On the evening of October 16, Professor Bao Limin at Dept. of Philosophy, ZJU was Invited to “Zhejiang University Oriental Forum” to deliver a lecture of “Tragedy and Democracy” and the lecture was moderated by Dr. Gong Xiaokang, Deputy Director of Research Institute of Social Sciences, ZJU.

  Professor Bao, long devoted to the systematic research and deep comprehension of the western philosophical thoughts, has profound and unique understanding about the democratic thoughts of Ancient Greece. In this lecture, Professor Bao began with the tragedies contributed to humanity in the prime times of Athens, and he pointed out that there were big differences between Chinese understanding of “tragedy” and Greek definition of “tragedy”,  the latter referring to the thorough destruction of life with strong political associations. This trait had certain impacts on morality; however, ethical paradoxes and life absurdities were  key components of the tragedy. In the end, Professor Bao maintained ancient Greek tragedies showed us no matter how strong a man was, he could never show slightest arrogance before the fate and the strong should shoulder due obligations bravely before the fate. In addition, when the strong met the weak, or the strong met the strong, debates, democracy and tolerance should be adopted instead of total destruction. Finally, Professor Bao reiterated one key point in civil consciousness that we are destined to be free, so we have to innovate and surpass, and the relatively complete civil spirit is to maintain a permanent elasticity between individual spirit and honor of God.

  The lecture is the 2^nd in the lectures of “Approaching the Public” by “Zhejiang University Oriental Forum”, jointly sponsored by “Approaching the Public” Fund, Research Institute of Social Sciences and Dept. of Philosophy, School of Humanities, ZJU.