Jun 2007, Volume 2 Issue 2
    

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  • Philosophical edifi cation and edificatory philosophy: On the basic features of the Confucian spirit
    LI Jinglin
    2007, 2(2): 151-171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0010-6
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    Edification eYSis one of the central concepts of Confucianism. The metaphysical basis of the Confucian edification is the philosophical theory  in the sense of rational humanism rather than the religious doctrine  in the sense of pure faith. Confucianism did not create a system of ceremony and propriety owned by Confucians only. The system of ceremony and propriety on which Confucians depend to carry out their social edification is that of rites and music,  the common life style of ancient China. After continual metaphysical explanation and elevation, the system of ceremony and propriety and that of rites and music have undergone a sort of ever-evolving historical fluctuation, and evinced a sort of openness and forgiveness comparable to that of any other religious form. Compared with typical religious practices, whose ceremonies and rituals that have their own special fixity and exclusivity, Confucian ceremonies and rituals are fundamentally different. The edification of Confucianism can be labeled as edification in the sense of philosophy.  As a philosophy , Confucianism s vision did not focus on cognition but on completion and realization.
  • Research on the issue of “evil” in Wang Yangming’s thought
    CHEN Lisheng
    2007, 2(2): 172-187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0011-5
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    Abstract Wang Yangming s discussions concerning evil mainly appear in two sets of texts, i.e., Chuanxilu O N`_U(Instructions for Practical Living) and gongyi Qly?(documents transferred to vertically unrelated departments). The former addresses evil in metaphysical terms, and the latter in social terms. These subtly different approaches show the nuance between self-cultivation and governance of others.
  • Logic paradigm in the “Mobian” investigation: From a hermeneutic point of view
    CHENG Zhongtang
    2007, 2(2): 188-205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0012-4
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    This article describes the logic paradigm in the Mobian  X◤? (the debate theory of the Mohist school) investigation from the point of view of hermeneutics, discloses the relationship between the overinterpretation tradition in China and the logic paradigm in the Mobian  investigation, observes the overinterpretation of the Mobian  by the creators and supporters of the logic paradigm from Liang Qichao and Hu Shi to the modernists, including mathematical logicians, and analyzes Shen Youding s reflections on the logic paradigm in his later life.
  • A preliminary discussion on Daoist bionomy: On the basis of Chen Yingning’s philosophy of immortals
    MOU Zhongjian
    2007, 2(2): 206-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0013-3
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    From the modern point of view, the Daoist regimen culture in China is actually a kind of oriental bionomy. Although it is less developed than the Western life sciences in terms of details and techniques, it has unique advantages in terms of its comprehensive grasp and dynamic observation of life, as well as its emphasis on the development of life potentiality and on the self adjustment and improvement of living bodies. Chen Yingning reestablished a Daoist bionomy through Xianxue N賉f(Philosophy of Immortals) which involves religious faith, philosophy and sciences, leaving us a valuable legacy. To establish a new bionomy system required by the modern society through learning from the Daoist bionomy, the academic circle has to seriously explore the four issues: (1) at the level of faith, to turn the Daoist faith in deities and gods into a pursuit of ideal personality; (2) with respect to the principles of regimen, to extend the dual cultivation into a kind of universal concept; (3) as with the way of regimen, to learn from the regimen thought of Daoism and combine the inner cultivation with the outer one, and static exercise with dynamic exercise; and (4) with regard to the ways of treatment of diseases, to combine the Daoist medicine with the Western medicine.
  • On the phenomenon of “return to Marx” in China
    HE Ping
    2007, 2(2): 219-229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0014-2
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    From the point of view of the development of Chinese Marxist philosophy, this paper comprehensively analyzes the current phenomenon of Return to Marx  by pointing out: (1) the phenomenon of Return to Marx  meets the need to reconstruct ideology during the time of social change in China and it is a theoretical manifestation of the shift from planned economy to market economy in China; (2) the phenomenon of Return to Marx  embodies the academic path of the past ten years of Chinese Marxist philosophy; (3) the phenomenon of Return to Marx  places too much emphasis on logic while too little emphasis on history. This understanding, the epistemological root of Return to Marx , has caused the negative effect and is also worth our attention and further study.
  • Philosophy’s predicament and Hegel’s ghost: Refl ections on the view that there is “no philosophy in China”
    ZHANG Yunyi
    2007, 2(2): 230-246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0015-1
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    When Western science was introduced to modern China, more translated words were used to express fundamental concepts and terms than borrowed words. The process of academic translation, commensuration, and communication between Western and Chinese philosophy is a process of comparative philosophical research. Nowadays, however, it seems that Chinese philosophy is evaluated by a Western Hegelian criterion. This leads to the debate over whether or not China has philosophy. But it is meaningless to argue about whether or not China has the name of philosophy. The key issue is whether or not China has the actuality of philosophy. Looking at the history of Western philosophy, it seems that the Hegelian definition of philosophy was the only one that existed in Europe. However, during the last 200 years after Hegel that the two main philosophical trends of positivism (scientism) and irrationalism developed from anti-Hegelianism or Spurning Metaphysics.  As metaphysics is being reconstructed, the ghost of Hegel has reappeared. It is clear that in the future, philosophy will evolve from the development of human metaphysics or cultural philosophy. It is a process of the negation of negation : from traditional metaphysics to the spurning of metaphysics, and then to human metaphysics.
  • Cogito: From Descartes to Sartre*
    MO Weimin
    2007, 2(2): 247-264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0016-0
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    Cogito, as the first principle of Descartes  metaphysical system, initiated the modern philosophy of consciousness, becoming both the source and subject of modern Western philosophical discourse. The philosophies of Maine de Biran, Kant, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, and others developed by answering the following questions? Is consciousness substantial or not? Does consciousness require the guarantee of a transcendental subject? Is Cogito epistemological or ontological? Am I a being-for-myself or a being-for-others? Outlining the developmental history of the idea of Cogito from Descartes to Sartre is important for totally comprehending the evolution and development of Western philosophy.
  • Justice as a virtue: An analysis of Aristotle’s virtue of justice
    HUANG Xianzhong
    2007, 2(2): 265-279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0017-z
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    People currently regard justice as the main principle of institutions and society, while in ancient Greek people took it as the virtue of citizens. This article analyzes Aristotle s virtue of justice in his method of virtue ethics, discussing the nature of virtue, how justice is the virtue of citizens, what kind of virtue the justice of citizens is, and the prospect of the virtue of justice against a background of institutional justice. Since virtue can be said to be a specific individual character, Aristotle also defines the virtue of justice as the character of justice, with which citizens act justly and desire to do what is just. The virtue of justice is also an individual ethical virtue, differing from others for it is at the same time a social ethic. We can call the virtue of justice a non-individual individual ethical virtue.  It has been explained as between pure altruism and egoism, which is a wrong explanation. John Rawls regards justice as the first virtue of social institutions, challenging Aristotle s virtue of justice, an assertion which also needs further deliberation.
  • Just war and justice of war: Refl ections on ethics of war
    ZUO Gaoshan
    2007, 2(2): 280-290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0018-y
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    War can be defined as organized political violence among two or more nations. In accordance with the purpose, processes and results of war, the ethics of war generally comprises three aspects: right ethics, action ethics and duty ethics. The most important issue in ethics of war is justice . Justice  and injustice  as a conceptual pair do not prescribe the objective character of war but rather convey a subjective attitude and ethical position that have the potential to compel a populace to either support or oppose a war.
  • Confucius and Aristotle on friendship: A comparative study
    HE Yuanguo
    2007, 2(2): 291-307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-007-0019-x
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    Before and during the times of Confucius and Aristotle, the concept of friendship had very different implications. This paper compares Confucius  with Aristotle s thoughts on friendship from two perspectives: xin O?(fidelity, faithfulness) and le NP(joy). The Analects emphasizes the xin as the basis of friendship. Aristotle holds that there are three kinds of friends and corresponding to them are three types of friendship. In the friendship for the sake of pleasure, there is no xin; in the legal form of friendship for the sake of utility, xin is guaranteed by law; and in the moral form of friendship for the sake of utility, xin is guaranteed by morality; in the friendship for the sake of virtue, xin is an indispensable part. Both thinkers believe friends can bring joy to human life. According to Confucius, it is the joy of rendao N翋S(benevolence), whereas for Aristotle, it is the joy of Reason. There are many commonalities and differences between the two. The commonalities reveal some inner links between Confucian rendao and Aristotelian Reason. It seems that the differences between rendao and Reason are the differences between moral reason and logical reason. The comparative study is helpful for us to understand the two masters  ethics, politics and philosophy.