Research interest
My research interests are in the fields of Indigenous Ecological Ethics (in particular, Hawaiian Ecological Ethics), Daoist Philosophy, Environmental Philosophy, and Ethics of Place and Placemaking. Specifically, my research explores the intersection of these fields of inquiry. I intend to further my research in indigenous ecological ethics by delving deeper into Indigenous Place-based Ecological Knowledge (IPEK) of Indigenous Peoples across borders and in Indigenous cultures across the world. I believe that there is a wellspring of wisdom in IPEK that we can draw from in our continuing search for an enduring and capacious ecological ethics. I want to expand my research into the intersections of ecological ethics, IPEK, sustainability science and natural resource management with an aim to identify underlying values and principles that hold true across cultures and contexts, by proposing an ecological ethics of convergence. Through this, I hope to find a balance between theory and application by developing a theory of convergence for ecological ethics that can contribute to a broader interest in and open up more avenues for research into sustainability. My work in Daoist philosophy has focused on the Daodejing, but I plan to examine the Zhuangzi and the Huainanzi in future research. There has been research and commentary on the Zhuangzi as a resource for developing a Daoist ethics of the environment. I believe that we can draw on the Huainanzi for important insights into an enduring ethics of the environment, in particular, the yuandao (原道), tianwen (天文), dixing (墬形), and shize (時則) chapters. Research fields Areas of Specialization: Indigenous Ecological Ethics, Chinese Philosophy (specifically Daoist Philosophy), Environmental Philosophy, Ethics of Place and Placemaking Areas of Competence: Philosophy of Religion, Philosophical Anthropology PhD Research I have a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. My dissertation research draws on insights from Daoist philosophy and Hawaiian ecological wisdom to engage in a dialogue toward the realization of an enduring and capacious ethics of the environment. Dissertation: “Weiziran (為自然) and Aloha ʻĀina: Place, Identity and Ethics of the Environment” Education PhD Philosophy, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa MA Philosophy, Ateneo de Manila University BA Philosophy (Pre-Divinity), Ateneo de Manila University |