Rob Koepp's presentation

CAMBRIDGE ENIGMAS, CHINESE RIDDLES,

AND

EMERGENT OPPORTUNITIES

ROB KOEPP

5 OCTOBER 2010

The Cambridge-China“Kangqiao” Phenomenon

© Rob Koepp, 2010

2

Farewell Again to Cambridge (“Kangqiao”)

So lightly I depart

As lightly as I came

I lightly wave farewell

To clouds in westward sky

…

5 October 2010

Taoist sense of sensual abandonment and self-actualization

Xu Zhimo, 1897—1931 Modern romantic poet 1922: studied for seven months at King’s Signature poem: Farewell Again (1928)

© Rob Koepp, 2010

3

Kangqiao As Imagined in China

Romantic

Creative

Free (whimsical)

Intellectual

Elite

5 October 2010

Taoist

Confucian

© Rob Koepp, 2010

4

“Two Cultures” of Chinese Thought

5 October 2010

Enlightenment through nature

Man is complete abandonment

“Nothing” is perfectionOrder out of chaos Populist

Enlightenment through discipline and study

Man is good humanism

“Control” is perfection

Chaos demands order

Elitist

Lao Zi c. 600 BCE—? Tao Te Ching Taoism

Confucius 551—479 BCE Analects Confucianism

© Rob Koepp, 2010

5

Chinese Riddles

5 October 2010

Integrated Dualities

Morality: Taoist and Confucian

Spirituality: Chinese and foreign (Buddhism)

Identity: national and regional

Society: ancient (feudal) and modern

Ideology: Communism and Confucianism

© Rob Koepp, 2010

6

Cambridge Enigmas

5 October 2010

C. P. Snow, The Two Cultures (1959)

Bertrand Russel, The Prospects of Industrial Civilization (1923)

Joseph Needham, Science and Civilization in China (1954 …)

© Rob Koepp, 2010

7

C. P. Snow’s “Two Cultures”

5 October 2010

Charles Percy Snow, 1905—1980 Physicist and novelist Fellow of Christ’s College 1959 Rede Lecture

Conflicting Dualities

Science versus humanities

Upper versus lower classes

West versus East

Capitalism versus Communism

© Rob Koepp, 2010

8

Larger Contexts

5 October 2010

Cambridge Approach

Socratic

“+” Builds on difference

“−” Ripped by difference

Conflict reveals truth

Chinese Approach

Introspective

“+” Merges differences

“−” Stifles differences

Harmony is truth

© Rob Koepp, 2010

9

The Prospects of Industrial Civilization

Bertrand Russell, 1872—1970 China accommodates (and inspires)

Cambridge

Peking University, 1921

5 years after “exile” from Trinity College

“… months of quiet which the gentle atmosphere … of a non-industrial country such as China.”

By nature industrial organization fosters dictatorship. Confucian Communists agree but with “humane”

expectations 5 October 2010

© Rob Koepp, 2010

10

“The Man Who Loved China”

5 October 2010

Joseph Needham, 1900—1995 Creator of Science and Civilization in China, ongoing

CUP series since 1954A man of three “two cultures”

Disciplinary: Science and liberal arts Societal: Western and Chinese civilizations Temporal: Past and present

© Rob Koepp, 2010

11

Needham Puzzles

Original puzzle: Why, with its advanced techno-scientific accomplishments, did China not industrialize before the West?

The overlooked Cambridge riddle: why, with all of Cambridge’s scientific accomplishments, did Britain not dominate late-stage global industrialization?

The post-industrial China puzzle: will China innovate (and not only manufacture) for future economic growth?

The new Cambridge riddle: will Cambridge participate in leading (versus following) global technology trends?

5 October 2010

© Rob Koepp, 2010

12

Needham Reflection

5 October 2010

In some ways, China never lost its lead…

“… in China there developed an organic philosophy of Nature that closely resembles that which modern science has been obliged to adopt after three centuries of scientific materialism.”

© Rob Koepp, 2010

13

Riddle Answers

13th Century: Cambridge University Academic excellence

Intellectual freedom Political support

17th Century: Britain’s Age of Reason Empirical Science

Tolerance and dissidence build society Science, capital, industry interact

2oth Century: Silicon Valley Regional economic-academic strategy

Industry supports academia Management grows companies

5 October 2010

Revolutions

more in

methods and

environment

than in minds

© Rob Koepp, 2010

14

New Riddle: Confucian Work Ethic Ceiling

5 October 2010

Late 20th Century: Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore

Early 21st Century: China

© Rob Koepp, 2010

15

China’s Kangqiao Opportunities

Break Through the Confucian Ceiling

Rediscover Taoist roots Scientific creativity Innovative management Entrepreneurial government

Proactively engage the West

5 October 2010

© Rob Koepp, 2010

16

The Tao in The West

Science and Civilization in China

5 October 2010

Fuzzy Logic

The Tao of Physics

The Tao Jones Averages

Building Cross Cultural Competence

© Rob Koepp, 2010

17

Mutual Kangqiao Opportunities

5 October 2010

Cambridge

Hard Power Strength Sci-tech infrastructure

Soft Power Strengths Educational ideals Social aspirations Innovation models Management methods Brand

China

Hard Power Strength Manufacturing base

Soft Power Strengths Social morals Global aspirations Holistic science Harmonized living Allure

© Rob Koepp, 2010

18

Will Cambridge Manifest its Kangqiao?

5 October 2010

Cambridge campus in China … Other universities already have

Transnational R&D and scientific discovery … Sony-Ericsson Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Chinese finance in Cambridge … Can the Tao of investment work here?

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