Tsinghua University – University of Amsterdam Joint Research Centre for Logic

Keynote Speech

Title: Towards a Logical Typology of Philosophical Speech Genres

Speaker: Christoph Harbsmeier

Abstract:

  • Philosophy is literature. We need a systematic taxonomy of literary genres in philosophical discourse.
  • This lecture aims to explore systematically what kinds of things are going on when one is doing philosophy and writing philosophical literature.
  • The contrasting analysis of the repertoirs of discourse genres in ancient European and Chinese philosophy will highlight some basic contrasts between ancient Chinese and ancient European philosophy.
  • Discourse genres discussed will include Exemplum, Fable, Allegory, Parable, Simile, Aphorism, Apophthegm, Satire, Parody, Joke, Parenthesis, Quotation, Citation, Imputation, Argumentations, Proof and many more.