Past Shows
Notes on show: Original Airdate 05/10/2005
| Topic: | Confucius |
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| Guest: |  Paul Kjellberg, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Whittier College |
| What is it? | Confucius laid down a pattern of thinking followed by more people for more generations than any other human being on the face of the earth. No matter what religion, no matter what form of government, the Chinese (and most other East Asian civilizations) and their way of thinking can in some way be shown to have Confucian elements about them. Join John and Ken as they discuss the ancient wisdom of Confucius. |
About the Guest
Professor Kjellberg specializes in ancient Chinese philosophy, comparative philosophy, and the philosophy of education. He co-edited Essays on Skepticism, Relativism, and Ethics in the Zhuangzi and under review for publication is his forthcoming book A History of Chinese Skepticism: Zhuangzi and His Interpreters. Professor Kjellberg's complete CV is available here.
Listening Notes
Who was Confucius? He was a sixth century resident of China who wandered around teaching about virtue. He thought that if each level of a government is well ordered, each other level will be well ordered. Ken introduces the guest, Paul Kjellberg, professor at Whittier College. John asks if there is a consistent philosophical vision behind the sayings. Kjellberg says there is and there are different versions as interpreted by his followers. Confucius lived at a time of war, so his philosophy emphasized unity and harmony. Kjellberg explains how this meshes with the Confucian emphasis on study.
Kjellberg explains what ritual was and why it was important for Confucius. Rituals had to be performed sincerely. The surface form didn't matter as much. Ken asks how Confucian ethics and Western ethics are similar. Ritual was important for building community. Are Taoism and Confucianism related or opposing strands of thought? Kjellberg thinks not, although it is difficult. Kjellberg points out the biggest misunderstanding of Confucius's philosophy, equating an interest in the past with worshipping the past. This has had negative effects on women in China.
Chinese culture is famous for innovation, such as movable type and gunpowder. Is there anything in Confucianism that supports innovative thinking? Kjellberg says that there were periods in the Confucian tradition that supported it. He also says that there is an emphasis on community building innovation. Ken asks if one could base a women's rights or civil rights movement on Confucian ideal. Kjellberg thinks you can. John and Ken close by discussing the aspects of Confucianism that they think would be beneficial for Western culture.
- Amy Standen the Roving Philosophical Reporter (Seek to 04:32): Amy Standen interviews Chinese-Americans about what Confucian teachings mean to them.
- Philosophy Talk Goes to the Movies (Seek to 45:50): John and Ken discuss the philosophical aspects of Million Dollar Baby.
Additional Resources
- Translations of the Analects:
- A collection of scholarly essays on Confucianism, David Nivison's The Ways of Confucianism
- A compilation of many of Confucius's works, The Wisdom of Confucius
- An overview of Confucian philosophy, Thinking Through Confucius
- A biography of Confucius entitled The Life and Times of Confucius
- Another biography, entitled Confucius: A Biography
- Online articles from JSTOR (subscription required):
- A review of Thinking Through Confucius by Philip Ivanhoe in Philosophy East and West , Vol. 41, No. 2. (Apr., 1991), pp. 241-254.
- Yu, Jiyuan. “Virtue: Confucius and Aristotle.” Philosophy East and West , Vol. 48, No. 2. (Apr., 1998), pp. 323-347.
- Taam, Cheuk-Woon. “On Studies of Confucius.” Philosophy East and West , Vol. 3, No. 2. (Jul., 1953), pp. 147-165.
- Hwang, Philip Ho. “A New Interpretation of Confucius.” Philosophy East and West , Vol. 30, No. 1. (Jan., 1980), pp. 45-55.
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