Conference Title: Conflicts and Reconciliation: Phenomenology and Human Sciences

Date: 12-14 Sep 2024
Location: National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan R.O.C. (中山大學文學院7006會議室)
 

Organized by Institute of Philosophy and Research Centre for Phenomenology and Human Sciences, Institute of Philosophy, National Sun Yat-sen University.

報名網址：https://forms.gle/pzKsrCk3hiHwxeGq6

Supported by
• Center for the Humanities (NSYSU), College of Liberal Arts (NSYSU)
• “Global Sinology and Transcultural Co-Becoming” Formative International Research Group Higher Education Sprout Project
• Ministry of Education and National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan R.O.C.
 

Overview:
The meaning of conflict and the possibility of reconciliation have been central questions since ancient Greek philosophy. Heraclitus famously argues that the conflict of opposites is the permanent condition of all beings. On the contrary, Plato contends that it is possible to envision harmony among conflicting parties, including various faculties of human beings and different classes in a given society. In modern times, Hegel believes that the Geist represents the reconciliatory process of struggles in history, while Marx emphasizes the opposite, asserting that struggles are essential in shaping historical development. Philosophers throughout the ages have never been free of disputes in presenting their conflicting views about conflict and reconciliation.
Phenomenology upholds the principle of "returning to the things themselves" when constructing its theories. The critical inquiry lies in determining the types of conflicts that can be analyzed and understanding the relationships among them, such as internal conflicts within an individual, inter-human conflicts, international conflicts, conflicts of interests or ideals, conflicts manifesting as a divergence of the ontological status of beings, and more. Equally significant is the exploration of the various forms of reconciliation that can be envisaged, including harmony within one's soul, harmony among human beings, compromise between national interests, reconciliation as a pathway to peaceful coexistence, and reconciliation at a deeper, more profound level. Without establishing any metaphysical presuppositions, Husserl pays attention to analyzing the ways in which the meaning of intersubjectivity arises in our lived experiences, where conflicts and reconciliation may take place. Sartre is interested in analyzing the conflicts of human beings rooted in their being as "for-itself" and as social beings, i.e., belonging to groups. Patočka characterizes the twentieth century as the century of war where military conflicts cannot help but go unbridled. By focusing on the issues of conflict and reconciliation, it becomes evident that phenomenology inherently encompasses the importance of ontological, ethical, and political reflections. In the 21st century, where global conflicts re-emerge in novel forms, it is imperative to reconsider the meaning of conflict and reconciliation in the shadow of uncertainty. We invite researchers from Asia and
other parts of the world to contribute to thinking "Conflicts and Reconciliation” from perspectives of phenomenology and human sciences.
 

Themes might include:
- Analyzing conflicts and reconciliation from ontological, ethical, and political perspectives as elucidated by the central figures of phenomenology.
- Comparing phenomenological perspectives with other viewpoints in the history of philosophy.
- Extending phenomenological reflection to other disciplines within the human sciences, such as psychopathology, psychotherapy, sociology and political science.
- Evaluating phenomenological analyses from an intercultural perspective.
 

Keynote speakers:
Prof. Dermot Moran (Boston College)
Prof. Philip Buckley (McGill University)
Prof. Kwok-ying Lau (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Attendees come from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and various other regions around the globe. The presentation language is English.

Transportation Guide (download)
-Hotel Information
Watermark Hotel - The Harbour (碧港良居－The Harbour)
Address : No.14, Shaochuan St., Gushan District., Kaohsiung City 804, Taiwan
高雄市鼓山區哨船街14號碧港良居

E-mail : service2@watermarkhotel.com.tw
Tel : 886-7-5331336
Fax : 886-7-5331226
https://www.watermarkhotel.com.tw/harbour/index.php?action=index&lang=3
View in Google Maps:
https://goo.gl/maps/aVbpTV9a65DPy6BV6

Kaohsiung International Airport→Watermark Hotel （The Harbour）
Taxi: ca. 30 minutes
Subway (Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation, KRTC)：
KRTC Red Line R4 Kaohsiung International Airport Station →KRTC Red Line R10 Formosa Boulevard Station →Transfer→KRTC Orange Line O1 Hamasen Station No.1 Exit (Hamasen Station →Watermark Hotel, about 15 Minutes Walking Distance)
https://www.kia.gov.tw/english/

Zuoying THSR Station →Watermark Hotel（The Harbour）
Taxi: ca. 35 minutes
Subway (Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation, KRTC)：
KRTC Red Line R16 Zuoying THSR Station→KRTC Red Line R10 Formosa Boulevard Station →Transfer→KRTC Orange Line O1 Hamasen Station No.1 Exit (Hamasen Station →Watermark Hotel, about 15 Minutes Walking Distance)
Taiwan High Speed Rail  https://en.thsrc.com.tw/
Kaohsiung Metro  https://www.krtc.com.tw/eng/

Kaohsiung Taiwan Railway Station→Watermark Hotel（The Harbour）
Taxi: ca. 20 minutes
Bus: Buses Nr. 248→ bus-stop Binhai 2nd Road(濱海二路)
Subway (Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation, KRTC)：
KRTC Red Line R11 Kaohsiung main Station→KRTC Red Line R10 Formosa Boulevard Station →Transfer→KRTC Orange Line O1 Hamasen Station No.1 Exit (Hamasen Station →Watermark Hotel, about 15 Minutes Walking Distance)
https://tip.railway.gov.tw/tra-tip-web/tip?lang=EN_US

Institute of Philosophy
2/F, College of Liberal Arts, National Sun Yat-sen University
Address : College of Liberal Arts, No.70 Lien-hai Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

E-mail : philo@mail.nsysuedu.tw
Tel : 886-7-5253220
Fax : 886-7-5253229
https://phen.nsysu.edu.tw/?Lang=en

View in Google Maps:
https://goo.gl/maps/jWLXUyzVfJc8s4RT9