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4Remembering Jiyuan YuPhilosophy East and West 67 (4): 955-956. 2017.Jiyuan Yu 余纪元, professor of philosophy in the Department of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, and Executive Director of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy since 2012, passed away on November 3, 2016, after a two-year battle with cancer. His passing is a major loss to many, especially to the international community of Chinese and comparative philosophy.Born in China, Jiyuan was among the first batches of students entering universities after the Cultural Revo…Read more
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15In Defense of a Conception of Confucian HarmonyPhilosophy East and West 67 (1): 256-266. 2017.It is a great honor to have colleagues engaging in a meaningful discussion of my book. I appreciate my critics’ thoughtful and constructive criticisms as well as exceedingly generous praises. Due to space limitations, I will confine my response to some key issues raised here. I will begin with Yao Xinzhong’s criticism of my claim and argument on the centrality of harmony in Confucian philosophy. Yao reads my view as being that harmony is the central concept or ideal in Confucian philosophy, whic…Read more
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19Education as a Human Right: A Confucian PerspectivePhilosophy East and West 67 (1): 37-46. 2017.Joseph Chan’s Confucian Perfectionism: A Political Philosophy for Modern Times is a milestone in the contemporary study of Confucian political philosophy. In this remarkable work, Chan presents his version of Confucian perfectionism, aiming to balance liberalism and Confucianism as a solution to reconstructing a political philosophy in response to contemporary challenges. I am sympathetic to much of what Chan has to say in the book. I agree that, rather than merely being an ethical theory, Confu…Read more
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63The Fallacy of the Slippery Slope Argument on AbortionJournal of Applied Philosophy 9 (2): 233-237. 1992.ABSTRACT This paper attempts to show that the acorn–oak tree argument against the slippery slope on the personhood of the fetus is valid and William Cooney's attack on this argument fails. I also argue that the slippery slope argument leads to on undesirable conclusion and should not be used as a valid tool in the debate on the personhood of the fetus
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98Confucian moral cultivation, longevity, and public policyDao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 9 (1): 25-36. 2010.By investigating the link between the Confucian ideal of longevity and moral cultivation, I argue that Confucian moral cultivation is founded on the ideal of harmony, and, in this connection, it promotes a holistic, healthy life, of which longevity is an important component. My argument is internal to Confucianism, in the sense that it aims to show these concepts are coherently constructed within the Confucian philosophical framework; I do not go beyond the Confucian framework to prove its valid…Read more
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52Review of Bryan Van norden, Virtue Ethics and Consequentialism in Early Chinese Philosophy (review)Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews 2008 (2). 2008.
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48Mind-body identity revisedPhilosophia 24 (1-2): 105-114. 1994.The materialist thesis that there is a type-type identity between certain mental phenomena and certain physical phenomena has encountered serious criticisms. This paper is to propose a revised form of mind-body identity theory which moves forward from the token identity theory and can stand the major criticism made against the type-type identity theory. In the first part of the paper, through a very brief review of the issue I show what needs to be done; in the second part, I show how my solutio…Read more
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95Natural kinds: Direct reference, realism, and the impossibility of necessary a posteriori truthReview of Metaphysics 47 (2): 261-76. 1993.SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED that water is H2O. Water is H2O is true. But is it a necessary truth? In other words, is it true in all possible worlds? Some people think it is. For example Hilary Putnam, in his well-known Twin Earth argument, concludes that "water is H2O" is necessarily true; thus a liquid which phenomenally resembles H2O and fits the description of water in almost all aspects, but has the chemical formula XYZ, cannot be water. Saul Kripke has made a similar claim about the necessar…Read more
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3Toward a Contextual Approach to the Question of BeingDissertation, The University of Connecticut. 1992.The traditional ontology is a substance-ontology. It is the ontology that an object is primarily a substance, which has a definite being and properties. A lot of philosophical problems are tied to this ontology. I deconstruct the ontology of substance and propose a being-ontology. It is a way to see the world, instead of as a totality of substances, as a totality of ways of being. It has two theses. First, an object is not viewed as a substance which has properties, but as an entity that has var…Read more
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312At two fronts I defend my 1994 article. I argue that differences between Confucian jen ethics and feminist care ethics do not preclude their shared commonalities in comparison with Kantian, utilitarian, and contractarian ethics, and that Confucians do care. I also argue that Confucianism is capable of changing its rules to reflect its renewed understanding of jen, that care ethics is feminist, and that similarities between Confucian and care ethics have significant implications
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14Governance for Harmony in Asia and Beyond (edited book)Routledge. 2009.Harmony has become a major challenge for modern governance in the twenty-first century because of the multi-religious, multi-racial and multi-ethnic character of our increasingly globalized societies. Governments all over the world are facing growing pressure to integrate the many diverse elements and subcultures which make up modern pluralistic societies. This book examines the idea of harmony, and its place in politics and governance, both in theory and practice, in Asia, the West and elsewher…Read more
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49When my grandfather stole persimmons... Reflections on confucian filial loveDao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 7 (2): 135-139. 2008.
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58Xunzi on the origin of goodness: A new interpretationJournal of Chinese Philosophy 38 (s1): 46-63. 2011.This essay explores a seeming mystery in the philosophy of Xunzi (荀子310-238 BCE), namely how goodness could have emerged in a world of people with only a bad human nature. I will examine existing interpretations and present a new reading of Xunzi. My purpose is to reconstruct a coherent view in Xunzi‟s philosophy as presented in the book of the Xunzi rather than defend the truth of his claims regarding human history.
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93Where Does Confucian Virtuous Leadership Stand?Philosophy East and West 59 (4): 531-536. 2008.There is an inner thoroughness spirit in traditional Chinese learning of classics—the so-called "Guoxue" in Chinese. Only on this foundation of "thoroughness" spirit can academics show its vigorous culture life and spiritual life, which makes traditional Chinese learning of classics pursue the transcendence of heaven and man and can’t be divided into a religion. Our traditional Chinese values and its original significance exist in our traditional academic system and the enlightenment of propriet…Read more
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75The Confucian Conception of FreedomPhilosophy East and West 64 (4): 902-919. 2014.Freedom is intrinsic to a good life. An account of the Confucian conception of the good life must include a reasonable conception of freedom. Studies in Chinese ideas of freedom, however, have been focused mostly on Daoism. A quick survey of some fine books on Chinese philosophy shows little result on Confucian freedom.1 In this essay, I argue that attributing a notion of “free will” to Confucian philosophy has serious limitations; it will be more fruitful to draw on contemporary feminist theori…Read more
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33The seventeenth international conference for chinese philosophyJournal of Chinese Philosophy 38 (1): 166-166. 2011.
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131The ideal of harmony in ancient chinese and greek philosophyDao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 7 (1): 81-98. 2008.This article offers a study of the early formation and development of the ideal of harmony in ancient Chinese philosophy and ancient Greek philosophy. It shows that, unlike the Pythagorean notion of harmony, which is primarily based on a linear progressive model with a pre-set order, the ancient Chinese concept of harmony is best understood as a comprehensive process of harmonization. It encompasses spatial as well as temporal dimensions, metaphysical as well as moral and aesthetical dimensions.…Read more
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42The Sage and the Second Sex: Confucianism, Ethics, and Gender (edited book)Open Court Publishing. 2000.This collection of essays by noted scholars in the fields of Asian studies & feminist thought sheds new light on the connections between Confucianism & feminist ethics.
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7The Tao Encounters the West: Explorations in Comparative PhilosophySUNY Press. 1999.Examines liberal democracy and Confucianism as two value systems and argues for a future where both coexist as independent value systems in China.
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160The confucian ideal of harmonyPhilosophy East and West 56 (4): 583-603. 2006.: This is a study of the Confucian ideal of harmony and harmonization (he 和). First, through an investigation of the early development of he in ancient China, the meaning of this concept is explored. Second, a philosophical analysis of he and a discussion of the relation between harmony, sameness, and strife are offered. Also offered are reasons why this notion is so important to Confucian philosophy. Finally, on the basis of value pluralism, a case is made for the Confucian approach of he to th…Read more
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127The philosophy of harmony in classical confucianismPhilosophy Compass 3 (3). 2008.This essay introduces the philosophy of harmony in Classical Confucianism. In the first part of the essay the author summarizes the concept of harmony as it was developed in various Confucian classics. In the second part, the author offers an account of the Confucian program of harmony, ranging from internal harmony in the person, to harmony in the family, the state, the international world, and finally to harmony in the entire universe.
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263Shifting perspectives: Filial morality revisitedPhilosophy East and West 47 (2): 211-232. 1997.Does morality require the filial obligation of grown children toward their aged parents? First, problems with some accounts of filial morality that have been put forth in recent years in the West are examined (Jane English, Jeffrey Blustein, and others), and then it is shown how Confucianism provides a sensible alternative perspective
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164The Confucian Concept of Jen and the Feminist Ethics of Care: A Comparative StudyHypatia 9 (1). 1994.This article compares Confucian ethics of Jen and feminist ethics of care. It attempts to show that they share philosophically significant common grounds. Its findings affirm the view that care-orientation in ethics is not a characteristic peculiar to one sex. It also shows that care-orientation is not peculiar to subordinated social groups. Arguing that the oppression of women is not an essential element of Confucian ethics, the author indicates the Confucianism and feminism are compatible.
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53Equality and Inequality in ConfucianismDao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 11 (3): 295-313. 2012.This essay studies equality and inequality in Confucianism. By studying Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, and other classic thinkers, I argue that Confucian equality is manifested in two forms. Numerical equality is founded in the Mencian belief that every person is born with the same moral potential and the Xunzian notion that all people have the same xing and the same potential for moral cultivation. It is also manifested in the form of role-based equality. Proportional equality, however, is the main…Read more
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Meeting the Challenge of Democracy to Confucianism®In Keli Fang (ed.), Chinese Philosophy and the Trends of the 21st Century Civilization, Commercial Press. pp. 4--231. 2003.
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31Doing Chinese Political Philosophy Without “Mat Vendor’s Fallacy”Journal of Chinese Philosophy 34 (2): 155-159. 2007.
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42Understanding Confucian Philosophy: Classical and Sung-Ming (review) (review)Philosophy East and West 51 (2): 312-314. 2001.In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Reviewed by:Understanding Confucian Philosophy: Classical and Sung-MingChenyang LiUnderstanding Confucian Philosophy: Classical and Sung-Ming. By Shu-hsien Liu. Westport and London: Praeger, 1998. Pp. xii + 273.Understanding Confucian Philosophy: Classical and Sung-Ming, by Shu-hsien Liu, a leading contemporary Neo-Confucian scholar, aims to present the Confucian tradition [End Page 312] from a contemporary Neo-Confucian perspective …Read more
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170Does confucian ethics integrate care ethics and justice ethics? The case of menciusAsian Philosophy 18 (1). 2008.In recent years, scholars of Confucian ethics have debated on important issues such as whether Confucian ethics embraces, or should embrace, universal values and impartiality. Some have argued that Confucian ethics integrates both care and justice, and that Confucian ethics is both particularistic and universalistic. In this essay, I will defend a view of the relation between care and justice and the relation between care ethics and justice ethics on the basis of the notion of 'configuration of …Read more
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30Confucian Harmony, Greek Harmony, and Liberal HarmonyDao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 15 (3): 427-435. 2016.In this paper I respond to criticisms from Jiyuan Yu, Yu Kam Por, and Daniel Bell on interpreting Confucian philosophy of harmony and on various views of harmony from Confucian, Greek, liberal and global perspectives.
Fairfield, Connecticut, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Chinese Philosophy |
Classical Chinese Philosophy |
Areas of Interest
Philosophical Traditions |
Chinese Philosophy |
Classical Chinese Philosophy |
Value Theory |