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Graham Harman is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Liberal Arts Program Coordinator at SCI-Arc. He was born in 1968 in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and earned his BA from St. John's College (Maryland), his MA from Penn State University, and his PhD from DePaul University. He is the author of eighteen books, most recently Art and Objects (Polity, September 2019). Graham is the 2009 winner of the AUC Excellence in Research Award. In 2015 he was named by ArtReview as the #75 most powerful influence in the international art world, and in 2016 was named by The Best Schools to their alphabetical list of the 50 most influential living philosophers.

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Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) is a philosophical theory developed by Graham Harman as part of the broader movement of speculative realism. OOO challenges the dominant anthropocentric worldview, arguing that all objects—whether human or non-human, animate or inanimate—have their own independent reality and existence, which is not fully accessible to humans or any other entities. In OOO, objects exist in a flat ontology, meaning no object is more "real" or important than another, and they interact with one another without privileging human experience. Harman posits that objects have withdrawn essences that are never entirely knowable, and they interact through what he calls "vicarious causation," where only certain qualities of objects are revealed in their interactions. The philosophy emphasizes that reality is made up of a network of objects, and no single entity (human or otherwise) can claim to fully know or reduce the reality of others. OOO seeks to rethink traditional notions of object-subject relationships and has broad implications for fields such as aesthetics, politics, and ecology.

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Time: Nov 6th 7PM / EST (New York, Boston)

 

For Audience in PST (Los Angeles): Nov 6th 4PM

For Audience in CST (China): Nov 7 8AM

For Audience in CET (Vienna): Nov 7 1AM

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We are thrilled to share with you that we have invited world known philosopher, professor Graham Harman, to join us for a conversation on Nov. 6th, 7PM (EST, New York/ Boston Time)!

 

Professor Harman, the founder of object-oriented ontology (OOO), will guide us in exploring a captivating topic: re-examining the relationship between objects and humans while challenging traditional anthropocentric thinking. In this conversation, we will delve into architecture and emerging technologies, particularly AI, from a philosophical perspective. How do concepts of "aesthetics" and "architecture" evolve within the current academic landscape shaped by artificial intelligence? In this rapidly changing era, Harman's insights have profoundly influenced the philosophical community and offered fresh perspectives across diverse fields, including architecture, art, and social practice.

 

This event will be live streamed, and we have invited interviewers and panels crossing different countries and time zones to join us. Please click the link of RSVP to add the events to your calendar!

Interviewers

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Keyi Zhang/ Host

BFA SAIC/ MDES Harvard University

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Keyi Zhang proposes that Architecture becomes a momentum process of representing a motion or potential of change, as a way to create connections between space, objects, and time, and the connection in-between, with the overall life-cycle of the structures and material assemblages, forms space referred as Architectural Projects. During her undergraduate studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Keyi focused on Architecture, Eco Design, and Historic Preservation. She worked as a curation assistant for the Chicago Architecture Biennial. After graduating from SAIC, She worked as a practice Architect in Chicago and Chongqing. Practice projects include affordable housing projects in Chicago, City renovation of central Chongqing. During graduate study at Harvard University, She worked for world-renowned firms including HDR and Coop Himmelb(l)au. Keyi is looking forward to exploring spatial narrative, social impact, and urban planning with emerging technology to increase social equity and public engagement.

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Sky Lyu

BA Philosophy Boston College/ MA Philosophy Boston College

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Sky's philosophical work revolves around the core triad of knowledge, critique, and praxis. For him, philosophy is not just about the pursuit of knowledge; it is a critical tool that allows us to interrogate complex issues in the real world and guide praxis. His academic and practical focus centers on the works of Derrida and Lacan, particularly the concept of "symptom as a gift." His research aims to pursue Lacan’s unfinished work: exploring how psychoanalytic discourse can extend beyond the analysis room and function as an underlying framework for political and social practice. Sky believes that understanding "symptom as a gift" can serve as a base of a new ethics of the other as we separate first in capitalism but then re-unite within symptom.

Panel Guests

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Yiqun Wang

BArch SCI_Arc/ MLA&MAUD Harvard University/ Assistant Professor, UIBK

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Hnajia Wang

Bs Arch WashU/ MDES Harvard University

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Taili Zhuang

Bs Arch WashU/ MArch Harvard University/ Architect OMA

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Yunan(Leo) Liu

BArch SCI_Arc / MLA Harvard University

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Jiyuan Zhong

BA Philosophy Boston College/ MA Philosophy Boston College

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Registration

Please click the link of RSVP to register and add the events to your calendar!

https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LCkqFZ3sTGu7SdaQjWEODQ

Please click the link of RSVP to register and add the events to your calendar!

https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LCkqFZ3sTGu7SdaQjWEODQ

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EDITOR: CHENYU LIN, KEYI ZHANG

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: YUXUAN WEI

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