Daoist philosophy offers a distinctive understanding of reality as processual, relational, and constantly in transformation. Rather than conceiving being as static or self-contained, Daoist thought approaches existence through movement, change, and the dynamic interplay of forces that shape both the natural world and human life. In this workshop, which takes place in the context of the Forschungskolloquium Gegenwartsphilosophie, philosopher Robin Wang will explore how Daoist philosophy rethinks the relation between being and becoming, examining concepts of transformation, harmony, and relationality as central features of human existence and the cosmos.

Robin Wang is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. Her teaching and research focus on Chinese and Comparative Philosophy, particularly Daoist philosophy, as well as the intersections of women and gender in Chinese thought and culture. She has published a wide range of essays, that bridge classical Daoist philosophy with modern philosophical discourse, offering critical insights into their relevance in addressing contemporary global challenges. She is the author of the acclaimed book Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture (Cambridge 2012), and the editor of Chinese Philosophy in an Era of Globalization (SUNY 2004) and Images of Women in Chinese Thought and Culture: Writings from the Pre-Qin Period to the Song Dynasty (Hackett 2003). She is a current Researcher at Academy of Ma Yifu, 马一浮书院Zhejiang University, China and Vice President of International Society of Chinese Philosophy (2026-2027).