CV · William Gilbert

Curriculum Vitae

이력서

Department of Philosophy, Sogang University · Seoul, South Korea · Last updated November 2026

AOS: Korean Philosophy, Chinese Philosophy (esp. Daoism), Comparative Philosophy
AOC: Confucian Ethics, Aesthetics (esp. East Asian), Premodern Korean Religion and Intellectual History

Education Publications Presentations Employment Awards Teaching Service Outreach

Education

exp. 2027

PhD, Philosophy - Sogang University
Dissertation: "Korean Neo-Daoism in Goryeo Korea: Yi Gyubo and the Seven Worthies of the Eastern Land" · Supervisor: Prof. Halla Kim

2024

MA, Korean Philosophy - Sungkyunkwan University
Thesis: "Exploring Creator and Creation in Yi Gyubo: In Comparison with Daoist Cosmogony" · Supervisor: Prof. So-Jeong Park

2019

BA, Philosophy - University of North Florida
Directed independent study: "A Critique of Nelson Goodman's Aesthetics: Music As Process," PANDION (2020) · Supervisor: Sarah Mattice

Publications

Journal articles

"Religious Syncretism between Daoist and Shamanistic Imagery in Goguryeo Tomb Murals." The Review of Korean Studies 29, no. 1 (June 2026): 237-258. Journal ↗ · PhilArchive ↗

"Ordering Emotion through Sound: Ritual Music and Heart-Mind Cultivation in Korean Neo-Confucianism." European Journal of Korean Studies 26, no. 1 (October 2026) (Research Note).

"Spontaneous Self-Generation and the 'Little Creator': Yi Kyubo's Affective Neo-Daoism in Koryŏ Korea." Philosophy East and West 78, no. 3 (forthcoming July 2028; early access online). Project MUSE ↗

"Reconsidering Korean Modernity: The Sirhak Movement and the Legacy of Tasan Chŏng Yak-yong." International Journal of Korean History (forthcoming December 2026).

"Confucian Care Ethics in Korean Governance: From King Chŏngjo's Measles Policies to South Korea's COVID-19 Response." Korean Studies (forthcoming).

Revise and resubmit

"Daoist Elements in Korean Sansin Worship: Paintings, Rituals, and Geomancy." International Journal of Korean Humanities and Social Sciences.

Manuscripts under review

"Fallout and Aesthetic Retrofuturism"

Presentations

Invited

Sep 2024

"Emotions, Sages, Principle: A Zhuangzian Approach to the Four-Seven Debate"
Confucian Culture Expo, Institute of Korean Confucian Culture, Nonsan-si, South Korea

Refereed

Apr 2026

"Toward Korean Neo-Daoism: Daoist Philosophy in the Writings of Yi Gyubo"
NAKPA Panel, APA Pacific Division Meeting

Aug 2025

"Reconsidering Korean Modernity: The Silhak Movement and the Legacy of Dasan"
2025 ISEAP Conference: Progressive East Asian Philosophy, National Chengchi University, Taiwan

Aug 2025

"Buddha-Nature as Soteriological Universal Potential in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and Wonhyo"
CSCS-ATI Summer School: "Buridan and the Buddha," Hong Kong Baptist University

May 2025

"Cosmogony and Korean Neo-Daoism in the Writings of Yi Gyubo"
四海为学 [Collaborative Learning "Works in Progress"] Academic Forum

Mar 2025

"Confucian Care Ethics in Pandemic Response: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives"
GWIKS 2025 Graduate Student Research and Publication Workshop

Feb 2025

"Religious Syncretism in Daoist and Shamanistic Imagery in Three Kingdoms Tomb Murals"
NAKPA Panel, APA Central Division Meeting

Nov 2024

"Confucian Care Ethics in Pandemic Response: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives"
Biennial Conference of the World Consortium for Research in Confucian Cultures, Seoul

Oct 2024

"Sacred Convergence: The Influence of Daoism in Korean Shamanistic 山神祭 [Sansin Rituals]"
SNU Center for Religious Studies 2024 International Conference, with NAKPA, Seoul

Aug 2024

"Exploring Creator and Creation in Yi Gyubo's Thought"
World Congress of Philosophy: Philosophy across Boundaries, Student Session, La Sapienza University, Rome

Nov 2023

"Exploring Creator and Creation in Yi Gyubo's Thought"
Neo-Daoism in China and Korea: Weijin Xuanxue and Korean Syncretic Daoism, International Conference, Seoul

Mar 2023

"Exploring Creator and Creation in Yi Gyubo's Thought"
Zhuangzi beyond the Inner Chapters in Seoul, Graduate Student Session

Jun 2021

"Korean Religious Syncretism in Sanshin Paintings"
Introducing Korean Beauty in Music, Art and Literature, Sungkyunkwan University & Institute of Korean Philosophy and Culture

Comments

Sep 2025

Response to Mayuko Sasaki, "Philosophical Interpretation of Yi Gyubo's Theory of Creating New Meaning"
KAEP Korean Philosophy Research Symposium, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul

Employment

Jul 2021 - Feb 2024

Graduate Research Assistant - Center for K-Academic Expansion in Philosophy
Co-produced and developed online courses on Korean philosophy and culture. Created lecture storyboards, edited scripts, appeared in filmed lectures, edited subtitles, and co-organized international conferences.

Grants, Fellowships & Awards

Grants and fellowships

2025

CSCS-ATI Summer School Fellowship, Hong Kong Baptist University
Travel, accommodation, and meals

2025

Doctoral Research Capacity Enhancement Support Grant, Sogang University
₩5,000,000 (approx. US$3,300)

2024

Research exchange program with Sophia University, Sogang University

2024

Sogang Global Fellowship (S), Sogang University
₩12,000,000 (approx. US$8,000)

2020-2021

Brain Korea 21 Scholar, Sungkyunkwan University

2020

Graduate Program Scholarship for International Students, Sungkyunkwan University

Awards and honors

2024

Graduate School Student Outstanding Paper Award, Sogang University
₩1,000,000 (approx. US$700)

2020

Annual Philosophy Department Paper Prize, University of North Florida (co-recipient)

Teaching Experience

Guest lectures

Oct 2026

"The Way East: Daoism and Its Transmission to Korea"
Introduction to Korean Philosophy, Korean Studies Department, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary

Apr 2025

"Introduction to Korean Daoism"
Introduction to Korean Philosophy, Korean Studies Department, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary

Teaching assistantships

Spring 2025

History of Korean Philosophy, Sogang University

Spring 2024

The History of Pre-Qin and Han Dynasty Philosophy, Sogang University

Spring 2021

History of Korean Philosophy, Sungkyunkwan University

Fall 2020

Korean Thought and Culture, Sungkyunkwan University

Online course development (co-produced)

Korean Music, A Philosophical Exploration - Coursera, 2023

An Introduction to Korean Buddhist Philosophy - KMOOC, 2023

In Search for the Origins of Korean Philosophy - Coursera, 2023

Korean Aesthetics - KMOOC, 2023

Introduction to Korean Philosophy and Culture - Coursera, 2021

Academic Service

2024-2026

Editorial Assistant, Oxford Handbook of Korean Philosophy (Oxford University Press, forthcoming), ed. Halla Kim

2024-2026

Editorial Assistant, Korean Philosophy: An Intellectual History (Routledge, forthcoming), monograph by Halla Kim

2025

Editorial Assistant, Oxford Bibliography: Korean Philosophy (Oxford University Press, 2025), by Halla Kim

2024

Co-organizer, "What Is Living and What Is Dead in the Philosophy of Kant Today," International Conference, Seoul

2023

Co-organizer, "Build Bridge: Korean Philosophy in the World," Conference, Seoul

2021

Co-organizer, "Discovering Korean Arts and Philosophy," International Workshop, Seoul

2020

Co-organizer, "Women, Family, and Korean Confucianism," Conference, Seoul

Outreach

Interviews

"Between Traditions: Korean Philosophy and the Limits of Universality" - Reports from Abroad, Blog of the APA, 2026

Sogang Story No. 115 - Sogang Gazette, 2025

Public writing (invited / non-peer reviewed)

Gilbert, William, and André M. Penna-Firme. "Rediscovering a Neglected Tradition: Book Review - Korean Philosophy: Sources and Interpretations." Blog of the American Philosophical Association (Reports from Abroad), December 15, 2025.

Social media

Founder & Moderator, r/KoreanPhilosophy - 2024-present (1,200+ members)