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Papers by Massimiliano Lacertosa

Rivista di Estetica, 2022

Philosophy Compass, 2022

In this essay I explore the controversial issue of sense perception in the Zhuangzi 莊子. Although ... more In this essay I explore the controversial issue of sense perception in the Zhuangzi 莊子. Although scholars have not explicitly addressed this aspect of the Chinese text, a common assumption is that the Zhuangzi proposes a mysticism that undermines sense perception in favour of a transcendent self. After an overview of this interpretation, and after analysing some key passages of the text that deal with heart fasting (xinzhai 心齋), sitting and forgetting (zuowang 坐忘) and skill mastery, I demonstrate that some interpreters of the Zhuangzi read the text as if it has a metaphysical bent, recommending that sense perception be transcended as a prerequisite to perfection. In contrast, my thesis is that the text does not propose a withdrawal from the senses and from the world, but rather warns about the danger of abiding to doctrinal knowledge, which has the consequence of a person losing their responsive awareness. Indeed, in the Zhuangzi, sense perception is not an impediment on the way to a supersensible reality, but an integral part of one’s own being in the world.
Through my analysis, I object to the idea that the Zhuangzi proposes a mystical union with something not immediately available, which moreover needs to be achieved by transcending the lived world that is encountered through sense perception. My view is that such a move not only postulates union with a transcendent entity, it also forces a dualism between a person’s capacities. This is problematic because the Zhuangzi does not point to another world – in a two worlds theory – where one must ideally attain the condition of a transcendent self. On the contrary, in rejecting a univocal ethos, the text suggests one should keep responding to changing circumstances without turning one’s perceptual awareness into entrenched habits. Thus, the Zhuangzi shows how sense perception should be seen, not as a “problem” but as an ethical possibility through which the univocity of doctrinal knowledge can be undermined.

Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, 2019

This essay analyses the second chapter of the Zhuangzi 莊子, the “Qiwulun 齊物 論.” After a brief exam... more This essay analyses the second chapter of the Zhuangzi 莊子, the “Qiwulun 齊物 論.” After a brief examination of its main ideas, it will be argued that the “Qiwulun” needs to be considered not as an equalization that makes everything indistinguishable but as a discourse on corresponding things. A more attentive analysis of this correspondence among the myriad things will lead to the consideration of their mutual transformation. The conclusion is that, contrary to the ontotheological nature of Western metaphysics that imposes a single logic for its hierarchical structure Being-beings, the correspondence of myriad things allows the differentiation and assimilation of values in a comprehensive and harmonious fashion. Thus, the essay offers an ethical reading of the “Qiwulun” and considers its significance in the contemporary world.

Ancient and Modern Practices of Citizenship in Asia and the West. Care of the Self. Volume I, 2018

Asian Philosophy, 2017

This paper reflects on the problems of cross-cultural interpretations and translations analysing ... more This paper reflects on the problems of cross-cultural interpretations and translations analysing how these are rooted in theories and philosophical assumptions. Inquiring the concept of philosophy per se, the paper discusses key passages of Heidegger and the related problem of 有 (you) and 無 (wu). The conclusion is that to translate such terms, it is necessary to revise the coercive onto-theological assumptions of metaphysics. This can trigger a process of re-grounding grounds with the consequent possibility of language transformation, which, in turn, activates new relations between cultural diversities. Thus, philosophy itself becomes an eminently comparative dialogue between cultures. Without setting a single method for all these problems, the paper argues that comparisons themselves call for necessarily different methodological approaches. Hence, whilst Daoism helps to illuminate these issues defining one of the possibilities that a philosophy of comparisons entails, this same reasoning opens a way for another reading of the Daodejing.

In this paper, two of the most well known theories of art in Analytic philosophy, The Artworld a... more In this paper, two of the most well known theories of art in Analytic philosophy, The Artworld and The Institutional Theory of Art, are compared. Both of them aim to analyse the complex context of contemporary art in Western culture. Despite some apparent similarities and the fact that they are often used synonymously, the two theories have different meanings. It is argued that, although to a different extent, the two theories are incomplete and they do not offer a satisfying definition of art. In order to demonstrate this thesis statement, firstly the two concepts of art are analysed, showing, consequently, how they diverge from each other and, finally, it is explained why they fail to meet their premises. The confrontation between the two theories is mainly focused on the considerations made by the authors as to their own definitions of art and on the criticisms each theorist addresses to the other. This is functional to demonstrate how the two theories can be seen as similar and, consequentially, how the authors deploy a great deal of effort to distinguish themselves from each other. The conclusion expresses a different way to consider the relation between Analytic and Continental philosophy; specifically, it proposes the possibility to formulate a new concept of art theory as a complementary unity of both approaches.

Books by Massimiliano Lacertosa

Talks by Massimiliano Lacertosa

Chinese Philosophy Seminar Series, Programme 2022-23, Department of Philosophy, University of W... more Chinese Philosophy Seminar Series, Programme 2022-23, Department of Philosophy,
University of Warwick

Rivista di Estetica, 2022

Philosophy Compass, 2022

In this essay I explore the controversial issue of sense perception in the Zhuangzi 莊子. Although ... more In this essay I explore the controversial issue of sense perception in the Zhuangzi 莊子. Although scholars have not explicitly addressed this aspect of the Chinese text, a common assumption is that the Zhuangzi proposes a mysticism that undermines sense perception in favour of a transcendent self. After an overview of this interpretation, and after analysing some key passages of the text that deal with heart fasting (xinzhai 心齋), sitting and forgetting (zuowang 坐忘) and skill mastery, I demonstrate that some interpreters of the Zhuangzi read the text as if it has a metaphysical bent, recommending that sense perception be transcended as a prerequisite to perfection. In contrast, my thesis is that the text does not propose a withdrawal from the senses and from the world, but rather warns about the danger of abiding to doctrinal knowledge, which has the consequence of a person losing their responsive awareness. Indeed, in the Zhuangzi, sense perception is not an impediment on the way to a supersensible reality, but an integral part of one’s own being in the world.
Through my analysis, I object to the idea that the Zhuangzi proposes a mystical union with something not immediately available, which moreover needs to be achieved by transcending the lived world that is encountered through sense perception. My view is that such a move not only postulates union with a transcendent entity, it also forces a dualism between a person’s capacities. This is problematic because the Zhuangzi does not point to another world – in a two worlds theory – where one must ideally attain the condition of a transcendent self. On the contrary, in rejecting a univocal ethos, the text suggests one should keep responding to changing circumstances without turning one’s perceptual awareness into entrenched habits. Thus, the Zhuangzi shows how sense perception should be seen, not as a “problem” but as an ethical possibility through which the univocity of doctrinal knowledge can be undermined.

Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, 2019

This essay analyses the second chapter of the Zhuangzi 莊子, the “Qiwulun 齊物 論.” After a brief exam... more This essay analyses the second chapter of the Zhuangzi 莊子, the “Qiwulun 齊物 論.” After a brief examination of its main ideas, it will be argued that the “Qiwulun” needs to be considered not as an equalization that makes everything indistinguishable but as a discourse on corresponding things. A more attentive analysis of this correspondence among the myriad things will lead to the consideration of their mutual transformation. The conclusion is that, contrary to the ontotheological nature of Western metaphysics that imposes a single logic for its hierarchical structure Being-beings, the correspondence of myriad things allows the differentiation and assimilation of values in a comprehensive and harmonious fashion. Thus, the essay offers an ethical reading of the “Qiwulun” and considers its significance in the contemporary world.

Ancient and Modern Practices of Citizenship in Asia and the West. Care of the Self. Volume I, 2018

Asian Philosophy, 2017

This paper reflects on the problems of cross-cultural interpretations and translations analysing ... more This paper reflects on the problems of cross-cultural interpretations and translations analysing how these are rooted in theories and philosophical assumptions. Inquiring the concept of philosophy per se, the paper discusses key passages of Heidegger and the related problem of 有 (you) and 無 (wu). The conclusion is that to translate such terms, it is necessary to revise the coercive onto-theological assumptions of metaphysics. This can trigger a process of re-grounding grounds with the consequent possibility of language transformation, which, in turn, activates new relations between cultural diversities. Thus, philosophy itself becomes an eminently comparative dialogue between cultures. Without setting a single method for all these problems, the paper argues that comparisons themselves call for necessarily different methodological approaches. Hence, whilst Daoism helps to illuminate these issues defining one of the possibilities that a philosophy of comparisons entails, this same reasoning opens a way for another reading of the Daodejing.

In this paper, two of the most well known theories of art in Analytic philosophy, The Artworld a... more In this paper, two of the most well known theories of art in Analytic philosophy, The Artworld and The Institutional Theory of Art, are compared. Both of them aim to analyse the complex context of contemporary art in Western culture. Despite some apparent similarities and the fact that they are often used synonymously, the two theories have different meanings. It is argued that, although to a different extent, the two theories are incomplete and they do not offer a satisfying definition of art. In order to demonstrate this thesis statement, firstly the two concepts of art are analysed, showing, consequently, how they diverge from each other and, finally, it is explained why they fail to meet their premises. The confrontation between the two theories is mainly focused on the considerations made by the authors as to their own definitions of art and on the criticisms each theorist addresses to the other. This is functional to demonstrate how the two theories can be seen as similar and, consequentially, how the authors deploy a great deal of effort to distinguish themselves from each other. The conclusion expresses a different way to consider the relation between Analytic and Continental philosophy; specifically, it proposes the possibility to formulate a new concept of art theory as a complementary unity of both approaches.

Chinese Philosophy Seminar Series, Programme 2022-23, Department of Philosophy, University of W... more Chinese Philosophy Seminar Series, Programme 2022-23, Department of Philosophy,
University of Warwick