April 7 at 6 pm, Stephen Walker, on Morality and Self-Concealment

Description:

It’s intuitive that being preoccupied with doing the right thing is not the same as consistently doing it. It’s less intuitive that being preoccupied with doing the right thing, with being a good person, with morality in general, may actually work against those very goals—that there’s something directly self-undermining about prizing and trying to live up to moral standards.

Tonight we’ll discuss a fascinating essay by the famously eccentric Chinese philosopher Ji Kang. Ji argues that being preoccupied with morality is essentially selfish, because it draws on fears of social rejection rather than on sensitivity to what people actually need and enjoy. He writes with great psychological insight about the strenuous (if typically unconscious) work we do to conceal our true intentions in the name of goodness—which not only distorts our self-awareness but also renders us inaccessible to each other, hence confusing and toxifying our relationships. Ji Kang thinks that we’re least selfish when we’re open and responsive, and that real openness to others exposes us to the routine criticism and embarrassment that “good” behavior is specifically designed to avoid.

Stephen C. Walker holds a PhD in Philosophy of Religions from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He studies philosophy & the history of philosophy across multiple traditions; his research focuses on classical Chinese thought & especially on Daoism. Walker has also worked extensively with Sanskrit materials, particularly those reflecting the classical heritage of exacting interreligious debate. Interests that inform his writing & teaching include the personal & social contexts for philosophical work, the ambiguity & malleability of concepts, & the role that humanistic studies can play in cultivating appreciation for diverse points of view.

Thursday, April 7th 2022

6:00-7:15pm

Free & Open to the Public, mask-optional & limited seating

Join us as we begin our FIRST Liberal Arts Discussion since the COVID shutdown!

A collaboration with the

University of Chicago Graham School
hosting presentations and discussions of original research.