Curriculum Vita

Ronnie L. Littlejohn

 

I. Degrees, Specializations, Current Appointments, Recent Fellowships and Grants

B.A., Baylor University (l970); M.A., Baylor University (l972); Graduate Study, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (l972-l974); Graduate Study, University of Texas at Arlington (l973-l974); University of Chicago (1973); Ph.D., Baylor University (l978).  Post-doctoral study:  The East-West Center and University of Hawaii, University of Arizona, Harvard University, Notre Dame University, The Pennsylvania State University, Trinity University.

Specializations: Wittgenstein, Chinese Philosophy (esp. Daoism), Comparative Philosophy, Ethics and Moral Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Early Modern Philosophy, Hume, Russell.

Languages:  Chinese (Mandarin); Spanish; German (read); Koine Greek (read)

Current Appointments:

  • Chair, Department of Philosophy, Belmont University (1993-present)
  • Director, Asian Studies, Belmont University (1998-present)
  • Director, Belmont University China  Summer and Exchange Programs (1998-to present)

Institutes and Workshops Directed

 

*Teaching East Asia, National Consortium for Teaching about Asia, Freeman Foundation Teacher Development Seminar in Cooperation with Columbia University, Belmont University, June 9-20, 2008

 

*Representing Excellence: The Authoritative in South and East Asian Art and Literature, National Endowment of Humanities Regional Faculty Development Workshop, Belmont University, April 10-14, 2002.

 

Recent Fellowships and Grants

 

* Freeman Institute for Japan Studies, Tokai University, Honolulu, Hawaii, May 20-June 8, 2007.

*The Cultivated Person as Authority: East Asian Perspectives,  National Endowment of Humanities Faculty Development Workshop, Central Washington University, November 7-12, 2001

*Moral Quantification and Prioritization in Chinese Philosophical Tradition," ASIANetwork/Freeman Foundation Student-Faculty Partnership Fellowship Grant, Field Study in the People's Republic of China, June 14-August 10, 2001.

*China’ s Sacred Sites, East-West Center Studies Field Research Study, People’ s Republic of China, June 11-July 13, 1999

*Religion and Philosophy in China: Texts and Contexts, National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Institute, Henry Rosemont and Peter Hershock, Directors, East-West Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, June 8-July 10, 1998

*The Eleventh Summer Workshop for the Development of Intercultural Coursework at Colleges and Universities, Richard Brislin, Director, East West Studies Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, July 9-18, 1997

 *Islamic History and Cultures, Summer Institute for Faculty, Funded by The National Endowment for the Humanities, Julia Clancey-Smith, Director, University of Arizona, Tempe, Arizona, May 26-June 21, 1996.

*Virtue Ethics, Summer Seminar for Philosophy Teachers, University of Notre Dame, David Solomon, Director, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, May 22-28, 1994,

*Rousseau and Blake: Inventing the Modern Self, Summer Seminar for College Teachers, Funded by The National Endowment for the Humanities, Leo Damrosch, Director, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 14-July 30, 1993

*God and the Soul: Reading Augustine's Confessions, Summer Seminar for University Professors, Funded by The Pennsylvania State University, Carl Vaught, Director, The Pennsylvania State University, May 24-31, 1992.

*The Spectrum of Responsibility, Summer Seminar for College Teachers, Funded by The National Endowment for the Humanities, Peter A. French, Director, Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, June 11, 1990-July 20,1990

*Religion in a Postmodern World, Funded by Mellon Regional Faculty Development, Mark C. Taylor, Director, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, June 9-20, 1986

II. Professional Experience

Belmont University (1984-Present):

Teaching:  Professor of Philosophy --l984-Present (Tenured)

Administrative Positions:

    • Chairman, Department of Philosophy (1993-present)
    • Director, Asian Studies (1998-present)
    • Assistant Provost (l989 to 1992)
    • Director of the Honors Program (l985-l988)

Wayland Baptist University (l980-l984):

Teaching: Professor of Philosophy (l980-l984)

Administrative Positions:

    • Dean of Graduate Programs (l982-l984)
    • Chairman, Department of Religion and Philosophy (1980-1982)

Baylor University (l974-1979):

Teaching: Razor Lecturer, Department of Philosophy (l977-l979)

George C. Humphrey Teaching Fellow, Dept. of Religion, (l974-l978)

Other Teaching Experience: 

McLennan Community College (l976-l980): Instructor in Religion (l976-l980)

Baylor University School of Nursing (1972-1974): Instructor in Religion and Medical Ethics, (l972-l974)

III. Current Professional and Academic Association Memberships and Appointments

 

Memberships

o        Association of Regional Centers for the Development of Asian Studies

o        Asian Studies Development Program, East-West Center

o        American Philosophical Association

o        American Association of Philosophy Teachers

o        Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy

o        Society for the  Study of Chinese Religions

o        Association for Asian Studies

o        ASIANetwork

o        Tennessee Philosophical Association

Professional Appointments

1.        Associate Editor, Journal of Daoist Studies

2.       Scholarly Notes and Book Review Editor, Southeast Review of Asian Studies (SERAS)

3.        Vice-Chair and Chairman-Elect, ASIANetwork

4.        Commissioning Referee, Religion and Philosophy for Blackwell Publishing Oxford, Andrew Humphries, Commissioning Editor

5.        Commissioning Referee, Asian Studies/China, for Oxford University Press

6.        External Referee, Susan Sutton Smith Prize for Academic Excellence, State University of New York (2007)

7.        Member, Executive Board, Association of Regional Centers, Asian Studies Development Program, East-West Center, Honolulu, HI

8.        Member, Executive Board, Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy

9.        Member, Executive Board, Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville (CAAN)

10.     Member, Governor’s Tennessee Teaching Asia in the Schools Committee

11.     Book Review Editor, East-West Connections:  Review of Asian Studies

12.     Book Referee for Association of Chinese Philosophers of America Series in Comparative Philosophy

13.     Article Referee, Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy

14.     Article Referee, Philosophy East and West

15.     Editorial Board Member, Studies in Comparative Philosophy and Religion, a book series published by Lexington Books.

Program Chair, Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy Sections, American Philosophical Association, Central Division Meetings

16.     Local Arrangements Chair, 2007 Southeastern Regional Conference of the Association of Asian Studies

17.     Local Arrangements Chair, 2006 National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program

18.     Program Chair, 2003 National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program

19.     Guest Editor, East-West Connections:  Review of Asian Studies (2003 edition)

 

IV.   Awards

 

Meritorious Faculty Performance Award, College of Arts and Sciences, Belmont University, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

 

Recipient, Distinguished  Service Award, International East-West Center Alumni Association, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, presented Dec. 5, 2006, Hanoi, Vietnam.

 

Recipient, Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology, presented at the 14th International Conference on Teaching and Learning, Jacksonville, Florida, April 1-5, 2003.

 

Virginia Chaney Distinguished Professor Award, Belmont University, Finalist, 2001.

 

Distinguished Faculty Lecturer in the Humanities, Belmont University, School of Humanities and Education, 1993.

 

 

V. Academic Publications

Television:

Opening Heaven’s Gate 天門: The Daoist Manual of Inner Alchemy, 30 minute TV program for PBS, New York in association with The Yoga and Meditation Society for the Scientific Study of Spirituality, sponsored by the Metanexus Institute and the State University of New York, April 13, 2005.

Skepticism and Religious Relativism, Episode 13, Religions of the World, presented by Liberty International Entertainment in cooperation with Greenstar Television. Narration by Ben Kingsley, 1998.

Books:

Daoism: An Introduction  (Forthcoming in Nov. 2008 from I.B. Tauris, London-Macmillan, U.S. and Canada).

 

Riding the Wind: New Essays on the Daoist Classic the Liezi, Co-Editor with Jeffrey Dippmann, forthcoming Feb. 2009, from State University of New York Press

 

Polishing the Chinese Mirror: Essays in Honor of Henry Rosemont, Jr.  Co-Editor with Marthe Chandler, New York: Global Scholarly Publications, 2008.

Ethics: Studying the Art of Moral Appraisal (Rowman & Littlefield, 1993)

Exploring Christian Theology (University Press of America, l984)

Articles:

“The Liezi's Use of the Zhuangzi." Riding the Wind: New Essays on the Daoist Classic the Liezi, Eds. Jeffrey Dippmann and Ronnie Littlejohn, forthcoming from State University of New York.

 

Did Kongzi Teach Us How to Become Gods?” Polishing the Chinese Mirror: Essays in Honor of Henry Rosemont, Jr.  Eds. Marthe Chandler and Ronnie Littlejohn. New York: Global Scholarly Publications, 2008. 188-212.

 

“Sages Who Are Good at Saving the People: the Authority of Contemporary Daoshi in Southern China,” The Journal of Ethics and Leadership (Fall 2006). Ed. Tom Pynn.

 “Introduction,” to A Philosophical Transcreation of the Tao Te Ching, translated by Ashok Kulmar Malhotra.  Albany, NY: Global Scholarly Publications, 2006.

“Implications of the Origins of the Daodejing for Philosophy,” in Comparative Philosophy, Albany, NY: Global Scholarly Publications, 2006.

“Too Twisted to Fit a Carpenter's Square:  Using and Teaching the Daodejing  道德經” in Teaching Texts and Contexts: The Art of Infusing Asian Philosophies and Religions, ed. Ellen Klein and David Jones, (SUNY Press).

" Revisiting the Wu Xing 五行 Physics of the Zhongyong中庸," in Metaphilosophy and Chinese Thought: Interpreting David Hall.  Albany: State University of New York, 2005.

*“Teasing Out A Comparative Methodology: James Legge’s Institutionalization of Authoritative Discourse about China,” in Proceedings of the Third Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities 2005.

"'It's Not That Ghosts Really Lose Their Numinous Qualities:' Rosemont on Religious Experience," in Philosophy East and West: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, Vol. 54, Number 3 (July 2004): 404-407

"The Giant Forge and the Great Ironsmith: Revisiting the Wu Xing 五行 Physics of the Zhongyong中庸," Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Summer 2004): 205-217.

"Is there Forgiveness in the Ghost World?  Daoist and Christian Views on the Moral Order,"  Ching Feng, New Series 1-2, Vol. 3 (Fall 2002): 147-177.

"Taishan’ s Tradition: The Quantification and Prioritization of Moral Wrongs in a Contemporary Daoist Religion," Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy,  (Winter 2002): 117-141.

"Comparative Images of the Moral Person: Saints and Shengren  聖人," East-West Connections: Review of Asian Studies, (2002): 149-161

"The Received Tradition on Ming in the Mencius 孟子," The Southeast Review of Asian Studies, 23 (2001): 33-45

"Portrayals of Lost Innocence: Flatliners and The Good Son," in Philosophy and Film: A Collection of Readings, edited by H. Mike Awalt (Boston: Copley Press, 2001).

"Can Rotten Wood Be Carved? Implications of Intellectual Self-Regulation in the Analects," East-West Connections: Review of Asian Studies, June 2001.

"Comparative Moral Philosophy: Learning Ethics Through Other Cultures," Council of Societies for the Study of Religion Bulletin, February 2001.

 "Rousseau's Beautiful Soul: A Hegelian Reading," in Essays on the Modern Identity, edited by William Brewer and Carole Lambert in Studies on Themes and Motifs in Literature, Vol. 55, Horst Daemmrich, General Editor, New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2000, pp. 59-83.

"Comparative Moral Grammars," in Japan's Transition to the 21st Century, edited by Sidney DeVere Brown. (Institute of East Asian Studies Publications, University of California at Berkeley, 2000), pp. 28-39

"Transmission of the Chinese Moral Culture: Morality and Ledger Books in the World of Moral Self-Regulation," The Southeast Review of Asian Studies, Vol. 21 (1999): 15-31.

"Decentered Classrooms: The WWW and Problem Based Learning in Introductory Philosophy," Selected Papers and Awards from the Eighth National Conference on College Teaching and Learning (July 1997)

"Bedrock and Shifting Sand: Moral Change in Early Islam," Studies in Islamic History and Culture, Community College Humanities Association (Special Issue, August 1997).

 "Using Portfolios to Assess Student Learning," in The Teaching Professor, Fall 1994.

 "Total Quality Management as Moral Education," in Proceedings of the 4th Annual National Conference on Ethics in America, California State University Press, 1993.

 "Does Augustine Have a Theory of Moral Innocence in the Confessions" in Contemporary Philosophy, Winter 1992.

 "Reporting, Interpretation, and Moral Values in the Media," in Proceedings of the l2th Annual Illinois Political Studies Conference, Eastern Illinois University Press, April l988

"Honors and Leadership: The Role of Student Research and Presentation," The HonorRole (Publication of the Southern Regional Honors Council), Fall l987.

"Teaching Philosophy to Gifted Children," College Student Journal 2l (Fall l987): 274-28l

 "A Philosophical Analysis of the Transcendental Foundations of Political Power and Security," Proceedings of the Society of International Philosophers for the Prevention of Nuclear Omnicide, (April l986)

"A Given Security," Baptist Peacemaker, Vol. 4, No. 3 (July 1984): 6-8

 "There is No Sola Scriptura," The Christian Century (March 14, l984), pp. 280-282

Encyclopedia Articles

“Comparative Philosophy,” in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://www.utm.edu:80/research/iep/, James Fieser, General Editor; Jeffrey L. Richey, Area Editor for Eastern Philosophy, 2005. 

"Wang Bi王弼," in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://www.utm.edu:80/research/iep/, James Fieser, General Editor; Jeffrey L. Richey, Area Editor for Eastern Philosophy, 2005. 

"Needs and Wants," in Ethics: Revised Edition. R. Kent Rasmussen, General Editor.  John K. Roth, Area Editor.  Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2003.

"Reconciliation," in Ethics: Revised Edition. R. Kent Rasmussen, General Editor.  Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2003.

"Daoist Philosophy 道家," in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://www.utm.edu:80/research/iep/, James Fieser, General Editor; Jeffrey L. Richey, Area Editor for Eastern Philosophy. 

"Laozi 老子," in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://www.utm.edu:80/research/iep/, James Fieser, General Editor; Jeffrey L. Richey, Area Editor for Eastern Philosophy. 

 Book Reviews:

Text and Ritual in Early China, edited by Martin Kern in Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 6 (March 2007): 93-97.

Taoism: The Enduring Tradition, by Russell Kirkland in Education for Asia 10 (Winter 2005): 65-66.

Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, edited by Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. VanNorden and Classic Asian Philosophy: A Guide to the Essential Texts, by Joel J. Kupperman,.  A critical review article for Philosophy East and West, Lisa Raphals, Book Review Editor.

Cosmos and Community: The Ethical Dimension of Daoism, by Livia Kohn.  Reviewed for Daoist Studies, Louis Komjathy Book Review Editor. 

Korean Shamanism: The Cultural Paradox, by Chongho Kim..  Reviewed for Journal of Church and State. Vol. 47, Autumn 2005. Gary Hull, Book Review Editor.  

Confucius Analects with Selections from Traditional Commentaries, translated by Edward Slingerland and Confucius and the Analects:  New Essays, edited by Bryan Van Norden.  Reviewed for Philosophy East and West, 55: 1 (April 2005) Lisa Raphals, Book Review Editor.

Great Perfection: Religion and Ethnicity in a Chinese Millenial Kingdom, by Terry F. Kleeman,   Reviewed for Daoist Studies. Louis Komjathy, Book Review Editor.

The Victorian Translation of China: James Legge’s Oriental Pilgrimage, by Norman J. Girardot.  Reviewed for Journal of Church and State.  Vol. 47, Spring 2005.  Gary Hull, Book Review Editor.  

Realms of Freedom in Modern China, edited by William C. Kirby.  Reviewed for Journal of Chinese Political ScienceVol. 9, No. 1, Spring 2004.  Baogang Guo, Book Review Editor.  

Rationality and Religious Experience: The Continuing Relevance of the World's Spiritual Traditions, by Henry Rosemont, Jr..  A critical book review article for Philosophy East and West  54:3 (July 2004). Lisa Raphals, Book Review Editor.

Islam in Asia, edited by Jason F. Isaacson and Colin Rubenstein.  Reviewed for Journal of Church and State Vol. 46, Winter 2004.

Dialectic of the Chinese Revolution, by Jiwei Ci, Reviewed for Journal of Chinese Political Science.  Baogang Guo, Book Review Editor.  

The Jesus Sutras: Rediscovering the Lost Scrolls of Taoist Christianity, by Martin Palmer.  Reviewed for Journal of Church and State Vol. 45, Fall 2003

Daoism and Ecology: Ways within a Cosmic Landscape, edited by N.J. Girardot, James Miller, and Liu Xiaogan.  Reviewed for Daoist Studies.  Louis Komjathy, Book Review Editor.  Fall 2003.

The Democracy of the Dead: Dewey, Confucius, and the Hope for Democracy in China, by David L. Hall and Roger T. Ames.  Reviewed for Journal of Church and State Vol. 44, Spring 2003, No. 2

"Reason, Empathy and Japanese Religious Sentiment," reviewed for Japan Studies Association Journal (Fall 2002)

"The Jewish Factor in US-Japan Relations, reviewed for Japan Studies Association Journal (Spring 2001)

"Missionary Versus Atheist: James Curtis Hepburn and Edward Sylvester Morse as Foreign Technical Experts in Meiji Japan," reviewed for Japan Studies Association Journal (Spring 2000)

"Mahikari Beyond Japan," reviewed for Japan Studies Association Journal (Winter 1999)

 The Confucian Tradition, the Annenberg/CPB Collection reviewed for Education about Asia (Fall 1998)

"Thrift Stores, Bell-Bottoms, and Spam: Pop Culture, Camp, and Ethics," reviewed for Journal of Social Philosophy (November 4, 1997)

Bigotry, Prejudice and Hatred, edited by Robert M. Baird reviewed for The Journal of Church and State (Winter 1993)

 Cases in Bioethics: Selections from the Hastings Center Report, reviewed for St. Martin's Press, April-May 1991.

The Study of Philosophy, reviewed for Collegiate Press, Alta Loma, California, March-May, 1990

 Stalking the Ripper with Reason: An Exercise to the Best Explanation reviewed for St. Martin's Press, September, 1990

 Treasure Haunt: An Exercise in Plausibility Theory, reviewed for St. Martin's Press, November, 1990.

Strength for the Journey by Jerry Falwell reviewed for The Christian Century (April 20, l988)

Dialectical Theology: In Search of Deity by John Macquarrie for Minister's Personal Library Journal (October l985)

God as the Mystery of the World by Eberhard Jungel reviewed for Minister's Personal Library Journal (January l984)

VI. Papers and Presentations

 

"What an Emerging Confucian Political Philosophy Might Look Like," Southwest Conference of Asian Studies, Huntsville, Texas, October 3-5, 2008.

 

“Confucius as Student and Teacher in the Zhuangzi,” National Conference of ASIANetwork, San Antonio, Texas, March 13-16, 2008

 

Panel Chair, “Polishing the Chinese Mirror: Henry Rosemont, Jr. as Scholar-Teacher,” National Conference of ASIANetwork, San Antonio, Texas, March 13-16, 2008

 

“Arts and Practices of the Daoist Masters of the Zhuangzi,” 14th National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program, Chicago, Illinois, March 6-9, 2008.

 

“Aesthetics and Message in Zhang Yimou’s ‘Hero’ (Ying Xiong 英雄), “Off-the-Wall” Community Film Series, Frist Center for Visual Arts, Nashville, Tennessee, August 24, 2007.

 

“Becoming Uncarved Wood: Daoist Themes in the Roy and Marilyn Papp Collection,” Frist Center for Visual Arts, Nashville, Tennessee, July 12, 2007.

 

“The Perfected Person (Zhenren真人) in Classical Daoist Texts,” on the panel of New Works in the Field: Sacred Words-A Sourcebook on the Great Religions of the World presented at the National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program in Seattle, Washington, March 8-10, 2007.

 

“Classical Origins of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence,” 2006 East West Center Association International Conference, Hanoi, Vietnam, Dec. 5-10, 2006.

 

 “Kongzi on Religious Experience,” invited paper presented in the panel on Confucian Theology for the Comparative Theology Section of the American Academy of Religion, Washington, D.C., Nov. 18-21, 2006.

 

“Are there Ritual Formulas in the Daodejing,” invited paper for the Daoist Studies Consultation of the American Academy of Religion, Washington, D.C., Nov. 18-21, 2006.

 

“Opening Heaven’s Gate: Contemporary Daoist Ritual Practice in Southern China,” presented at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, March 27, 2006.

 

“Better Stand Back, I Told you It’s Not Dead Yet! The Transcreation of the Daodejing  presented at the 13th National Conference of the Asian Studies Development Program in Nashville, Tennessee, March 16-19, 2006.

 

"Kongzi 孔子 in the Zhuangzi 莊子,” presented at the 45th  Annual Meeting of Southeastern Regional Association for Asian Studies at Armstrong Atlantic University, Atlanta, Georgia, January 20-22, 2006.

 

 Men Behind the Sun: Portraying Japanese Atrocities in China ,” Presented at the Mid-Atlantic Popular Culture Association, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, November 4-6, 2005. 

 

“Did Kongzi Teach Us How to Become Gods?,” presented at the National Meeting of the Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy, at the Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California, October 20-23, 2005.

 

“Contemporary American Intellectual and Cultural Challenges,” a three-week workshop delivered to the Advanced Studies in American Culture class of Provincial government administrators of Henan Province at Zhengzhou University in June-July 2005 at the invitation of Wang Shengli, Vice Dean, the School of Foreign Languages, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PRC.  

 

“ASIANetwork and ASDP Make Their Introductions”  Invited plenary panel presentation along with Van J. Symons, Augustana College and Executive Director of ASIANetwork and Betty Buck, Univ. of Hawai’i at Manoa and Co-Director, Asian Studies Development Program of the East-West Center, the 2005 National ASIANetwork/ASDP Conference, Whittier, California, April 21-24, 2005.

 

“The Daogu 道姑 of The Peony Pavilion,” presented at the 2005 National ASIANetwork/ASDP Conference, Whittier, California, April 21-24, 2005.

 "The Implications of the Origins of the Daodejing  for Philosophy," Keynote Address, The State University of New York (SUNY)  Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, Oneonta, New York, April 16, 2005. 

 

"Who are the Daoshi?” presented at The State University of New York (SUNY) Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, Oneonta, New York, April 14, 2005. 

 

“Opening Heaven’s Gate 天門: The Daoist Manual of Inner Alchemy,”  Keynote Address, The Yoga and Meditation Society for the Scientific Study of Spirituality,  Sponsored by  Metanexus and The State University of New York,  Oneonta, New York, April 13, 2005.

 

“Teasing Out A Comparative Methodology: James Legge’s Institutionalization of Authoritative Discourse about China,” presented at Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, Sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Research Institute of Peking University and the East-West Council for Education, Honolulu, Hawaii,  January 13-16, 2005.

 

 “Daoist Teachings in the Laozi Logia of the Zhuangzi,” presented at the national meeting of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, at the Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California,  June 20-23, 2004.

 

“Teaching Classical Chinese Philosophy” for the National Consortium on Teaching about Asia Summer Workshop for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee,  June  7, 2004.

 

“Applying Effortless Action: Wu-wei無為 in the Laozi Logia of the Zhuangzi 莊子,” presented at The American Philosophical Association, Central Division, Chicago, Illinois, April  22-25, 2004.  

 

"Sages who are Good at Saving the People: the Authority of Contemporary Daoshi in Southern China,” presented at the national meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program in Kansas City, Missouri, April 15-17, 2004.

 

“Current Practices in Chinese Daoism,” presented at the Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas, April 15, 2004.

 

Cognitive Preconditions for Moral Agency: A Wittgensteinian Description’ Invited Lecture in Humanities Series at Lingnan University, Hong Kong, March 18-24, 2004.

 

Wittgenstein on ‘The Will,’ and ‘Willing”: Implications for Interpreting the Notion of Wu-wei 無為” presented at The American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division, Washington, D.C., December 27-31, 2003

 

 “On the Ritual Origin of Daodejing Logia,” presented at the Southeastern Early China Roundtable, Berea College, October 31-November 2, 2003.

"Laozi in the Zhuangzi," presented at Midwest Conference of Asian Affairs, 52 Annual Meeting, Illinois State University, October 10-12, 2003.

"Understanding Confucianism in Modern China," Section Chair,  Midwest Conference of Asian Affairs, 52 Annual Meeting, Illinois State University, October 10-12, 2003.

"Sages who are Good at Saving the People: the Authority of Contemporary Daoshi in Southern China," presented in the Conference on Cultures of Authority in Asian Practice,  East-West Center, September 2-6, 2002, Roger T. Ames and Peter Hershock, moderators.

"The Daodejing as a Ritual Text: Implications for Philosophical Interpretation," presented at Daoism and the Contemporary World: An International Conference on Daoist Studies at Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, June 5-7, 2003.   Sponsors: Boston University Department of Religion and Fairbank Center for East Asian Research (Harvard University)

"'It's Not That Ghosts Really Lose Their Numinous Qualities:' Rosemont on Religious Experience," invited paper presented at the International Conference of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, at the Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California, May 27-30, 2003.

"The Giant Forge and the Great Ironsmith: Revisiting the Implications of the Wu Xing五行Physics of the Zhongyong 中庸,," presented at the David Hall Memorial Conference, Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, May 23-25, 2003

"The Jesus Sutras: Recovering the Lost Scrolls of Daoist Christianity," presented at the 14th International Conference on Teaching and Learning, April 1-5, 2003,  Jacksonville, Florida.

"Interpreting the Lost Scrolls of Daoist Christianity," presented at National Meeting of Asian Studies Program, Phoenix, Arizona, March 6-9, 2003.

"The World is a Spiritual Vessel (shen qi  神器 )A Comparison of Two Theories of Moral Education," presented at 42nd Annual Meeting of Southeastern Regional Association for Asian Studies at Armstrong Atlantic University, Atlanta, Georgia, January 17-19, 2003

"Applying Just War Theory to the Doctrines of Anticipatory Self-Defense and Preemptive Strike," presented in Belmont University Convocation Series,  The United States and Iraq: Teach In, sponsored by the Departments of History and Political Science, Nashville, Tennessee, November 15, 2002.

"Notes on the Transmission of a Daoist Moral Culture," presented at 31st Annual Meeting of Southwest Conference on Asian Studies, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, October 18-19, 2002.

"Bei Dou 北斗 The Daoist Ritual to the Big Dipper: A Study of Moral Philosophy in China," presented in the Belmont University Asian Studies Convocation Series, Leu Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, Tennessee, September 13, 2002.

"The Concept and Practice of Philosophical Field-Research," presented at the Annual Meeting of ASIANetwork, Hickory Ridge Conference Center, Lisle, Illinois, April 18-21, 2002.

"Do You Know You Are a Criminal?  Moral Quantification and Prioritization in a Daoist Moral Culture," presented at the Annual Meeting of ASIANetwork, Hickory Ridge Conference Center, Lisle, Illinois, April 18-21, 2002.

"'My Name is Mountain': Daoist Moral Teachings on the Environment, presented at national meeting of Asian Studies Development Program, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, Georgia,   March 14-16, 2002.

"Notes on Comparing the Zhongyong中庸 and Process Philosophy," presented at national meeting of Asian Studies Development Program, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta,  March 14-16, 2002.

"Taishan's Kingdom of Moral Order," presented at the Southwest Commission of Religious Studies of the American Academy of Religion, Dallas, Texas, March 9-10, 2002.

"The Bureaucracy of Hell: Moral Prioritization and Quantification in Chinese Tradition," presented at the 41st Southeastern Regional Association for Asian Studies, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, January 18-20, 2002.

"MacIntyre on the Moral Self,"  33rd Annual Meeting, Tennessee Philosophical Association, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, November 3, 2001.

"Do Nonhuman Animals Feel Pain? The Role of Consciousness," 33rd Annual Meeting, Tennessee Philosophical Association, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, November 3, 2001.

"Quantification and Prioritization in Daoist Moral Culture," presented at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Association for Asian Studies, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, October 26-28, 2001.

"Strategies for Developing the Small Asian Studies Program," presented at the Annual Meeting of ASIANetwork, Cleveland, Ohio, April 20-22, 2001,.

"Comparative Images of the Moral Person: Saints and Shengren聖人," presented at the  national conference of the Asian Studies Development Program: Contemporary Issues, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, March 21-22, 2001,.

"Implications for Moral Life of the Concept of Ming in the Mencius 孟子," presented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Regional Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, January 12-14, 2001.

"Incorporating Asian Studies Across Disciplines," presented at the Faculty Winter Teaching Workshop Series, Belmont University Teaching Center, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, January 9, 2001.

"Can Rotten Wood Be Carved? Implications of Intellectual Self-Regulation in the Analects," presented at the 4th International Research Conference in Asian and Comparative Philosophy, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, September 28-October 1, 2000.

"Identifying Preconceptions and Misconceptions When Introducing Chinese Philosophy and Religion into the Classroom," invited panelist at the 4th International Research Conference in Asian and Comparative Philosophy, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, September 28-October 1, 2000.

"Can Rotten Wood Be Carved? Implications of Intellectual Self-Regulation in the Analects," presented at the national meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Honolulu, Hawaii, July 2-4, 2000.

"The Japanese Moral Culture as Context for the General Ethics Survey," presented at the Sixth Annual Conference, Japan Studies Association, Tokai University, Honolulu, Hawaii, January 6-8, 2000.

"Leading Our Students Down New Paths," Faculty Summer Teaching Workshop Series, Belmont University Teaching Center, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, August 17, 1999

"Go East," Faculty Summer Teaching Workshop Series, Belmont University Teaching Center, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, August 17, 1999

"The Role of Asian Studies in Cultivating Humanity," presented at the national meeting of the Asian Studies Development Program, Middlesex College, Lowell, Massachusetts, March 11, 1999

"Transmission of the Chinese Moral Culture: Morality and Ledger Books in the World of Moral Self-Regulation," presented at the Southeast Conference of the Association of Asian Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, January 15-17, 1999.

"Comparative Moral Grammars: Studying Japanese Moral Culture," presented at  The Transformation of Japan in the 21st Century: Encompassing All Aspects of Human Life, Center for Japan Studies, Teikyo Loretto Heights University, Denver, Colorado, October 3, 1998.

"Using Problem Based Learning in the Classroom", Faculty Summer Teaching Workshop Series, Belmont University Teaching Center, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee August 18, 1998.

"Strategies for Introducing the Study of Global Moral Cultures," presented at The Ninth International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Jacksonville, Florida, April 17, 1998. 

"Humanities Teaching with Technology,"  presented at   The  Ninth International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Jacksonville, Florida, April 17, 1998.

"Decentered Classrooms: The WWW and Problem-Based Learning in Introductory Philosophy," presented at the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy, Boston, Massachusetts, August 11, 1998

"Teaching Islam in the Core Curriculum of Tennessee Public Education," Workshop for the Metro Nashville Public School System, April 2, 1998.

"Evidence for Mental State Attribution and Its Relevance to the Moral Life of Nonhuman Animals," Panel discussion, Yerkes Primate Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Geogia, February 17, 1998.

Section Chair, "Religion, Healing and Islamic Science," Third International Research Conference in Asian and Comparative Philosophy, East-West Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, January 8, 1998.

"Uses of the WWW and Other Instructional Technologies in the Classroom," presented at 17th Annual Lilly Conference on College Teaching, November 22, 1997, Miami, Ohio.

"Is There a Language? Is There Language? Are There Languages?" presented at the Tennessee Philosophical Association, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee,