Confucius is topic of Philosophy for the Public Lecture March 15
March 9, 2017
POCATELLO — William McCurdy, lecturer of philosophy at Idaho State University will present “Shu (恕) and Walking in Another Man’s Shoes: Confucius on Becoming a Humane Human” at 6 p.m. March 15 at the College Market.
The ISU Department of English and Philosophy is sponsoring McCurdy’s lecture as part of its Philosophy of the Public Lecture Series.
This presentation will analyze the single thread, which according to Confucius, ties all of his teachings together, specifically the concept of “shu.” Often translated as “reciprocity," or as ‘empathetic understanding,’ “shu” is a kind of practical reasoning, namely, that sort of reasoning necessary for a person to become a virtuoso human being. Its kinship with the Golden Rule will also be examined. This will be an opportunity to explore the core theses of one of the most influential moral thinkers of world history.
The “Philosophy for the Public” lectures are free of charge and require no special or previous knowledge of philosophy. Community members are invited to attend and to participate in question and answer sessions following the lectures. The goal, according to series organizer Nobel Ang, is “to introduce philosophical issues and philosophical works to the public in a way that is accessible yet intellectually rigorous, and to enable more people to appreciate the relevance of philosophy to their everyday human lived experience."
The event is free and open to the public. The College Market is located at 604 S Eighth Ave. in Pocatello.
For more information, contact the Department of English and Philosophy at (208) 241-2478 or isu.edu/english.