LILIAN YIYUN JIN

Hello! I am a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy at MIT.

My research aims to understand fundamental human experiences and transform that understanding into effective practical guidance. My dissertation explores a central, often troubling, part of our lives: a deep-seated yet problematic intrinsic concern with our personal worth. This concern lies beneath the sting of humiliation, the anguish of social comparison and our relentless drive for success. It creates a phantom “economy of personal worth,” a distorting framework that leads us to treat success and excellence not just as practical goods, but as existential evidence of being a “winner” or a “loser.” My work illuminates this emotional and motivational substratum, provides new explanatory models for psychology, and ultimately aims to dismantle this framework—offering liberating ethical guidance and a critical lens for social, organizational, and technological design. Alongside this work on personal worth, I am developing a richer practical toolkit for emotional rationality to help us better navigate our emotional lives. 

I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. Prior to MIT, I received a B.S. in Mathematics from UCLA. 

I harvest my philosophy from my tree of life, its roots nourished by Daoist standing meditation (Zhanzhuang), Zhezhi (origami), Chinese calligraphy, free-form dancing, iPhone photography, and mindful strolls.