Hackett recently released the third edition of Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy. In addition to expansions in other areas, it now includes my partial translation of the Han Feizi as well as a selection from my translation of the Shenzi Fragments.

I’m a philosopher interested in the social and political realms and my research focuses primarily on the early Chinese tradition, especially Confucian and Legalist views on the relationship between morality and politics. Although I find these thinkers fascinating in their own right, I also try to show that the ideas of these early Chinese thinkers can illuminate many contemporary philosophical debates and contribute meaningfully to discussions in contemporary political philosophy and ethics.

I’m an associate professor in Colorado State University’s Department of Philosophy where I work with a great group of philosophers and one of the most diverse programs around, with a deep and enduring commitment to a wide variety of areas of philosophy beyond the Western world. Before making this move, I spent quite a few years in Hong Kong, most recently as an Associate Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University and earlier at City University. I have also taught at Yonsei University’s Underwood International College in Seoul, South Korea and at Santa Clara University in California, and spent a sabbatical as a Visiting Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

My first book, The Shenzi Fragments: A Philosophical Analysis and Translation was published by Columbia University Press. You can read more about it here.

Henrique Schneider and I have been engaged in a series of collaborations including:

• The Philosophy of Mozi – Impartial Caring in the Warring States Period, a special issue of The Philosophical Forum.
• Confucianism: Comparisons and Controversies, a special issue of Culture and Dialogue.
•  Adventures in Chinese Realism: Classic Philosophy Applied to Contemporary Issues, our edited volume with SUNY Press.

Please feel free to peruse this site to learn more about me, my teaching, and my research.

You can contact me at eirik.harris [at] colostate.edu