Online research in philosophy

Shao Yung1 Shao Yung (-77) was an extraordinary thinker who lived during an extraordinary age. Among the great thinkers of the Northern Sung (960-), ...

A theoretical reconstruction of Lu Jiuyuan's view of the nature of human beings and their world is offered. Rejecting the widespread effort to distinguish among such concepts as xing ("human nature"), xin ("heart-mind"), and li ("pattern"), Lu regarded all such concepts as ultimately having the same referent, namely the inherent capability of humans and all things to produce and maintain order and, consequently, existence. Most often using the terms li and xin, Lu regarded li as the patterns of all activities, (...) events, and things of human society and the world. Real in the sense of belonging to actual human experience, these patterns enabled the world to exist to the fullest. Li or these patterns were opposed to disorder (luan), and thus li is called a concept of the "social real.". (shrink)

Featuring contributions from the world's most highly esteemed Asian philosophy scholars, this important encyclopedia covers the complex and increasingly influential field of Chinese thought, from earliest recorded times to the present day. Including coverage on the subject previously unavailable to English speakers, the Encyclopedia sheds light on the extensive range of concepts, movements, philosophical works, and thinkers that populate the field. It includes a thorough survey of the history of Chinese philosophy; entries on all major thinkers from Confucius to Mou (...) Zongsan; essential topics such as aesthetics, moral philosophy, philosophy of government, and philosophy of literature; surveys of Confucianism in all historical periods (Zhou, Han, Tang, and onward) and in key regions outside China; schools of thought such as Mohism, Legalism, and Chinese Buddhism; trends in contemporary Chinese philosophy, and more. The 187 entries are written by more than seventy-five of the world's leading specialists in the study of Asian thought, and include contributions from Roger T. Ames, Joanne D. Birdwhistell, Alan Chan, Chung-Ying Cheng, Hsueh-li Chung, Kai-wing Chow, Antonio S. Cua, Carine Defoort, Pei-jung Fu, and many others. The first Encyclopedia of Chinese Philosophy in the English language, this unique volume is highly readable as well as authoritative, making it valuable at a variety of levels. This resource will enrich the studies of undergraduate survey students, general readers with an interest in Chinese thought and culture, Asian studies or philosophy students, and graduate-level researchers. (shrink)