Co‐Present Conversation as “Socialized Trance”: Talk,Involvement Obligations,and Smart‐Phone Disruption

In an era where digital and co‐present involvements become entangled, the role of face‐to‐face conversation now vies with mediated communication. Applying insights provided by Erving Goffman, we explore conversational interaction and consider how engrossing face‐to‐face conversation can be understood as a form of socialized trance. We explore how this interaction represents one type of “involvement obligation” that can become disrupted and, increasingly, uniquely impacted by mediated involvements that are enabled through mobile and “smart” devices. The crux of the argument is considered in the context of a burgeoning digital era where conversation is found to become meshed together in uneven ways with mediated interaction. We highlight the efficacy of Goffman's approach with regards to the current information environment, providing insights into how engrossing conversation and its involvement obligations are impacted by mediated interactions and how breaches of conduct are experienced. A video abstract is available at https://youtu.be/ulL8mMN4oig .     

坐忘与顺世——简析庄子的通向自由之路

庄子为人处事的态度,似乎有两个完全不同的方面:一个是完全的出神状态或所谓"坐忘",完全逍遥在自己的精神世界里面;一个是完全的融入社会,完全顺应社会的要求。庄子有一种对现实社会的彻底绝望,这一绝望可能含有反抗社会的意味,同时也会导致行动上的软弱无力。庄子为人处世思想确实有自相矛盾和冲突的地方。他希望在精神绝对自由和社会的绝对不自由之间保持一种平衡,这只不过是一个注定无法实现的理想而已。     

论《尼山萨满传》中的清代巫觋治病及其他

萨满治病法术在满族社会中扮演重要角色,从心理层面观之,信者认为患病与鬼神有关,只有萨满能与鬼神交往,治愈疾病。在治疗过程中,萨满藉各种仪式表达驱除病魔的意义,使患者在心理上以为病根已除,有助病体恢复。从社会层面来看,病家择医行为反映萨满治病的医患关系以及参与者的互动方式。就文化层面而言,治病使用之神服与法器是巫术法力的象征。从政治层面而论,清廷取缔萨满治病背后,反映崇儒重道与黜邪崇正的宗教文化政策。     

老子的道论与《内经》

老子在中国哲学史上第一次建立了以道为创生天地万物之本原的道论体系,老子的道论对包括中医学在内的古代学术的各个领域发生了重要影响。《内经》全面地继承了老子的道论,并在医学实践的基础上对道论作出了新发展,使得老子的道由形而上的哲学之道,向下落实为具体可操作的科学之道,为中医学的发展奠定了坚实的理论基础。