‘Learning to Laugh with Zhuangzi’

The Titus-Hepp Lecture Series welcomes Cheryl Cottine presenting “Learning to Laugh with Zhuangzi.” This talk explores the relationship between textual authority and the use of humor in the Zhuangzi, an ancient Chinese collection of anecdotes and fables. Unlike other philosophical texts of the time, the Zhuangzi does not advance any direct argument about the good or moral life designed to win the allegiance of the reader. Rather, Zhuangzi indirectly and often humorously guides the reader toward his vision of the good and free life. Cottine asserts that this difference in writing style results partially from their very different perceptions of obedience and authority. Cottine is an assistant professor of religion at Oberlin College. She works in the area of comparative religious ethics with an emphasis on early Confucian ethics. She is interested in thinking about the relevance of early Confucian conceptions of roles, relationships, and virtues for contemporary moral and political philosophy.