Tao Jiang | Anger, Justice, and Their Buddhist Discontent | Philosophy Speaker Series

Buddhist ethics is known for its emphasis on compassion and rejection of anger as a source of suffering. Some scholars have noted limited Buddhist engagement with justice. Prof. Tao Jiang will argue in this presentation that these features are closely related. While anger can be pathological, dismissing it altogether can carry significant sociopolitical costs.

Prof. Jiang will explore how Buddhist compassion-centered ethics might contribute to a conception of justice by bringing compassion and justice into a conversation.

His conclusion will be that compassion should remain attentive to injustice, while demands for justice should avoid hardening into resentment.

Tao Jiang is Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Rutgers University. His publications include books on the origins of Chinese philosophy, Buddhism and psychology, and the reception of Freud in China.