On Sep. 27th, Professor Dimitris Vardoulakis from the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University, Australia, gave a lecture on “Authority and Utility in Spinoza From Epicureanism to Neoliberalism” in room B214 in the School of Philosophy, Zhenhua Building.
Prof. Vardoulakis first thanked the warm welcome by the students and faculty members from School of Philosophy. He started his lecture by giving the main idea that Spinoza is in fact an Epicurean, which in his research, characterized themselves by their discussion about the concept of authority, Monism and Utility. According to his research, these three elements are also some of the iconic elements discussed in Spinoza’s works.
He followed by giving a historical review about the Epicureanism from the Greeks, utilitarian and modern Naturalists. He pointed out these historical standpoints were the framework for us to understand Epicureanism.
And to demonstrate the connection between Spinoza and Epicureanism, he focused on the dialectic relation between authority and utility discussed by Spinoza, which is the evidence of the influence of Epicureanism. And finally, he finished the lecture by presenting his own view about the principle of Utility in our neoliberal age.
After the lecture, Prof. Vardoulakis also took part in the meeting of study abroad program between Wuhan University and Western Sydney University. This program included exchange program, chance of engaging 1 year or 2 years MA degree program in Western Sydney University and the double-PHD program between the two universities.
On Sep. 28, Prof. Vardoulakis continued his discussion about the details of the program with the faculty members from the School of Philosophy. He was very delighted to set up further collaboration between Wuhan University and Western Sydney University.
