On June 27, 2025, the academic conference “Human and Humanity” was held, jointly organized by the Korean Society for Philosophy, the Center for Critical Confucianism and Contemporary Classics at the Confucian Culture Research Institute of Sungkyunkwan University, and the BK21 Education and Research Group for Confucianism, Eastern and Korean Philosophy. The conference focused on one of the fundamental philosophical questions of our time: What does it mean to be human, and how can we define humanity? It served as a vibrant platform for dialogue where traditional philosophical inquiries intersected with contemporary thought.

The academic presentations were divided into Expert Sessions and Emerging Scholar Sessions, running concurrently throughout the day. The Expert Sessions explored how the concept of “humanity” has been shaped within philosophical traditions and examined diverse contemporary perspectives on human existence and identity in relation to AI, posthumanism, labor, and views on life. The Emerging Scholar Sessions featured research that connected classical philosophical texts and ideas from Chinese, Western, and Korean traditions with modern concerns—addressing topics such as human nature, ethics, epistemology, and political philosophy. These sessions drew considerable attention for the fresh perspectives presented by emerging scholars.

We sincerely thank all the scholars, graduate students, and researchers who took time out of their busy schedules to attend, present, and engage in discussions. We hope this conference has contributed to broadening the horizons of philosophical discourse and deepening reflections on the meaning of human existence.

Theme: Human and Humanity

Date: Friday, June 27, 2025, 10:30 AM – 6:40 PM

Venue: Sungkyunkwan University

Organizers:

Society of Philosophical Studies;

Institute of Confucian Philosophy & Culture and the Center for the Contemporary Study of East Asian Classics and Critical Confucianism, Sungkyunkwan University;

BK21 Education and Research Group for Confucianism, Eastern and Korean Philosophy