UOW Philosophy Seminar Series, Autumn 2015. All are welcome!
*Speaker*: Dr. Miri Albahari (University of Western Australia). *Title*: Investigating the possibility of nibbāna *Abstract*: Nibbāna, sometimes called ‘awakening’, is the ultimate goal of practice in Eastern traditions such as Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta. It can be described as an event whereupon a profound cognitive transformation is brought about by a deep insight into reality, including, minimally, the reality that one is not a separate self. As a result of seeing through the illusion of self (and whatever else the insight entails), the *arahant* (Buddhist term for one who has attained nibbāna) no longer harbours any of the emotional attachments that were formerly felt *on behalf* of such a self, becoming equanimous to the point where no perception can disturb their peace of mind. For example, there are no negative emotional reactions toward the worst things that can befall a person: physical pain, losing relatives, injustice, notoriety, etc. There is no chasing of sensory pleasures such as food, sex, fame, entertainment, relationships. And yet, although impervious to the vicissitudes of life, arahants are deeply ‘alive’ people: joyful, compassionate and wise, acting in ways to benefit others. So, is nibbāna really possible – indicative of a genuine psychological capacity – or is it just an artefact of tradition? If nibbāna is humanly possible to attain, then it carries numerous philosophical implications for the nature of mind and reality – especially if one interprets the content of the transformative insight in a metaphysically radical way (as I do). Investigating the possibility of nibbāna forms the ongoing topic of my research project and in this paper I say more about what is involved in such an investigation. *When:* Wednesday 25 March *Time:* 2:00 – 5:00pm *Where:* Research Hub 19.2072B *Contact:* Michael Kirchhoff ([email protected]) There will be a student seminar from 2:00 - 2:45pm, also in the Research Hub. Best, *Dr. Michael D. Kirchhoff * Lecturer in Philosophy School of Humanities and Social Enquiry Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
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