Brief Biography
Dr. Samson Kwok Pak-Nin obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in philosophy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).Following his studies, he held teaching positions at the Hong Kong Community College and the Office of University General Education at CUHK, and eventually joined the Department of Philosophy in 2018.
Dr. Kwok’s primary research focuses on Ethics, Philosophy of Life, Informal Logic, and Social and Political Philosophy. He has published and presented papers on Normative Ethics and Informal Logic, and authored two books on the Philosophy of Life.
The courses he has taught encompass various topics such as Consequentialism and Its Critics, Practical Ethics, Philosophy of Life, Philosophy of Death, Philosophy of the Human Condition, Animal and Society: A Philosophical Approach, Death and Immortality, Logic and Argumentation, and Critical Thinking. In recognition of his outstanding teaching, Dr. Kwok received the Vice-Chancellor’s Exemplary Teaching Award in 2016 and the SCGE Exemplary Teaching Award in General Education in 2016 and 2020.
In addition to his academic pursuits, he enjoys playing console games, watching American television series, and spending time with his cat.
Research Interests
- Ethics
- Philosophy of Life
- Informal Logic
- Social and Political Philosophy
Selected Publications
Book
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In the Passage of Time: Short Philosophical Essays on the Temporal Dimension of Human Life. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 2024. (In Chinese)
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Beyond Common Beliefs: Short Philosophical Essays on Daily Life. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 2020; revised and expanded edition, 2024. (In Chinese)
Articles
- “The Structure of Normative Ethics – On Shelly Kagan’s Taxonomy.” In Soochow Journal of Philosophical Studies. Vol. 23. 81-107. 2011. (In Chinese)
- “Critical Thinking and Logical Pragmatics.” Paper presented in Conference on Critical Thinking: Teaching and Learning, organized by CUHK. 2010. (In Chinese)