Ernan McMullin presented the Department of Philosophy a collection of books by the Americans. Our Chinese hosts were extremely generous. The alchemy of outstanding philosophy, the informal rivalry and private conversations around meals and even a trip to enjoy Peking Opera, helped forge close friendships between everyone. I would like to conclude this report on a personal note. In our profession, I believe it is easy to sink into one's own projects and to sink into a range of friends.
New friendships can become the exception to life as usual.
I believe this symposium was a great opportunity to shake up the terrain of settled boundaries and, unless I am terribly mistaken, it secured open-ended, enduring contacts between and among this group of Chinese and American scholars. I have been asked by many members of SCP how one gets invited to the Peking Symposium in Philosophy and Religion. Not everyone, of course, can participate in the SCP trips to China. Nonetheless, everyone with interest and initiative can arrange a significant inter-cultural exchange with a university in China. This could maximize SCP members in China while minimizing the importance of the Peking Symposia.