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Robin Wang

Robin R. Wang is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles and The Berggruen fellow (2016-17) at The Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS), Stanford University. Her teaching and research focus on Chinese and Comparative Philosophy, particularly Daoist philosophy, as well as the intersections of women and gender in Chinese thought and culture. She is the author of the acclaimed book, Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and the member of Steering Committee for Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie (International Federation of Philosophical Societies) where she actively engages in shaping the future of philosophical inquiry on a global stage.

Robin Wang

Lei (類) Thinking: Making A Sense of Chinese Logic

This talk will focus on lei (類)—a traditional, enduring, and time-tested logic that serves as a cornerstone of Chinese thought and philosophy. Lei refers to categories or kinds, and as a verb, it means to place things into such categories or kinds. By exploring lei, we uncover a distinct Chinese logical structure and method, one that classifies all things under heaven while revealing a vital information-bearing hologram: an unfolding continuum, a net of relationships, and a paradigm. Unlike rigid taxonomies, lei embodies a multidimensional approach to knowledge. It structures the world through classification but remains fluid, reflecting the interconnected and dynamic nature of reality. Through lei, we glimpse a logical system that is as much about relationships as it is about objects, as much about patterns as it is about principles. This logic provides insight into how knowledge and meaning emerge in a way that is both ancient and strikingly relevant, intersecting with contemporary issues such as systems thinking, network theory, and even artificial intelligence.

©2025 by The XI International Conference of Eastern Philosophy at Unicamp

Brazil-China Study Group

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