A Critique of Critical Thinking

A Critique of Critical Thinking

Speaker:

Professor Daniel A. Bell

Chair of Political Theory

Faculty of Law, HKU

Chair:

Professor Jeremy Rappleye

Director of Comparative Education Research Centre

Faculty of Education, HKU

Date: March 21, 2025 (Friday)

Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Venue: Room 206, 2/F, Runme Shaw Building, HKU [Map] / Online via Zoom

Language: English

Registration: https://forms.gle/1VrXmDoiVp4W3yiK8

(Please note that the seminar will be held in hybrid mode. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

In this dialogue between Mr. Kong (played by Daniel Bell) and Mr. Hu (played by Jeremy Rappleye), Kong will criticize the modern day emphasis on critical thinking in education, drawing on passages from the Analects of Confucius. Hu will reply with objections inspired by liberal thinking.

About the Speaker

Daniel A. Bell (貝淡寧) is Professor, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University (Qingdao) from 2017 to 2022.

His books include The Dean of Shandong (2023), Just Hierarchy (co-authored with Wang Pei, 2020), The China Model (2015), The Spirit of Cities (co-authored with Avner de-Shalit, 2012), China’s New Confucianism (2008), Beyond Liberal Democracy (2007), and East Meets West (2000), all published by Princeton University Press.

All are welcome!