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Han Feizi's philosophical psychology : human nature, scarcity, and the neodarwinian consensusIn Jon D. Carlson & Russell Arben Fox (eds.), The State of Nature in Comparative Political Thought: Western and Non-Western Perspectives, Lexington Books. 2013.
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9The Mencian Triplet of Ceyin Zhi Xin: Perceptive, Affective, and MotivationalIn Yang Xiao & Kim-Chong Chong (eds.), Dao Companion to the Philosophy of Mencius, Springer. pp. 557-575. 2023.In this chapter, I propose to use the layered structure of a Russian Doll Model initially used by Frans de Waal and some of the most recent and influential empirical studies to interpret ceyin zhi xin. At the core of ceyin zhi xin, I argue, lies the Perceptive-Affective-Motive Triplet that includes perceptive, affective and motivational aspects. The Russian Doll Model helps to illustrate the structure of ceyin zhi xin as containing both the multifaceted triplet as its inner layer and higher cogn…Read more
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13Amy Olberding, The Wrong of Rudeness: Learning Modern Civility from Ancient Chinese PhilosophyJournal of Moral Philosophy 19 (6): 650-653. 2022.
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15Part 1: Moral motivation in Mencius—When a child falls into a wellPhilosophy Compass 1 (8). 2019.As a 4th century BCE Confucian text, Mencius provides a rich reflection on moral emotions, such as empathy and compassion, and moral cultivation, which has drawn attention from scholars around the world. This two-part discussion dwells on the idea of natural moral motivation expressed through the analogy of the four sprouts—particularly the sprout of ceyin zhixin (the heart of feelings others' distress)—as the starting point, the focus, and the drive of moral cultivation. In this paper, Part 1, …Read more
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65Shame, Vulnerability, and ChangeJournal of the American Philosophical Association 8 (2): 373-390. 2022.Shame is frequently viewed as a destructive emotion; but it can also be understood in terms of change and growth. This essay highlights the problematic values that cause pervasive and frequent shame and the importance of resisting and changing these values. Using Confucian insights, I situate shame in an interactive process between the individual's values and that of their society, thus, being vulnerable to shame represents both one's connection to a community and an openness to others’ negative…Read more
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30Part 2: Moral motivation and moral cultivation in Mencius—When one burst of anger brings peace to the worldPhilosophy Compass 14 (8). 2019.As a 4th century BCE Confucian text, Mencius provides a rich reflection on moral emotions, such as empathy and compassion, and moral cultivation, which has drawn attention from scholars around the world. This two-part discussion dwells on the idea of natural moral motivation expressed through the analogy of the four sprouts—particularly the sprout of ceyin zhixin (the heart of feelings others' distress)—as the starting point, the focus, and the drive of moral cultivation. In Part 1, I presented …Read more
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797Constructing Morality with Mengzi: Three Lessons on the Metaethics of Moral ProgressIn Colin Marshall (ed.), Comparative Metaethics: Neglected Perspectives on the Foundations of Morality, Routledge. forthcoming.
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107The Emotions in Early Chinese Philosophy, by Virág Curie: New York, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. xiii + 219, £64 (hardback) (review)Australasian Journal of Philosophy 97 (2): 421-422. 2019.Volume 97, Issue 2, June 2019, Page 421-422.
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35Between Nature and Person: What the Neo-Confucian Wang Fuzhi Can Teach Us About Ecological Humanism (review)Comparative and Continental Philosophy 10 (3): 264-275. 2018.Seeking an alternative metaphysical view to anthropocentrism, which problematically places humans at the center of nature, Brasovan brings together the Neo-Confucian Wang Fuzhi’s account with ecological humanism. He aims to contribute a view of humans and nature that consists of continuous, dynamic and complex systems. Through critically engaging Brasovan’s account, I discuss Wang’s anti-anthropocentric metaphysics, his qi monism, and the spiritual side of his philosophy. I then criticize Brasov…Read more
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44Empathy for Non-Kin, the Faraway, the Unfamiliar, and the Abstract––An Interdisciplinary Study on Mencian Moral Cultivation and a Response to PrinzDao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 17 (3): 349-362. 2018.This article challenges the pessimistic view that empathy and other fellow feelings are biased and erratic motivation for morality. By discussing Mencius’ account on how to develop empathy from its biased and erratic beginnings, I argue that empathy can be extended to less common objects, such as non-kin, the faraway, the unfamiliar, and the abstract. The extension facilitated by empathy in turn enhances one’s moral cognition toward the sufferings of less common objects; the extension also helps…Read more
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49Han Fei Zi’s Philosophical Psychology: Human Nature, Scarcity, and the Neo-Darwinian ConsensusJournal of Chinese Philosophy 38 (2): 293-316. 2011.
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Areas of Specialization
Moral Psychology |
Classical Chinese Philosophy |
Moral Reasoning and Motivation |
Moral Emotion |
Areas of Interest
Normative Ethics |
Asian Philosophy |