Zhiwei Yang is currently a PhD candidate at Peking University. He is now a visiting student for one year in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT, supervised by Professor Alex Byrne. His research interests include philosophy of mind, philosophy of perception, philosophy of artificial intelligence, and ethics.
He loves to cook, wander around aimlessly, cycle, explore narrative cinema, and read personal biographies. He is also a big fan of the band Twenty One Pilots and Hong Kong singer Sam Hui.
What are you working on right now?
I am currently completing my doctoral dissertation. My dissertation aims to challenge naïve realism by proposing a new theory. This theory follows the difference principle, accounts for illusions, maintains austerity, and can be seen as a novel form of relationalism that departs from naïve realism.
What topic do you think is under-explored in philosophy?
Analytic philosophy is often criticized for breaking vague issues into too many small problems, which can make the subject feel trivial. This criticism is important. In my view, breaking things down too much leaves a topic incomplete. Its main value might only be in pushing the discussion in a certain direction rather than fully exploring the topic in depth.
However, this raises a second question: in what sense can a topic be said to have been pushed forward? I once discussed this with Professor Matthias Michel for an hour at MIT’s Stata Center. He suggested that a philosophical topic is like a tree—the canopy represents our closest approach to truth, while smaller problems form branches and twigs. Studying a minor issue (a twig) ultimately helps nourish the broader topic (the canopy).
I found this idea plausible but suggested a different view: perhaps all problems exist in a vast, distributed network, with no single issue serving as the foundation. We can never predict whether a small inquiry will link to another issue or, after many interactions, influence a distant philosophical topic. There’s no strict hierarchy—only a distributed web of countless problems coexisting in parallel.
Professor Michel agreed with my point. Although we didn’t explore it further, I’m still puzzled: if this is true, then doing philosophy is like working with the black box of modern large language models—we input something, but we don’t really know what happens inside, and we can’t predict what will come out. In this sense, practicing philosophy seems to be filled with deep uncertainty.
In my view, analytic philosophers break down a philosophical topic into countless small problems in an attempt to achieve a minimal level of certainty. Yet now it seems that this very pursuit of certainty only creates even greater uncertainty. Does this mean that finding an answer to any philosophical question must simply wait for some future moment of emergence?
What is your favorite quote?
“The Buck Stops Here.” President Truman had this sign on his desk to remind himself to take full responsibility instead of passing the blame. I strongly agree with this and try to live by it. I take responsibility for what I can and never shift my duties onto others. I believe in leading by example and always doing my part.
What is your favorite film of all time? (Or top 3). Why? To whom would you recommend them?
1. Interstellar – This movie brought many of my ideas about time and space to life. Beyond its stunning soundtrack, its scientifically grounded take on time travel was mind-blowing. I could say much more, but I’ll keep it brief.
2. Rickshaw Boy – Based on Lao She’s classic novel, this film follows Xiangzi, a rickshaw puller in Republican-era Beijing. He dreams of owning his own rickshaw, but fate has other plans. First, warlords take it away. Then, he’s pressured into marrying Huniu. After losing both his wife and best friend, he’s left broken and defeated. A powerful portrayal of working-class struggles and the harsh realities of society, this film stands out as a striking piece of realism.
3. Teahouse – Adapted from Lao She’s famous play, this film spans from the late Qing Dynasty to the eve of the People’s Republic, centering on Wang Lifa’s teahouse. Despite his hopes for stability, he watches as social chaos and corruption persist. Warlords and capitalists exploit the people, and in the end, Wang Lifa’s tragic fate mirrors the downfall of the old world. Using the teahouse as a microcosm of sweeping historical change.
The first film is likely familiar to many, but the second and third are especially recommended for non-Chinese audiences. Both offer a compelling glimpse into the lives of ordinary people during China’s transition from a feudal dynasty to a new era.
What’s your most treasured memory?
The first time was during my master’s program when my closest friend and I traveled to a coastal city for a conference. One night, we ventured across the damp, muddy ground to the beach, sat on the rocks, and gazed at the endless ocean. In that moment, there were no lights, no moon—just the sound of the waves, the strong sea breeze, and the mix of fear and awe we felt in front of the vast ocean.
The second time was during my PhD. One rainy day, my roommate got all excited and dragged me along to go running in the rain. I thought he was joking, so I just laughed it off, said “Sure,” and went to the restroom. But when I came back, there he was—still standing there, full of energy, totally serious. He pulled me downstairs, but I just couldn’t bring myself to run out into the rain. So, I stood there and watched as he took off, sprinting straight into the storm until he disappeared. In that moment, I regretted hesitating. Not long after, he graduated. I still think about that night. Maybe running a few kilometers in the rain would’ve been one of the best memories of my life.
Smrutipriya Pattnaik
Smrutipriya Pattnaik, Ph.D. in Social and Political Philosophy from IIT Indore, India serves as the Teaching Beat and Work/Life Balance editor for the APA Blog. Her research delves into utopia, social imagination, and politics, with a focus on the aftermath of socialist experiments on Liberal-Capitalist-Democratic societies. Currently authoring "Politics, Utopia, and Social Imagination."
