The 2^nd ISCWP International Conference on

“Searle’s Philosophy and Chinese Philosophy:

Constructive Engagement”

Featuring the keynote speech by Professor John Searle

Theme

How Searle’s philosophy and some thoughts and strands in Chinese philosophy could jointly contribute to the common philosophical enterprise in philosophically interesting ways.

Background

It is widely agreed among many philosophers who are familiar with both Chinese and Western philosophies that Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy (including its mainstream traditions) are not essentially alien to one another: they have common concerns with a series of fundamental issues and have taken their characteristic approaches to them. They thus could learn from each other and jointly contribute to the common philosophical enterprise through constructive dialogue and engagement. The International Society for Comparative Studies of Chinese and Western Philosophy (ISCWP) takes this as one of its missions. In cooperation with some other due academic institutions as co-sponsors, the ISCWP will sponsor a series of international workshops/ conferences on philosophical engagement between Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy.

One effective way to carry out such comparative studies of Chinese and Western philosophy is to focus on one philosophically significant figure or one significant movement of philosophical thought in either Chinese or Western tradition in constructive comparison with various relevant thoughts in the other tradition to investigate how the constructive dialogue and engagement could be carried out between them. The first in this series is the international conference “Davidson’s Philosophy and Chinese Philosophy: Constructive Engagement”, co-sponsored by Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (Conference Host) and the CIC of the APA (June 8 and 9, 2004; Beijing, China). It has turned out to be a highly successful conference in regard to quality and fulfillment of its goal. Based on the need and recent development of comparative studies in the foregoing direction and orientation, on the availability of the relevant academic resources, and on the successful experience of holding the first one in this “Constructive Engagement” conference series, it has been decided that the 2^nd ISCWP international conference “Searle’s Philosophy and Chinese Philosophy: Constructive Engagement” is to be held.

John Searle (1932-) is the Mills Professor of Philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley, USA. From his groundbreaking book Speech Acts and his influential “Chinese Room” argument to his most recent studies of intentionality, freedom, social reality, and rationality, Searle has been a influential figure among contemporary philosophers as well as among analytic philosophers. His work is discussed in a wide variety of disciplines other than philosophy. He is a rare figure in analytic tradition to actively carry out a critical engagement with continental philosophy (e.g., with Derrida). He has his strong interest in the issue of cross-cultural understanding and engagement. Searle’s philosophy and some thoughts and strands in Chinese philosophy can constructively engage with each other at least in the following aspects or areas of inquiries.

(1)       Investigating how those perspectives, insights and visions respectively from Searle’s philosophy and Chinese philosophy could make their joint contributions to approaching some common concerns and fundamental issues in philosophical inquiries.

(2)       Examining how some conceptual and explanatory resources in Searle’s philosophy can be used to help us elaborate some thoughts of classical Chinese philosophers.

(3)       Examining how some substantial views and visions in Chinese philosophy can be used to enrich and contribute to Searle’s treatments and approaches in his philosophical inquiry.

(4)       Examining how those reflective interpretations of some characteristic features of Chinese language in Chinese philosophy and Searle’s thoughts concerning philosophy of language could make their joint contribution to the development of philosophy of language.

(5)       Investigating what counts as (cross-cultural) understanding Chinese language: A continuing debate over Searle’s “Chinese Room” argument in view of Chinese philosophy.

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