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3A New Look at the Classical Chinese Dào of the Relation between Word and WorldRoyal Institute of Philosophy Supplement 95 181-198. 2024.I argue that the absence of some of the ‘greatest hits’ of Western philosophy in Classical China can be explained by a Wittgensteinian take on the role of language in philosophy. One is the ‘Idea Theory’ of meaning which anchors Western Mind-Body dualism. Its attraction is removed when the writing reminds us that a picture does not by itself ‘give life to’ our language even while it plays a role of cross-linguistic communication. Another is the centrality of a law-command theory of normativity w…Read more
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11Chinese PhilosophersIn Robert L. Arrington (ed.), A Companion to the Philosophers, Blackwell. 2017.Some of the authors of the essays on Chinese philosophers prefer the pin yin system of romanization for Chinese names and words, while others prefer the Wade‐Giles system. Given that both systems are in wide use today, important names and words are given in both their pin yin and Wade‐Giles formulations. The author's preference is printed first, followed by the alternative romanization within brackets.
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7Chinese Confucianism and DaoismIn Charles Taliaferro, Paul Draper & Philip L. Quinn (eds.), A Companion to Philosophy of Religion, Wiley‐blackwell. 2010.This chapter contains sections titled: The Problem of Definition Problems of Interpretation Nature and Convention Transcendence Death and the Afterlife Problems of Evil Fatalism and Free Will? Divine Command Theory Piety and Divine Simplicity Works cited.
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43. The Relatively Happy FishIn Roger T. Ames & Takahiro Nakajima (eds.), Zhuangzi and the Happy Fish, University of Hawaii Press. pp. 50-77. 2015.
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16Tao Te Ching: On the Art of Harmony: The New Illustrated Edition of the Chinese Philosophical MasterpieceDuncan Baird Publishers. 2009.Although written more than 2,500 years ago and within a radically different culture, the Tao Te Ching's concepts and teachings have become more influential in the West than ever before. Laozi, the Chinese sage and founder of Taoism, sets out a path (tao) that allows us to tune in to the nature of the universe. His axioms are intended to help us achieve transcendence and a life of integrity and balance: they explore the importance of male and female complementary qualities while praising self-kno…Read more
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7Herbert Fingarette, Confucius: The Secular as Sacred, Harper Torch-books, 84 pp., 1972, $ 1.95Journal of Chinese Philosophy 3 (2): 197-204. 1976.
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19Hsün Yüeh : The Life and Reflections of an Early Medieval ConfucianHsun Yueh : The Life and Reflections of an Early Medieval Confucian (review)Journal of the American Oriental Society 101 (3): 388. 1981.
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Language in the heart-mindIn Robert Elliott Allinson (ed.), Understanding the Chinese Mind: The Philosophical Roots, Oxford University Press. pp. 75--124. 1989.
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96Mass nouns and "a white horse is not a horse"Philosophy East and West 26 (2): 189-209. 1976.The most famous paradox in chinese philosophy, Kung-Sun lung's "white horse not horse" has been taken as evidence of platonism, Aristotelian essentialism, Class logic, Etc., In ancient chinese thought. I argue that a nominalistic interpretation utilizing the notion of "stuffs" (mass objects) is a more plausible explanation of the dialogue. It is more coherent internally, More consistent with kung-Sun lung's other dialogues, And the tradition of chinese thought which is usually regarded as nomina…Read more
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39The normative impact of comparative ethics: Human rightsIn Kwong-Loi Shun & David B. Wong (eds.), Confucian Ethics: A Comparative Study of Self, Autonomy, and Community, Cambridge University Press. pp. 72--99. 2004.
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288A Daoist theory of Chinese thought: a philosophical interpretationOxford University Press. 1992.This ambitious book presents a new interpretation of Chinese thought guided both by a philosopher's sense of mystery and by a sound philosophical theory of meaning. That dual goal, Hansen argues, requires a unified translation theory. It must provide a single coherent account of the issues that motivated both the recently untangled Chinese linguistic analysis and the familiar moral-political disputes. Hansen's unified approach uncovers a philosophical sophistication in Daoism that traditional ac…Read more
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52Remembering Mass: Response to Yang Xiaomei (review)Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 10 (4): 541-546. 2011.
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105How Chinese Thought “Shapes” Western ThoughtThe Proceedings of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy 12 25-40. 2001.I begin this paper with some autobiographical reflections of my own journey in Chinese languages and philosophy not only in order to demonstrate how Chinese philosophy can change one’s attitudes toward Western philosophy, but also to suggest that the shift in philosophical perspective that occurs—when viewed through a Chinese lens—is reasonable. The second half of this paper consists of interpretative hypotheses about the content of Chinese philosophy vis-à-vis the West. I reflect more specifica…Read more
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52Classical chinese philosophy as linguistic analysisJournal of Chinese Philosophy 14 (3): 309-330. 1987.
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112The relatively happy fishAsian Philosophy 13 (2 & 3). 2003.Zhuangzi and Hui Shi's discussion about whether Zhuangzi knows 'fish's happiness' is a Daoist staple. The interpretations, however, portray it as humorous miscommunication between a mystic and a logician. I argue for a fine inferential analysis that explains the argument in a way that informs Zhuangzi philosophical lament at Hui Shi's passing. It also reverses the dominant image of the two thinkers. Zhuangzi emerges as the superior dialectician, the clearer, more analytic epistemologist. Hui Shi…Read more
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14Review of Mencius and Early Chinese Thought by Kwong-Loi Shun (review)Philosophy East and West 49 (2): 207-209. 1999.
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2Individualism in Chinese thoughtIn Donald J. Munro (ed.), Individualism and holism: studies in Confucian and Taoist values, Center For Chinese Studies, University of Michigan. pp. 35--56. 1985.
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76Washing the dust from my mirror: The deconstruction of buddhism—a response to Bronwyn finniganPhilosophy East and West 61 (1): 160-174. 2011.I thank Professors Finnigan and Garfield (Jay) and the editors of Philosophy East and West for inviting me to join in this discussion of Chinese Buddhism. I have not taken many opportunities in my career to write about Zen Buddhism and Daoism, although I have been fascinated by their connection. I remember quite clearly a discussion I had with Jay some years back in which I broached the idea that Daoism had contributed important dialectical steps leading to the formulation of Zen, which I join t…Read more
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86Prolegomena to future solutions to "white-horse not horse"Journal of Chinese Philosophy 34 (4). 2007.
Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Law |
Asian Philosophy |
Areas of Interest
Epistemology |
Philosophy of Language |
Meta-Ethics |
Asian Philosophy |