Thomas Wallgren, Shireen Patell and Diane Denis will engage in a conversation over transformative philosophies, making connections between buddhist ideas of transformation especially as it pertains to the Dharmadharmatāvibhāga, Lévinas and Wittgentstein’s work.

Thomas Wallgren is a philosopher, activist and politician. He studied philosophy at the University of Helsinki and where he is now a professor.
He is particularly interested in the work of Wittgentstein. 
He wrote among others: “Transformative Philosophy. Socrates, Wittgenstein, and the democratic spirit of philosophy”, Lexington Books, 2005. “Challenge of philosophy: Beyond contemplation and critical theory”, 1996.“Commonality and particularity in ethics”, edited with Lilli Alanen and Sara Heinämaa, Macmillan, 1997.

Diane Denis is an educator, philosopher, scholar, artist and socially concerned individual. She currently works at RYI, Center for Buddhist Studies, Kathmandu University. She teaches both in the Buddhist Studies and Translation programs.
Her research interests are inclusive pedagogies, the cross sections of traditional texts and contemporary issues especially as it pertains to the present refugee crisis, and contemplative artistic practices.

Shireen R.K. Patell is a literary and critical theorist with a specialization in trauma studies. She received her doctorate in comparative literature from the University of California, Berkeley, with a dissertation on Emmanuel Lévinas and the ethics of interpretation. Before moving to Boudhanath in 2013 to study full-time at Rangjung Yeshe Institute, she taught at NYU for 12 years, where she was assistant professor and associate director of Trauma and Violence Studies, an interdisciplinary master’s program she co-founded. She has published essays on trauma in relation to mourning, national formation, racism, identity construction, pedagogy, writing and film. She now devotes herself full-time—as best as she can—to Buddhist study and practice, and service to Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche and Rinpoche’s mandala of activities. They spoke to students and participants at RYI on 14th Feb, 2024.

Buddhism, Wittgenstein, Lévinas and Transformative Philosophies

Rangjung Yeshe Institute (RYI) has conducted study programs in Nepal for more than 25 years. Since 2002 RYI has partnered with Kathmandu University offering academic credit for those study programs. In 2009 RYI launched its online learning program. Our aim is to utilise our expertise and experience to enable students from around the world to study Buddhism and Himalayan Languages with us.

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