Ritual and Deference

Robert Cummings Neville

Description

Ritual and Deference develops Robert Cummings Neville's thesis that contemporary philosophy has much to gain by shaping itself through important themes of the Chinese philosophical traditions, especially the themes of ritual and deference. Neville here offers a broad and detailed interpretation of the relevance of Confucianism and Daoism to contemporary issues. The discussion includes analyses of classical Confucian and Daoist texts, especially those of Xunzi and Laozi, and of the current scene of English-speaking philosophy advancing Chinese themes. The book also reflects on the nature of comparative philosophy as such, and the role that comparative philosophy has in the ongoing contemporary engagement with globalization, the clash of cultures, and scientific transformations of the worldviews of diverse civilizations. Neville stresses the importance of deferring to the integrity of cultures while still submitting them to normative analysis and criticism.

Preface

1. A Confucian Program

Metaphysics
Philosophical Cosmology
Human Nature
Social Theory

2. The Significance of Confucian Values

Values for the Good Life: Conventional, Yet Normative
A Confucian Solution: Ritual
High Civilizations: Competing Values and Global Rituals
A Homily on Humaneness

3. Ritual in Xunzi

Initial Considerations of Ritual in Xunzi
Ritual and Semiotics
Ritual and Desire
Ritual, Integration, and Religion

4. Daoist Relativism, Ethical Choice, and Normative Measure

A Metaphysical Daoism
Normative Measure
Daoist Ethics
Daoism and Confucianism Compared

5. Chinese Influences in English-Speaking Philosophy

Scholarly Influences
Roger T. Ames and David L. Hall
Tu Weiming and Cheng Chungying
Wu Kuangming

6. Methodology, Practices, and Disciplines in Chinese and Western Philosophy

The Problem
Methodology as a Concern
Philosophical Practices
Philosophical Discipline

7. Metaphysics for Contemporary Chinese Philosophy

The Need for Metaphysics
Themes of Chinese Philosophy
Metaphysical Directions

8. The Conscious and Unconscious Placing of Ritual and Humanity

The Unconscious as a Problem for Confucian Virtue
Ritual and Humaneness
Deceptions of the Heart: Freud
Deceptions of the Heart: Marx

9. The Contemporary Mutual Development of Confucianism and Christianity

From Reformation of the Inner Heart to Loving the World
The Location of Ethical Analysis and Rectifying Power
Peace, Action, and Retreat

10. The Personal and the Impersonal in Conceptions of Divinity

Popular versus Sophisticated Religion Hypothesis
Development Hypothesis: Pre-Axial Age and Axial Age
Semiotic Hypothesis
Ontological-Anthropological Continuum Hypothesis

11. On Comparison

Models of Comparative Theology
Objectivist Comparison
Normative Comparison
Beyond Comparative to Integrative Philosophy

12. Contributions of Chinese Philosophy: A Summary Discussion

The Happy Portability of Chinese Philosophy
Ritual, Again
Ethics, Again
Orientation and the Self

Notes
Index

Sujets

• East Asian religions
• Taoism

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 13 juin 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478219
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

RITUAL AND DEFERENCE

SUNY series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture

Roger T. Ames, editor

ROBERT CUMMINGS NEVILLE

S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W Y O R K P R E S S

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2008 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Marilyn P. Semerad Marketing by Fran Keneston

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Neville, Robert C. Ritual and deference : extending Chinese philosophy in a comparative context / Robert Cummings Neville. p. cm. — (Suny series in chinese philosophy and culture ; 141) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 9780791474570 (alk. paper)

1. Philosophy, Chinese—To 221 B.C. 2. Philosophy, Comparative. I. Title. II. Title: Extending Chinese philosophy in a comparative context.

B126.N45 2008 181'.11—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2007035300

For John H. Berthrong

Mentor, Colleague, Friend

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P REFACE

O NE

T WO

T HREE

F OUR

Contents

A Confucian Program Metaphysics Philosophical Cosmology Human Nature Social Theory

The Significance of Confucian Values Values for the Good Life: Conventional, Yet Normative A Confucian Solution: Ritual High Civilizations: Competing Values and Global Rituals A Homily on Humaneness

Ritual in Xunzi Initial Considerations of Ritual in Xunzi Ritual and Semiotics Ritual and Desire Ritual, Integration, and Religion

Daoist Relativism, Ethical Choice, and Normative Measure A Metaphysical Daoism Normative Measure Daoist Ethics Daoism and Confucianism Compared

vii

xi

1 2 5 7 10

15 15 18

20 23

27 27 30 33 35

41 43 48 51 54

viii

F IVE

S IX

S EVEN

E IGHT

N INE

T EN

C O N T E N T S

Chinese Influences in English-Speaking Philosophy Scholarly Influences Roger T. Ames and David L. Hall Tu Weiming and Cheng Chungying Wu Kuangming

Methodology, Practices, and Disciplines in Chinese and Western Philosophy The Problem Methodology as a Concern Philosophical Practices Philosophical Discipline

Metaphysics for Contemporary Chinese Philosophy The Need for Metaphysics Themes of Chinese Philosophy Metaphysical Directions

The Conscious and Unconscious Placing of Ritual and Humanity The Unconscious as a Problem for Confucian Virtue Ritual and Humaneness Deceptions of the Heart: Freud Deceptions of the Heart: Marx

The Contemporary Mutual Development of Confucianism and Christianity From Reformation of the Inner Heart to Loving the World The Location of Ethical Analysis and Rectifying Power Peace, Action, and Retreat

The Personal and the Impersonal in Conceptions of Divinity Popular versus Sophisticated Religion Hypothesis Development Hypothesis: Pre-Axial Age and Axial Age Semiotic Hypothesis Ontological-Anthropological Continuum Hypothesis

59 60 64 66 71

75 75 77 80 85

89 90 92 95

101 101 103 105 109

113

114 116 118

121 122 123 124 125

E LEVEN

T WELVE

N OTES

I NDEX

Contents

On Comparison Models of Comparative Theology Objectivist Comparison Normative Comparison Beyond Comparative to Integrative Philosophy

Contributions of Chinese Philosophy: A Summary Discussion The Happy Portability of Chinese Philosophy Ritual, Again Ethics, Again Orientation and the Self

ix

127 127 133 140 142

149 149 153 155 157

163

187