BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Faculty of Arts and Humanities | University of Macau - ECPv5.15.0.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Faculty of Arts and Humanities | University of Macau
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://fah.um.edu.mo
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Faculty of Arts and Humanities | University of Macau
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:UTC
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20260101T000000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260114T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260114T190000
DTSTAMP:20260509T193815
CREATED:20260112T081659Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260112T081659Z
UID:1226122-1768411800-1768417200@fah.um.edu.mo
SUMMARY:FAH/DPHIL Lecture Series – "A Zhuangzian Critique of Epistemic Authority" by Dr. Manuel Rivera Espinoza\, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile\, Chile
DESCRIPTION:Microsoft Teams: https://go.um.edu.mo/7mnk1eav \n  \nAbstract \nThis article examines how the Zhuangzi systematically subverts the epistemic hierarchies of its time by inverting the values traditionally associated with “wisdom” and “ignorance.” I propose the concept of “the unmaking of wisdom/knowledge (zhi 知)” to describe a recurrent dynamic in the text: the supposed wisdom of nobles\, courtiers\, and specialists—figures tied to political authority and scholarly prestige—is portrayed as a form of ignorance\, self-deception\, or rigid fixation\, whereas the apparent ignorance of commoners\, artisans\, and other marginalized figures comes to be seen as type of wisdom/knowledge. Through close readings of a range of episodes—encounters between rulers and commoners\, officials and artisans\, etc.—I show how the Zhuangzi dismantles conventional criteria of epistemic authority by dramatizing the practical and existential failures of “official sages\,” in contrast to the efficacy\, spontaneity\, and freedom of those who make no claim to authoritative knowledge. Rather than advancing a new positive doctrine of knowledge\, the text cultivates modes of not-knowing\, conceptual detachment\, and openness to contingency. In this sense\, “not-knowing” does not denote a simple lack of information but names a critical disposition that resists codified knowledge and makes room for relational\, situated\, and embodied forms of understanding. \n  \nBio \nManuel Rivera Espinoza is a FONDECYT Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Aesthetics of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Previously\, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Koselleck-Project “Histories of Philosophy in a Global Perspective” at the Institute of Philosophy at Hildesheim University. An expert in intercultural and comparative philosophy\, intellectual history\, and decolonial theory\, with a particular focus on ancient Chinese thought\, Manuel holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Macau (China). He has published articles and book reviews in various journals and has presented his research at numerous international conferences and workshops. Fluent in Spanish and English\, with a working knowledge of classical Chinese\, he is also an active member of several academic associations related to Chinese and Asian studies.
URL:https://fah.um.edu.mo/event/fah-dphil-lecture-series-a-zhuangzian-critique-of-epistemic-authority-by-dr-manuel-rivera-espinoza-pontifical-catholic-university-of-chile-chile/
LOCATION:E21A-3118
CATEGORIES:Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fah.um.edu.mo/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/poster-manuel-rivera-espinoza.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Department%20of%20Philosophy%20and%20Religious%20Studies":MAILTO:maggiewong@um.edu.mo
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR