I gave a talk (on Zoom) on April 8, 2021 as part of a Living Philosophically series for my academic department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Check out the video below, which includes the discussion after the talk as well. More information, including the abstract for the talk, can be found after that.
We welcome you to two events for Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Humanities-Liberal Arts alumni, students, and friends this semester. Each event will be a short discussion of an idea that encourages us to live critically and thoughtfully. Our first event with Dr. Talia Welsh on March 11 was a great success. Our next talk is:
Thursday, April 8th, 7pm-8pm
Dr. Ethan Mills—Think for yourself, Forget your Self: Ancient Buddhist advice for modern uncertainties
What can ancient Buddhist texts teach us about living through a pandemic in a time of social and political upheaval? We’ll consider the Buddha’s advice to the Kālāma people who were confused by the conflicting messages of various teachers. Somewhat surprisingly for a text of religious authority, the Buddha tells them not to trust religious authorities, not even him! He also considers the benefits of living a good life whether there’s an afterlife or not. But what should we think about? We’ll turn to some of the Buddha’s (in)famous arguments against the Self and his contention that clinging to the concept of Self is the root of suffering. Today we are digitally assailed by conspiracy theories, religious leaders, political pundits, etc. in a way that would make the Kālāmas’ heads spin! Is the Buddha’s advice still good? Does prioritizing self over others contribute to contemporary issues from the politicization of wearing masks during a pandemic to the resurgence of white nationalism?
Optional Reading: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an03/an03.065.than.html
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