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Tim Connolly, Ph.D., professor and co-chair of the modern languages, philosophy, and religion at East Stroudsburg University, was recently invited to give a lecture at the Columbia Society for Comparative Philosophy. Taking place in the department of religion at Columbia University on March 29, 2019, Dr. Connolly’s lecture on “Confucian Approaches to Intergenerational Ethics” discussed how Chinese philosophical traditions deal with issues involving the relationships between past, present, and future generations.

Intergenerational ethics includes a wide number of important contemporary issues, such as care for the elderly, reparations for past injustice, and issues such as climate change that will affect the prospects of future generations. Because of its large population and burgeoning economy, China has an important role to play in many of these issues, said Connolly. “I chose to focus on the Confucian tradition in particular,” he stated, “because it sees our relationships with our family members as the basis of our relationships with the wider community. If we think of issues such as climate change as affecting our own extended families, all of a sudden they become much less abstract.”

The university seminars at Columbia University, founded in 1944, are intended to bring together Columbia faculty and experts from the region to discuss topics that involve multiple areas of study. Connolly, whose research deals with Chinese and comparative philosophy, has presented at the seminar once before, in November 2014. The feedback he received at that presentation inspired the writing of his forthcoming book, Foundations of Confucian Ethics (Rowman and Littlefield, 2019). “For any scholarly work, and philosophy especially,” says Connolly, “You have to seek out feedback and criticism to make your ideas stronger. I’m grateful for forums like the Columbia seminar for providing me with this opportunity.” He hopes to use the material developed for this presentation as the basis of a new book project.

Connolly often shares his research and findings with students currently enrolled in his classes at ESU, bringing the impact philosophy has on solving societal problems. To learn more about modern languages, philosophy, and religion at ESU, contact Dr. Connolly at 570-422-3460 or email tconnolly@esu.edu.