Rhoden Lecture: Jainism, Buddhism and the Ethics of Arguing

Nicolas Bommarito will present the Rhoden Lecture "Jainism, Buddhism, and the Ethics of Arguing".

Abstract:  Buddhist and Jain thinkers have both made bold claims about the nature of philosophical views. After discussing these claims and their traditional interpretation as metaphysical and epistemological claims, I'll argue that understanding these claims in a practical way provides resources for a Jain ethical view that provides insights in the the nature and practice of arguing. In particular I will develop the Jain concept of Anekānta-vāda as having special relevance for encountering views different from our own. 

NIcolas (Nic) Bommarito is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.  He received a BA from the University of Michigan and his PhD from Brown University. He also holds a Tibetan language certification from Tibet University.  His research focuses on questions in virtue ethics, moral psychology, and Buddhist philosophy, particularly Tibetan Buddhism.  His publications include the books Inner Virtue (2018) and See Clearly:  A Buddhist Guide to Life (2020).