Division(s) and Transformation(s): Five Cognitive Stations in the Delimitation of Things (有分與物化：知物的五層封野) | University of Chicago Workshop on the Philosophy of Religions

Chiayu Hsu

Postdoc, UChicago Divinity School

The courses (Daos) of transformation—this is the Zhuangzi’s most manifest and recurrently zig-zagging theme. For Zhuangzi, the world is “changing and transforming, never constant.” The transformations of the ten-thousand things never having begun to reach their limit, we nevertheless draw lines over this world transforming at each moment, dividing it up into sections, and establishing boundaries.

In Part II of a joint series on Zhuangzi & Absolute Division, we will analyze a passage in the Equalizing Assessments of Things which expressly sets forth the delimitation of things within human knowledge, and illustrates what Zhuangzi takes to be the five stations of the cognition, as well as the interrelation between division(s) and transformation(s).

Although we’ve chosen to present Chiayu’s paper in bi-lingual format, with the Chinese and newly translated English side-by-side, conversation will be held in English. No prior background in Chinese is required!

Thursday, May 20th, 6:30pm CT

The workshop will focus on a pre-circulated paper (available here) and will be largely discussion-based.

Please contact tjneenan@uchicago.edu for the Zoom link.

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The Workshop on the Philosophy of Religions is committed to being a fully accessible and inclusive workshop. Please contact Workshop Coordinators Tyler Neenan (tjneenan@uchicago.edu) or Rebekah Rosenfeld (rrosenfeld@uchicago.edu) in order to make any arrangements necessary to facilitate your participation in workshop events.

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