Curriculum Vitae of David B. Wong

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Curriculum Vitae

David B. Wong

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Duke Box 90743, Durham, NC 27708-0743

(email)

Education

Ph.D.	Princeton University	1977
B.A.	Macalester College	1971

Areas of Interest: Ethical Theory,
Moral Psychology,
Comparative Ethics,
Chinese Philosophy

Professional Experience / Employment History

Duke University: Susan Fox Beischer and George D. Beischer Professor of Philosophy, July 01, 2007 - present; Professor, September, 2000 - present

Brandeis University: Harry Austryn Wolfson Professor of Philosophy, 1993 - 2000; Full Professor, 1991 - 2000; Associate Professor, 1983 - 1991; Chair, Department of Philosophy, 1983 - 1990, 1993-1996; Assistant Professor, 1977 - 1983; Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, 1976 - 1977

Visiting Positions: John M. Findlay Visiting Professor of Philosophy, Boston University, Fall, 1999; Professor, Wellesley College, 1992, Spring 1999

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions: Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring, Duke University Graduate School, March 25, 2020
Best Essay for 2015 in Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, Dao: A Journal of Comparative
Berggruen Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Fall
Fellow, Berggruen Institute of Philosophy and Culture, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences
Fellow, National Humanities Center, 2007-8
Susan Fox Beischer and George D. Beischer Professor of Philosophy, July, 2007
Fellow, National Humanities Center
Harry Austryn Wolfson Professorship in Philosophy, Brandeis University, 1993 - 2000
Fellowships for College Teachers and Independent Scholars, National Endowment for the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for College Teachers, 1992 - 1993
Chancellor's Distinguished Lecturer, University of California at Irvine
ACLS Fellows (ACLS/SSRC/NEH International and Area Studies Fellowships and ACLS/New York Public Library Fellowships), American Council of Learned Societies
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, 1986 - 1987
NDEA (National Defense Education Act) Fellowship, 1971-1974
Phi Beta Kappa

Conferences Organized: Advisory editor for the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, Advisory editor for the Journal of the American Philosophical Association. April 01, 2014, April 01, 2014 - present; Wrote evaluation letters for two tenure cases and 1 promotion to full professor case, January 2014; Adviser to program committee of Eastern Division, APA, Adviser to program committee of Eastern Division, APA. 2010 - 2013, 2010 - spring 2013; Served as an external examiner for Masters thesis "Li: an Interpretation" by Colin Lewis, Hong Kong University, Served as an external examiner for Masters thesis "Li: an Interpretation" by Colin Lewis, Hong Kong University. April 27, 2012, April 2012; Visiting Committee to the Philosophy Department of the National University of Singapore, Visiting Committee to the Philosophy Department of the National University of Singapore. August, 2011, August, 2011; External reader on PhD dissertation in Philosophy, University of Toronto, External reader on PhD dissertation in Philosophy, University of Toronto. June, 2011, June, 2011; Co-organizer, Duke-UNC Robertson Philosophy conference on "Intrinsic Value", September-April 2003

Professional Service

A&S Council: Steering committee LACC (Duke-Kunshan), , 2014 - present; Liberal Arts for Duke Kunshan University, 2012 - present; Chair, Faculty Council of Kenan Ethics Institute, September 1, 2010 - May 2014; Provost's Advisory Committee onAppointment, Promotion, and Tenure, September 01, 2010 - spring 2013; Stillman Chair Search Committee, 2008 - 2009; Arts and Sciences Council, August 24, 2003 - August 01, 2004

University Committee: Academic Integrity Council, 2013 - present; Faculty Council of Kenan Institute, 2014; Faculty Advisory Committee Ethics Certificate Program, January 6, 2004 - May 30, 2009; Member of Crowne Chair Search Committee, 2006 - 2007; Member of Kenan Director Search Committee, 2006 - 2007; Franklin Humanities Institute Advisory Board, September 1, 2005 - July 01, 2007; Faculty Advisory Board for Kenan Institute, September 6, 2000 - June 30, 2007; Provost's Workgroup on the Ethics Initiative, September 01, 2005 - December 07, 2005; Transcultural Studies Workgroup, September 01, 2005 - December 07, 2005; Transcultural Studies Education Committee, September 1, 2005 - September 01, 2005; Faculty participant, Kenan funded seminar for graduate students working on theses related to ethics, 2002-03; Subcommittee for drawing up ethics certificate proposal, January 6, 2001 - January 01, 2003

DUS: DUS, August 1, 2014 - July 30, 2015

Departmental Officer: Chair, Philosophy Department, Chair, Philosophy Department. 2004 - 2007, July 1, 2004 - July 01, 2007

Departmental Committee: Chair, Coordinator, Philosophy Colloquium Committee, 2012 - 2014; Graduate student admission committee, January 2014; Graduate student admission committee, March 2013; Chair, Ad hoc review committee Y. Wilson, March 2013; Ad hoc review committee promotion Ferejohn, March 2013; APA interview committee, December 27, 2004-December 31, 2004; Search Committee (screening of applications), September 01, 2004-; Speaker committee, September 1, 2003 - July 01, 2004; Chair, Faculty Review Committee for Liam Murphy, January 6, 2003 - January 01, 2004; Chair, Faculty Review Committee for Tad Schmaltz, 2002-03; Search committees for Philosophy positions, 2001-2, 2004-5

Papers Refereed: For Philosophy East & West, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Nous, Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Ethics, January 6, 1984 - present

Service to the Professional Community: Advisory editor for the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, 2014 - present; Moderator for online blog, "What's It Like to be a Philosopher of Color?", 2014 - present; Review submitted entries for International Encyclopedia of Ethics, Review submitted entries for International Encyclopedia of Ethics. 2010, 2010 - present; Evaluated book manuscripts for Oxford University and University of Hawaii, Cambridge University Presses and 4 journals, 2008 - present; Reviewed applications for National Humanities Center Fellowship, Reviewed applications for National Humanities Center Fellowship. 2008, 2008 - present; Editorial Board, Journal of Chinese Philosophy and History of Philosophy Quarterly, 2005 - present; Evaluated manuscripts for Cambridge University, Cornell, Princeton, American University, Oxford University Presses, 2007; Writing letters on tenure and promotion cases, 2001 - present; At large member of the Board of Officers, At large member of the Board of Officers. American Philosophical Association. 2015 - 2018, July, 2015 - present; Adviser to program committee of Eastern Division, APA, 2010 - 2013; Adviser to program committee of Eastern Division, APA, Adviser to program committee of Eastern Division, APA. 2010 - 2013, 2010-13; Visiting committee to the Philosophy Department of the National University of Singapore, Visiting committee to the Philosophy Department of the National University of Singapore. September 22, 2011, 2001, 2006, 2011; Associate Editor, Encylopedia of Chinese Philosophy, January 7, 1998 - 2005; Evaluated applications for ACLS, Bunting Institute, NEH Fellowships, 2007; Program Committee, Eastern Division Meetings of the American Philosophical Association, 1995

University Services: Co-director of ethics certificate program, January 7, 2006 - present; Service to University, May 2014

Departmental Services: Colloquium Coordinator, September, 2009 - May 20, 2014

Other: Co-Chair, Duke-Kunshan Appointments, Promotion and Tenure Committee, 1 April 2018; Academic Integrity Council, 2 December 2013; Liberal Arts for Duke Kunshan University, 30 December 2012; Faculty Council of Kenan Ethics Institute, 1 September 2010; Provost's Advisory Committee onAppointment, Promotion, and Tenure, 1 September 2010; Convener, Kenan Faculty Study Group, 2009 - spring 2013; Member, American Philosophical Association, 1972 - present; Director of Undergraduate Studies, Philosophy Department, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Philosophy Department. 2014 - 2015, 2014-15; Chair, Coordinator Philosophy Colloquium , 2011-14

Selected Recent Invited Talks: Moral Relativism and Chinese Philosophy, Chapel Hill Public Library, 26 October 2019; Constructive Skepticism in the Zhuangzi: “Doing Philosophy across Traditions: Its Hazards and Sought-After Rewards, Philadelphia, PA, 5 October 2019; The Body-Politic and Soup in Ancient Chinese Thought, Ravenstein, Netherlands, 29 May 2018; Soup, Harmony, and Disagreement, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 23 March 2018; Soup, Harmony, and Disagreement, Ottawa, CN, 14 October 2016; Soup, Harmony, and Disagreement, Stanford, CA, March 13, 2016; Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy, University of Oklahoma, Norman, March 11, 2016; "Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy", University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, February 13, 2016; "Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy, University of San Francisco, CA, December 07, 2015; "Dialogue in the Work of Michael Krausz", Bryn Mawr College, November 06, 2015; Dialogue in the Work of Michael Krausz, Bryn Mawr, PA, 6 November 2015; "Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy", Union College, Schenectady, NY, November 04, 2015; Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy, Union College, Schenectady, NY, 4 November 2015; Perspectives on Human Personhood and the Self from the Zhuangzi, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, September 18, 2015; "Feeling, Reflection, and Reasoning in the Mencius", "Modes of Reasoning: East and West" at the University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, July 10, 2015; Feeling, Reflection, and Reasoning in the Mencius, Bonn, Germany, 10 July 2015; "Institutional Structures and Idealism of Character", University of Hong Kong, May 15, 2015; Institutional Structures and Idealism of Character, Hong Kong, 15 May 2015; "Rediscovering Moral Beauty", University of Hong Kong, May 14, 2015; Rediscovering Moral Beauty, Hong Kong, 14 May 2015; "The Authority of Moral Beauty", Agnes Scott College, April 09, 2015; The Authority of Moral Beauty, Marietta, GA, 9 April 2015; "Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy:" Keynote Address to 2015 Meetings of the South Carolina Philosophical Society, Converse College, Spartanburg, South Carolina, March 27, 2015; Keynote Address: Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy , Converse College, Spartanburg, South Carolina, 27 March 2015; Seminar discussion of my article "Integrating Philosophy with Anthropology in an Approach to Morality," led by Steven Lukes and Gabi Abend , NYU, March 09, 2015; "Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy, Philosophy Department, Brandeis University, March 06, 2015; Relativism and Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy, Philosophy Department, Brandeis University, 6 March 2015; Seminar discussion of my article "Relativist Explanations of Interpersonal and Group Disagreement", New York University Philosophy Department Mind and Language seminar conducted by Paul Horwich and Crispin Wright, February 24, 2015; Seminar discussion of my article "Relativist Explanations of Interpersonal and Group Disagreement", February 24, 2015 , New York, NY, 24 February 2015; A Case for Relativism Based on Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy , Bonn, Germany, 14 December 2014; “A Case for Relativism Based on Ambivalence between Relationship and Autonomy", Conference on the Coherence of Relativism, University of Bonn, Germany, December 14, 2014; "Reflection and Emotion in Mencius and Xunzi", Conference: "Moral Sentimentalism and the Foundations of Morality" at College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, November 14, 2014; Reflection and Emotion in Mencius and Xunzi, Worcester, MA, 14 November 2014; "Reflection and Emotion in Mencius and Xunzi", International Conference for the Society of Political Thought: Comparative Ancient and Medieval Political Thought, Yale University, May 01, 2014; Reflection and Emotion in Mencius and Xunzi, Yale University, 1 May 2014; "On Learning What Happiness Is" Keynote Address, Minnesota Undergraduate Philosophy Society Meetings 2014, April 26, 2014; Keynote Address: On Learning What Happiness Is , St. Paul, MN, 26 April 2014; "On Valuing Disagreement", Philosophy Department, Macalester College, April 24, 2014; On Valuing Disagreement, St. Paul, MN, 24 April 2014; "The Authority of Moral Beauty in Xunzi", Rutgers University, Philosophy Department, April 11, 2014; The Authority of Moral Beauty in Xunzi, New Brunswick, NJ, 11 April 2014; "Moral Cultivation", San Francisco, CA, March 29, 2014; Moral Cultivation, San Francisco, CA, 29 March 2014; "On Valuing Moral Disagreement", Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto, January 20, 2014; On Valuing Moral Disagreement, Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto, 20 January 2014; Keynote Address: On Learning What Happiness Is, Buffalo, NY, 21 July 2013; On Learning What Happiness Is, 18th International Conference of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy (University of Buffalo), July 21, 2013 [PDF]; Xunzi as Moral Craftsman, New Brunswick, NJ, April 04, 2013; Response to "Rethinking Equality" by Wang Hui, Tsinghua University, Durham, NC, March 22, 2013; "Xunzi as Moral Craftsman", University of Hawaii at Manoa, Feb 9, 2013; "What We Can Learn from Early Confucian Philosophy about Moral Development," given as Leys Lecture/Keynote Address to Society for Comparative and Asian Philosophy, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, October 12, 2012; Leys Lecture Keynote Address: What We Can Learn from Early Confucian Philosophy about Moral Development , Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 12 October 2012; Chinese Philosophy and the Development of Compassion, Hong Kong, 1 May 2012; Philomathia Lectures on Human Values: Chinese Philosophy and the Development of Compassion, Chinese University of Hong Kong, May 15-18, 2012; Metaphors for self-cultivation in the Analects, Mencius, and Xunzi: adornment, craft, flowing water, and sprouts, Columbia University, February 24, 2012; Integrity Philosophy with Anthropology in an Approach to Morality, Colorado Springs, CO, December 15, 2011; How Does Xunzi Really Disagree with Mencius? How Their Differences Might Help Us Think about Human Nature and Morality, Singapore, August 12, 2011; "The Place of Love in a Good Life", University of Connecticut at Storrs, May 21, 2011; The Place of Love in a Good Life, Storrs, CT, 21 May 2011; "Reconsidering Mencius' and Xunzi's Conceptions of Human Nature in the Light of their Continued Relevance", Boston, American Philosophical Association Meetings, Eastern Divison, December 28, 2010; Reconsidering Mencius' and Xunzi's Conceptions of Human Nature in the Light of their Continued Relevance, Boston, MA, 28 December 2010; "What We Can Learn from Mencius on Human Nature and the Development of Ethical Virtue", 35th Annual Midwest Philosophy Colloquium, University of Minnesota at Morris, October 08, 2010; Keynote Address: What We Can Learn from Mencius on Human Nature and the Development of Ethical Virtue, Morris, MN, 8 October 2010; "Are Moral Conversions Possible?", Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, October 07, 2010 [php]; Are Moral Conversions Possible?, Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 7 October 2010 [neuroscience.]; "Mencius on Human Nature and Ethical Virtue", University of Glasgow, June 06, 2010; Mencius on Human Nature and Ethical Virtue, Glasgow, Scotland, 6 June 2010; Commentary on "Perceived Objectivity of Ethical Beliefs" by Goodwin and Darley, New York, NY, May 01, 2010; Integrating Philosophy with Anthropology in an Approach to Morality, Philadelphia, PA, December 05, 2009; Complexity and Simplicity in Aristotle and Early Daoist Thought, Bryn Mawr College, October, 2009; Relativism and the Explanation of Commonality and Difference, Vancouver, B.C., April 09, 2009; Veroni Lecture: How Are Moral Conversions Possible?, Kent State University, March 11, 2009; "Can Love Be Reasoned?", Eastern APA in Philadelphia, December 28, 2008; "Pluralism and Ambivalence", Eastern APA in Philadelphia, December 28, 2008; Can Love Be Reasoned?, Philadelphia, PA, 28 December 2008; Pluralism and Ambivalence, Philadelphia, PA, 28 December 2008; "Cultural Pluralism and Moral Identity", Notre Dame, November 13, 2008; Cultural Pluralism and Moral Identity, Notre Dame, IN, 13 November 2008; "Teaching Comparative Ethics", National University of Singapore, April 22, 2008; Teaching Comparative Ethics, Singapore, 22 April 2008; Respondent to an panel on my book Natural Moralities at Pacific APA, Pasadena, CA, 20 March 2008; Respondent to an "Author meets Critics" panel on my book Natural Moralities at Pacific APA, Pasadena, CA, March 20, 2008; "Agon and He: Contest and Harmony", Beijing Forum, Beijing University, November 3, 2007; "Complexity and Simplicity in Ancient Greek and Chinese Thought", Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, October 02, 2007; "identifying with the Nonhuman in Early Daoism, San Francisco Pacific APA, April 07, 2007; The Ruth Evelyn Parcells Memorial Lecture: "Constructing Normative Objectivity in Ethics", University of Connecticut at Storrs, March 30, 2007; "Agon and He: Contest and Harmony", Beijing University, November 3, 2007; "Constructing Normative Objectivity in Ethics", Bowling Green University, November 18, 2006; “Identifying with the Nonhuman in Early Daoism", Institute for Chinese Studies, Oxford University, June 23, 2006; "Crossing Cultures in Moral Psychology", Duke University, December 05, 2005; “Attachment and Detachment in Daoism, Buddhism, and Stoicism, SUNY @ Buffalo, April 21, 2005; Participation on panel concerning terrorism and ethics, Duke University, April, 2005; "Taking Moral Relativism Seriously", University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, September 17, 2004; "Chinese Philosophy and Moral Relativism", Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, June 11, 2004; "Where Charity Begins", Conference entitled Philosophical Engagement: Davidson’s Philosophy and Chinese Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Scienceds, Beijing, China, June 09, 2004; “Relational and Autonomous Selves", Eastern Division of American Philosophical Association Meetings, Washington D.C., 30 December 2003; Commentary on ““The Role of French Colonialism in Current Vietnamese Attitudes towards Pharmaceuticals” by Laurence Monnais, Science Across Cultures: Workshop in the History of Science, Princeton University, 24 October 2003; “Culture, Class, and the Difficult Virtue of Respectful Dialogue", Panel concerning civic virtues in the 2003 Moral Education in a Diverse Society, Durham, N.C., September 19, 2003; “Zhuangzi and the Obsession with Being Right", Philosophy as a Way of Life: Moral Psychology in Early Chinese Philosophy, Fairbank Center, Harvard University, 3 May 2003; “Dwelling in Virtue or Free and Easy Wandering?”, University of Alabama at Huntsville, 15 October 2002; “The Kinds of Community We Need”, Franklin J. Matchette Lecture at Kent State University, 19 September 2002; “Pluralism, the Family, and Affective Networks”, A conference entitled, Social Networks and Civil Society: A Comparative Approach City University of Hong Kong, 2 April 2002; “Cultivating Moral Judgment”, At Moral Self-Cultivation conference, Santa Clara University, 10 April 2001; “Internal and External Reasons”, at Triangle Moral Philosophy Discussion Group, Chapel Hill, N.C., 6 November 2000; “Confucianism and Pluralism”, At a Workshop Confucianism and Pluralism, Wesleyan University, 14 May 2000; “Dwelling in Humanity or Free and Easy Wandering?”, Eight Annual Philosopher’s Conference, East-West Institute, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, 12 January 2000; Roundtable discussion, Conference on “Normativity,” Brown University, November, 1999; “Liberalism and the Dilemmas of Value Pluralism”, Institute on Race and Social Division, Boston University, 6 October 1999; "Harmony, Fragmentation, and Democratic Ritual", Duke University, 16 April 1999; "Fragmentation in Civil Society and the Good", The John M. Findlay Lecture, Boston University as the John M. Findlay Lecture, 14 February 1999; "Harmony, Fragmentation, and Democratic Ritual", Vassar College, 6 February 1999; Is There a Distinction Between Reason and Desire in Mencius?, University of California at Irvine, 1990; Reasons from the Inside and the Outside, University of California at Irvine, 1990

Doctoral Theses Directed: Sanem Soyarslan, (September, 2009 - August 25, 2011); Andres Luco, (2008 - December 10, 2009); Kevin DeLapp, (January 6, 2003 - May 01, 2006); Marion Hourdequin, An Evolutionary Naturalistic Account of Ethical Norms, (January 6, 2003 - September 01, 2005); Anthony Williams, Incommensurability, Rational Choice, and Progress in Ethics and Science: Problems, Solutions, and an Application, (2003); James Abordo Ong, (April, 2009 - December 2014); Hagop Sarkissian, (September 01, 2005 -2008)

Publications (listed separately)

Last modified: 2025/06/14

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