Wenxuan Shen
Wenxuan Shen
Graduate Student
I am a third-year PhD student in philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I am also pursuing my graduate certificate in global studies. Prior to UTK, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in human resources management from Beijing Normal University, China, studied economics as my double major at Peking University, China, studied psychology when I was an exchange student at Maynooth University, Ireland, obtained my master’s degree in human rights from the University of Sydney and my second master’s degree in philosophy from Eastern Michigan University.
I am interested in both Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy. I continue my learning of Chinese philosophy on my own. I have attended a weekly online seminar in the Book of Change Yijing 易经 for two years by Sinological Development Charitable Foundation. I joined its 8th Greater China Summer Program in Chinese Studies during summer 2023. I have taken advantage of 四海为学 online platform to explore different Chinese philosophical thoughts. In addition, I regularly attend the Chinese philosophy reading group in our department.
My current philosophical interests include philosophical psychology, political philosophy, philosophy of science, and virtue ethics. Influenced by my past educational experiences, I enjoy developing my philosophical ideas from an interdisciplinary perspective. In particular, I am interested in theories from sociology (world-system theory), psychology (the interaction between the unconscious and conscious system), and international relations (political realism).
Education
PhD Student, Department of Philosophy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, US
Master of Arts in Philosophy, Department of History and Philosophy, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, US
Master of Human Rights, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Bachelor of Management in Human Resource Management, School of Government, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Presentations
“Philosophy as Justification: A Critical Examination of Cross-Cultural Psychological Studies.”
- Midwest Conference on Chinese Thought, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (April 4, 2025)
- 四海为学 Collaborative Learning Project, East China Normal University (March 21, 2025)
“Reconstructing Confucius’ Theory of Parental Virtues.”
- Northeast Conference on Chinese Thought, Baruch College, City University of New York, New York (November 2, 2024)
- 四海为学 Collaborative Learning Project, East China Normal University (April 17, 2024)
“The Problem of Choice in Confucianism and Existentialism.” (with Lusine Musakhanyan)
- 8th Greater China Summer Program in Chinese Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong (August 2023)
“How Does Gender Form: A Haslangerian Analysis.”
- 44th Annual Graduate Philosophy Conference, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (April 21, 2023)
“What Is An Unjust Global Structure?”
- Graduate Colloquium, Department of Philosophy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (September 20, 2022)
- 6th Wuhan University Contemporary Issues in Political Philosophy Summer School (July 9, 2022)
Teaching
As An Instructor of Record
PHIL100 Introduction to Philosophy (EMU, Fall 2021)
As A Teaching Assistant
PHIL244 Professional Responsibility (Judith Carlisle, UTK, Fall 2024 & Spring 2025)
PHIL252 Contemporary Moral Problems (Alex Feldt, UTK, Fall 2023 & Spring 2024)
PHIL101 Introduction to Philosophy (Sam Von Mizner, UTK, Spring 2023)
PHIL101 Introduction to Philosophy (Kristina Gehrman, UTK, Fall 2022)
Community
Conference Committee Member, 6th PGSA@UT Philosophy Conference, University of Tennessee
Session Chair, Eastern Michigan University 11th Annual Undergraduate Conference in Philosophy