Participating in the philosophy academic program at Jilin University - Rutgers was an unforgettable experience in my life. During the two-week program, I had the chance to attend a series of wonderful lectures covering the fields of philosophy of language, ethics, philosophy of psychology, philosophy of law, etc. And what impressed me the most was political philosophy. In this class, we discussed the issue of the relationship between equity and freedom, thinking about which one is more important in a country. In my opinion,on the one hand，equity is a necessary standard to judge whether a society is reasonable or not.There is an old Chinese saying, "The concern is not about scarcity, but about inequality", because unevenness of resources must lead to struggle.And on the other hand, freedom is the birthright of everyone. Therefore, how to balance the relationship between them is a very important topic in national governance. In the course of my gradual learning, I became more aware of how to ask questions, think about problems, and contemplate the nature of the world in a deeper way. These lectures not only enriched my knowledge base, but also improved my critical thinking and analytical skills.
In addition to the academic gains, participating in this program has given me a unique cross-cultural exchange experience. On campus, I met excellent students and professors from different countries and cultures, and we shared our views and experiences with each other. And at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, I saw many famous artworks and antiques, appreciated the achievements of different human civilizations over thousands of years. This cross-cultural exchange not only deepened my understanding of the diversity of the world, but also developed my ability to communicate with different languages and cultures.
All in all, participating in the Philosophy Academic Program at Rutgers was a valuable experience in my life. This two-week program made me realize that philosophy is not just a subject, but a way of thinking and an attitude towards life. I will continue to study and see more about the wider world.
