are as separate from biological make-up, our interactions with others, or culture, tradition, and specific historical linages, we can embrace these as constitutive, and work from there to cultivate luck. The lecture will be delivered by a Professor in Chinese Philosophy Dr. Paul J. D鈥橝mbrosio, a professor of Chinese philosophy, fellow of the Institute of Modern Chinese Thought and Culture, director of the international graduate program in Chinese philosophy, and Dean of the Center for Intercultural Research, all at East China Normal University in Shanghai, China. He is also a research fellow at the Ma Yifu Academy, Zhejiang University. Additionally, he is founder of the 四海为学 鈥淐ollaborative Learning鈥� academic forum. Books by D鈥橝mbrosio include 真假之间 (Kong Xuetang Press, 2020), You and Your Profile (Columbia University Press, 2021) and Genuine Pretending (Columbia University Press, 2017), both with Hans-Georg Moeller, and Encountering China (Harvard University Press, 2018) with Michael Sandel. He has also authored nearly 150 articles, chapters, and reviews, and is translator of over a dozen books on Chinese philosophy.The lecture will be held at 蜜豆视频 in the Kristijonas Donelaitis Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Philology (Universiteto str. 5, M. K. Sarbievijaus yard) |
