Date日期: 10.30，2024

Time时间：18:00-19:30

Place地点：Room 1605, The First Public Teaching Building 公一1605

About the speaker:

Alexis Y. Lavis received his PhD from University of Normandy and obtained the agrégation in philosophy from the Sorbonne and the ministry of education and research. He is presently Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy in Renmin University of China (Beijing). He was previously lecturer in philosophy and Asian studies in Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po); lecturer in History of Philosophy and Comparative Philosophy in University of Normandy. His research interests cover Indian and Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism, History of Western Philosophy, Phenomenology and Linguistics (French, English, German, Latin, Ancient Greek, Sanskrit, modern and ancient Chinese). His publications include the translation (Sanskrit to French) and the philosophical and phenomenological commentary of the Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (2018), two studies on the relationship between Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism in China (2010, 2013); some translations of Chinese texts (孫子, 三十六計, 韓非) and Sanskrit (Bhagavadgīta) ; and recently an epistemological and comparative analysis of the concept of “Unforeseen” (2021). In addition to numerous articles and contributions, he is editorial director of collection “Asian Studies” (Cerf Publishing House), program director (on “Comparative Rituality”) at the Collège International de Philosophie (CIPh), member/researcher of the Husserl Archives-Paris of the French Asian Society, and of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy (ISCP).

Abstract:

If, as Heidegger recommended at the very beginning of the Letter on Humanism, it is urgent to re-think anew the meaning of human action, what is the framework within which we can bring about such a renewal? The Confucian tradition (儒家), as exemplary exposed in the Liji《禮記》,  could well provide essential elements of a solution based on the analysis of rituality (禮). Confucius and his heirs established an original relationship between ritual, human nature, and man's ability to home the world. Xunzi (荀) went so far as to make ritual a unique mode of action, irreducible to natural or causal actions, but purely human and even phenomenological by essence. Confucian conceptions challenge deeply and relevantly classical western philosophies of action, such as those of Aristotle, Thomas of Aquinas, Descartes, Austin, or Davidson... all based on the principle of causality, and even mechanism which, because it concerns all forms of action, dilutes the properly human meaning of acting into a too general model. So, what does it mean for human beings to act humanly? It's a burning question, now more than ever, and one that calls for a dialogue with Chinese philosophy.

主办单位：中国人民大学哲学院；当代中国哲学发展研究中心；国际哲学高等研究院

转载：人大中哲全英文硕士CPRC