New Materialism, Buddhism, and the question of reflexivity
Key information
- Date
- Time
-
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
- Venue
- Senate House, SOAS
- Room
- SALT
- Event type
- Lecture
About this event
This talk explores how Buddhist concepts of dependent arising, not-self, and emptiness intersect with contemporary Western philosophies of process, interdependence, and relationality.
Wendi Adamek introduces the concept of 'copoiesis; to examine how identities emerge through dynamic, relational processes rather than fixed foundations.
Focusing on the ambiguity between subject and object, the discussion considers how attention and perception shape experience, with implications for ethics and everyday practice. The talk also engages critically with recent theoretical approaches, including New Materialism, highlighting key differences in how interdependence and reflexivity are understood.
Join us for this fresh perspective on how Buddhist thought can contribute to contemporary debates about identity, knowledge, and relational existence.
Attending the event
This event is free, open to the public, and held in person only.
Sponsor and organiser
The Buddhist Forum series is kindly sponsored by the Khyentse Foundation. It has been organised by the SOAS Centre of Buddhist Studies.
About the speaker
Wendi L. Adamek is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary and Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies. Her research focuses on medieval Chinese Buddhism and modern philosophy. Her latest book, Practicescapes and the Buddhists of Baoshan (2021), explores a 6th to 7th-century community in Henan. Earlier works include The Mystique of Transmission (2008) and The Teachings of Master Wuzhu (2011). She earned her degrees at Stanford University and has held fellowships at Kyoto University, Peking University, and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
