Research Highlight: Shih-Han (Sally) Huang
Learn more about Sally and her work on her website.
How would you describe your research program?
My work explores the question of how to live, guided by the sense that the ideal figures often found in philosophical discussions are too serious to serve as genuine ideals—or at least as the only ones. My dissertation and recent work pursue two lines of research: the nature of play and its role in a good life, and interpretation of Zhuangzi, an ancient Daoist philosopher often described as playful. These two lines converge on a single thought: the secret of a lighter vision of life lies not in taking things lightly, but in taking oneself lightly.
What issues or questions in philosophy are you most excited by?
My current research on how to live is also the question I’m most excited by. I’m also interested in the role of imagery in ethical reflection, which has long been in the background of my work—such as Zhuangzi’s images of the butterfly and the fish—but I have not explored it directly.
What got you first interested in philosophy? How did you get from that initial spark to the subject of your recent/current work?
Aesthetics. I spent seven years in an art gifted program before studying engineering in college, and I kept a strong interest in art. During my third year, I began reading more about aesthetics, took my first philosophy class—also in aesthetics—and realized philosophy interested me even more than art, so I shifted toward it. Aesthetics has remained a steady background influence on my work.
Who is/are your favorite philosopher(s)? Why?
I like parts of the Zhuangzi, especially where it serves as a foil to Confucianism. I’m also drawn to insights from Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, and Alasdair MacIntyre. I find Plato fun to read. And I enjoy being inspired by Heidegger, Gadamer, and Nietzsche, mostly through watching scholars discuss them.
What are you currently working on?
I’m finishing my dissertation, which discusses how to live in a world that is generally not on our side, drawing on ideas from both Western and Chinese philosophical traditions.
What's next? Any ideas for projects in the pipeline?
I’d like to begin exploring the above-mentioned issue of aesthetic intuition in ethical reflection. I also want to think more about the apparent tension between the weight of meaning and the lightness of playfulness.
What project/paper/collaboration/etc. are you proudest of so far?
The term “proud” feels a bit strong, but the piece I feel best about is my paper on play and the good life. It brings together ideas that have occupied me for several years, and this version finally feels mature.
What's the holy grail, pipe dream project? (This doesn't have to be in your AOS, of course, and may even be more fun if it's not.)
A project that fits my interests in ethics, satisfies rigorous academic expectations, and still feels interesting to a general audience—a combination that feels a bit dreamy to me.
Do you have any particular work habits, like working at a specific coffee shop, or listening to a particular type of music, or rewarding yourself with a specific snack or workout? (In other words, how do you specifically work best?)
I usually work from 4 to 6 a.m. while drinking lots of milk tea.