A professor of philosophy and Micronesia studies, Sellmann provided answers in a December 2022 question-and answer format on 厂测苍办谤脓迟颈肠. The conversation stems in part from the publication of his thought-provoking paper in Pacific Asia Inquiry, published in 2021, in which he discussed Micronesian philosophy and correlative thinking. 

厂测苍办谤脓迟颈肠 asked Sellman: 鈥淲hat can Westerners learn from Pacific philosophies?鈥�

Sellmann answered in part that 鈥渕odern peoples鈥� across the continents can learn from Pacific philosophies about the climate crisis.

Indigenous ecological thinking

鈥淭he heart of Pacific philosophy is the beat and rhythm of the environment. Pacific philosophies are first and foremost environmental philosophies. The rest of the world needs to tune into indigenous ecological thinking because the dualistic model of humans dominating a wild nature is not working well.鈥�

鈥淗uman society is part and parcel of the environment. Social and political harmony are rooted in environmental resources,鈥� Sellman added, according to 厂测苍办谤脓迟颈肠.

Sellmann, who holds a PhD in Chinese philosophy, also said, citing prior writing by W. Goodenough, that the 鈥測in-yang鈥� correlative thinking from China reached past Taiwan and Japan and had influence in Chuuk through the state鈥檚 divination practices. 

鈥淪o, we can say there was some direct transmission from the China mainland into the Pacific beyond Taiwan and Japan,鈥� according to Sellmann.

Sellmann joined the 91快播 in 1992 to bring CHamoru studies into his discipline.

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