Chad Hansen

Chad Hansen is a prominent scholar and Chair Professor of Chinese Philosophy, Emeritus at the University of Hong Kong, where he has made significant contributions to the understanding of Chinese language and logic. With nearly three decades of experience in Hong Kong, his research has focused on the Chinese theory of language and logic, as detailed in his influential works such as "Language and Logic in Ancient China" (1983) and "A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought" (1992), which explores how concepts of language and the heart-mind (心xīn) inform classical Chinese ethical discourse. His scholarship has led to a reassessment of Daoism, particularly in his book "Laozi’s Tao Te Ching: The Art of Harmony" (2009). Hansen has served as past president of the Australasian Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy and held various leadership roles within the Faculty of Arts and Department of Philosophy at HKU. Before joining HKU in 1991, he was a Professor and University Scholar at the University of Vermont. His academic influence extends internationally through visiting positions at prestigious institutions including Stanford, UCLA, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Hawaii, and the National University of Singapore. Hansen's interdisciplinary approach to Chinese philosophy emphasizes the importance of language in shaping ethical and philosophical thought, making him a key figure in comparative philosophy and Asian studies.