Professor Phillip Buckley Gives Public Lecture on Phenomenology and Meaning Production in Humanities Research
Abdul Ghani FAH Theater, UIN Online News — The Faculty of Adab and Humanities (FAH) of UIN Jakarta, in collaboration with the International Cooperation Service Center (PLKI) of LP2M UIN Jakarta, held a public lecture titled "Phenomenology and Meaning Production in the Humanities" at the Abdul Ghani FAH Theater on Wednesday (24/04/2024). The public lecture, attended by hundreds of participants including faculty members and students of FAH UIN Jakarta, featured Professor from the Department of Philosophy at McGill University, Canada, and phenomenology expert, Prof. Phillip Buckley, Ph.D.
The public lecture was opened by the Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Institutional Affairs of UIN Jakarta, Din Wahid, M.A., Ph.D. In his remarks, Vice-Rector Din Wahid positively welcomed the implementation of the public lecture featuring experts from various universities around the world. He hoped that this activity would strengthen the academic tradition at UIN Jakarta.
In his introduction, the Dean of FAH UIN Jakarta, Dr. Ade Abdul Hak, M.Hum, CIQnR, also delivered warm greetings and happiness from the academic community of FAH UIN Jakarta. According to him, the presence of Professor Phillip Buckley serves as a reminder of the close relationship between McGill University Canada and UIN Jakarta, where many faculty members of UIN Jakarta have pursued master's and doctoral degrees at McGill University.
Professor Phillip Buckley delivered his public lecture very engagingly on the provided theme, "Phenomenology and Meaning Production in the Humanities." Prof. Buckley highlighted that the production of meaning in everyday life is inseparable from negotiations of meaning that are often overlooked.
Prof. Buckley emphasized the importance of translation in connecting the world through interactions that occur via humans, texts, or other means. "Translation is not just about words, but also about understanding culture and context," he said. Prof. Buckley stressed that the greatest challenge is overcoming the complexity of language and ensuring the message remains intact.
Prof. Buckley shared his experiences of interacting with various cultures around the world. A simple example in everyday life is the existence of different symbols to indicate men's and women's restrooms. This meaning production has been collectively agreed upon, so the 'reader' of the translation is part of the translation process.
Another example is the existence of different forms of statues in each country, yet it has been collectively agreed upon that these statues represent the same figure. "We must learn from each other and appreciate differences," he emphasized. This public lecture also broadened insights into cross-cultural perspectives in meaning production.
Prof. Buckley emphasized the importance of translation in human communication, as well as the challenges and complexities involved in the process. Meaning production speaks to the philosophy of abstract concepts, posing its own challenges in how phenomenology is used in humanities studies.
The public lecture was attentively attended by students. Following the speaker's presentation, several students and faculty members engaged in discussions with Professor Phillip Buckley. (Nala Zakina/ZM/Noeni Indah/Faadhila Idris)
