The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought

Harold Coward

Description

How perfectible is human nature as understood in Eastern and Western philosophy, psychology, and religion? Harold Coward examines some of the very different answers to this question. He poses that in Western thought, including philosophy, psychology, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, human nature is often understood as finite, flawed, and not perfectible—in religion requiring God's grace and the afterlife to reach the goal. By contrast, Eastern thought arising in India frequently sees human nature to be perfectible and presumes that we will be reborn until we realize the goal—the various yoga psychologies, philosophies, and religions of Hinduism and Buddhism being the paths by which one may perfect oneself and realize release from rebirth. Coward uses the striking differences in the assessment of how perfectible human nature is as the comparative focus for this book.
Acknowledgments

1. Introduction

Part I. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Western Thought

2. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Western Philosophy and Psychology

3. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Jewish Thought

4. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Christian Thought

5. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Islamic Thought

Part II. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern Thought (arising in India)

6. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Indian Philosophy and Yoga Psychology

7. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Hindu Thought

8. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Buddhist Thought

9. Conclusion

Notes
Index

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478851
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought

SUNY series in Religious Studies Harold Coward,editor

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern and Western Thought

Harold Coward

S TATE  U NIVERSITY OF  N EW  Y ORK  P RESS

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2008 State University of New York

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Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Coward, Harold G. The perfectibility of human nature in eastern and western thought / Harold Coward. p. cm. — (SUNY series in religious studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7914-7335-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-7914-7336-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Perfection. 2. Perfection—Religious aspects. 3. Philosophical anthropology. I. Title.

BD233.C69 2007 128—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2007016826

To my granddaughter, Annie, who stood at my elbow watching me write this book

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Introduction

Contents

Part I. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Western Thought

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Western Philosophy and Psychology

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Jewish Thought

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Christian Thought

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Islamic Thought

Part II. The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Eastern Thought (arising in India)

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Indian Philosophy and Yoga Psychology

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Hindu Thought

The Perfectibility of Human Nature in Buddhist Thought

Conclusion

Notes

Index

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Acknowledgments

I wish to thank Nancy Ellegate of SUNY Press for encouraging me to write this book. June Thomson gave me valuable assistance in library research and Vicki Simmons in preparation of the manuscript. Thanks are due to several colleagues who kindly read draft chapters and of- fered suggestions for revision: Elizer Segal, David Hawkin, Andrew Rippin, Anatanand Rambachan, David Loy, and Robert Florida. Help- ful suggestions were also received from Roland Miller, Hanna Kassis and Fred Denny. To make this volume as accessible as possible to readers who do not know the sacred languages, diacriticals have been omitted from Hebrew, Arabic, and Sanskrit words. Finally a word of special appreciation to my wife, Rachel, who lovingly supported me in the writing of this and all my previous books.

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