From June 6th to 8th, under the invitation made by the International Communication and Chinese Culture (ICCC) Research Center, Nankai University, Research Assistant Professor Carl Hildebrand from Hong Kong Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (HKIHSS), University of Hong Kong gave lectures on the "Self" and "Other" in the western philosophical tradition. Two lectures were entitled with “The Evolution of Desire and Dignity in Virtuous Friendship” and “Contrasting Views of Shame, Transcendence and Self-identity in the Western Tradition”.
Before the lecture, the ICCC Director and doctoral supervisor Prof. Hu Cui’e warmly welcomed and appreciated Dr. Hildebrand’s visit to the University. In the first day’s lecture, Dr. Hildebrand introduced the categories of “love” in ancient Greek culture, and discussed the concept of friendship from the perspectives of culture and philosophy in both the East and the West, with representatives such as Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Confucius, and Dai Zhen.
In the lecture on the second day, Dr. Hildebrand mainly explored the philosophical and psychological connotations behind "shame", with a particular focus on the views of two renowned Western philosophers, Bernard Williams and Joseph Butler, regarding the concept of "shame".
In the Q&A session, both the faculty and students enthusiastically discussed with Dr. Hildebrand on the "friendship" and "shame" in both Eastern and Western cultures. The session was very well-received. On the morning of June 8th, Dr. Hildebrand also had a dialogue with the faculty and students on Kantian philosophy, research methodologies for doctoral students, and broader topics concerning Chinese and Western cultures. The atmosphere of the conversation was warm and relaxed. Dr. Hildebrand even praised the students using a quote from the Analects of Confucius, for their great enthusiasm for learning which really impressed him.
Dr. Hildebrand is a Ph.D. from Oxford University and focuses on the interdisciplinary intersection of ethics, moral psychology, and the history of philosophy. He was a member of the faculty in many outstanding institutions including the University of Ottawa, the University of British Columbia, Oxford University and the University of Hong Kong. Some of his recent works are Kant’s Account of Intellectual Habit and Moral Education, and Educating for British Values: Kant’s Philosophical Roadmap for Cosmopolitan Character Education. His current research focuses on the moral character found in Immanuel Kant, including ideas around habit, moral worth, moral education, and sympathy.
