This article reviews famous monsters in Western literature that reveal a hidden humanity or affinity with the hero that elicits compassion or emphasizes their bestiality in surprising ways. Their monstrosity is often ...This article reviews famous monsters in Western literature that reveal a hidden humanity or affinity with the hero that elicits compassion or emphasizes their bestiality in surprising ways. Their monstrosity is often a distorted mirror image of the hero＇s humanity. Shakespeare＇s Caliban is a famous example of the affinity between monster and protagonist. Homer＇s Polyphemus, the first monster in Western tradition establishes certain traits that persist through later literature： lawless, barbarian, cannibal, and giant. Polyphemus hates men, but loves his old ram. Grendel, Grendel＇s mother, and the dragon in Beowulf are giants, lawless, cannibals. The dragon Beowulf dies fighting anticipates the identity between hero and monster that Borges makes explicit in Asterion, the Minotaur. Dante＇s Satan in the Inferno fails to leave later successors. In Borges＇s ＂The House of Asterion＂ the Minotaur is both monster and hero. Asterion＇s affinities with other protagonists in Borges＇ stories suggest that the monster in the labyrinth is not the Minotaur, but the concept of infinity.展开更多
Educational philosophy and enlightenment have been closely connected through the human pursuit to search for truth and improvement in history. In today＇s world, commercialism and technology have gained and accumulate...Educational philosophy and enlightenment have been closely connected through the human pursuit to search for truth and improvement in history. In today＇s world, commercialism and technology have gained and accumulated enormous power in its impact on human society and consciousness, and have posed serious challenges to the traditional pursuit of enlightenment and philosophical studies. This paper takes a retrospective look of Lao Zi＇s Dao De Jing （Tao Te Jing, 道德经）.1 The discussion provides Lao Zi＇s definition of enlightenment in comparison to the western philosophical tradition and examines his focal concepts of Dao （the Way,道） and Virtue （德）, their relationship as well as the connection with enlightenment and education. In addition, the paper analyzes the insights and meaning Lao Zi＇s thought has for the contemporary philosophers and practices and raises questions regarding the implementation of his philosophy in the classrooms today.展开更多
The liberty of expression is one of the most important values in the human society, and a tolerant, unconstrained social atmosphere can provide personal development with a healthy and harmonious environment. Since the...The liberty of expression is one of the most important values in the human society, and a tolerant, unconstrained social atmosphere can provide personal development with a healthy and harmonious environment. Since the modern times, the liberty of expression has been gradually deemed by academic circles and all walks of life as a basic human right, and also has been fixed as a basic right of citizens through the legal form. The purpose of this paper is to clearly analyze the kernel and value of the liberty of expression through a historical review, so as to specifically sort out the development course of the liberty of expression and also excavate its implied meanings. In addition, the embodiment of the liberty of expression in both theory and practice since the modern times is analyzed around the limit theory of the liberty of expression, and then the opinions of the author are drawn up. Thus, some new ideas and views are provided for the future development of the liberty of expression from a new perspective.展开更多
Eastern philosophy and western science have convergent and divergent viewpoints for their explanation of consciousness. Convergence is found for the practice of meditation allowing besides a time dependent consciousne...Eastern philosophy and western science have convergent and divergent viewpoints for their explanation of consciousness. Convergence is found for the practice of meditation allowing besides a time dependent consciousness, the experience of a timeless consciousness and its beneficial effect on psychological wellbeing and medical improvements, which are confirmed by multiple scientific publications. Theories of quantum mechanics with non-locality and timelessness also show astonishing correlation to eastern philosophy, such as the theory of Penrose-Hameroff （ORC-OR）, which explains consciousness by reduction of quantum superposition in the brain. Divergence appears in the interpretation of the subjective experience of timeless consciousness. In eastern philosophy, meditation at a higher level of awareness allows the personal experience of timeless and non-dual consciousness, considered as an empirical proof for the existence of pure consciousness or spirituality existing before the material world and creating it by design. Western science acknowledges the subjective, non-dual experience, and its multiple beneficial effects, however, the interpretation of spirituality designing the material universe is in disagreement with the Darwinian Theory of mutation and selection. A design should create an ideal universe without the injustice of 3% congenital birth defects and later genetic health problems. The western viewpoint of selection is more adapted to explain congenital errors. The gap between subjectivity and objectivity, the mind-body problem, is in eastern philosophy reduced to the dominance of subjectivity over objectivity, whereas western science attributes equal values to both. Nevertheless, there remains an astonishing complementarity between eastern and western practices.展开更多
As their attempt to assert the strength and uniqueness of traditional Chinese culture in comparison with Western culture, to transform Confucianism by creatively responding to and reinterpreting Western religious conc...As their attempt to assert the strength and uniqueness of traditional Chinese culture in comparison with Western culture, to transform Confucianism by creatively responding to and reinterpreting Western religious concepts from Confucian perspective, as well as to contribute to inter-religious dialogue, contemporary New Confucians 新儒家 have asserted the transcendence, religiousness and moral metaphysics of Confucianism. The New Confucians have also perceived the spiritual problems of modern people and suggested to deal with them by linking humans with the transcendent Heaven. In this article, I will analyse and evaluate the New Confucians＇ arguments on Confucian ＂immanent transcendence＂ 内在超越. I will argue that they are the bases of the New Confucians＇ arguments on the religiousness of Confucianism, as well as their perception of Confucianism as a moral metaphysics and the solution to the problems of modernity.展开更多
文摘This article reviews famous monsters in Western literature that reveal a hidden humanity or affinity with the hero that elicits compassion or emphasizes their bestiality in surprising ways. Their monstrosity is often a distorted mirror image of the hero＇s humanity. Shakespeare＇s Caliban is a famous example of the affinity between monster and protagonist. Homer＇s Polyphemus, the first monster in Western tradition establishes certain traits that persist through later literature： lawless, barbarian, cannibal, and giant. Polyphemus hates men, but loves his old ram. Grendel, Grendel＇s mother, and the dragon in Beowulf are giants, lawless, cannibals. The dragon Beowulf dies fighting anticipates the identity between hero and monster that Borges makes explicit in Asterion, the Minotaur. Dante＇s Satan in the Inferno fails to leave later successors. In Borges＇s ＂The House of Asterion＂ the Minotaur is both monster and hero. Asterion＇s affinities with other protagonists in Borges＇ stories suggest that the monster in the labyrinth is not the Minotaur, but the concept of infinity.
文摘Educational philosophy and enlightenment have been closely connected through the human pursuit to search for truth and improvement in history. In today＇s world, commercialism and technology have gained and accumulated enormous power in its impact on human society and consciousness, and have posed serious challenges to the traditional pursuit of enlightenment and philosophical studies. This paper takes a retrospective look of Lao Zi＇s Dao De Jing （Tao Te Jing, 道德经）.1 The discussion provides Lao Zi＇s definition of enlightenment in comparison to the western philosophical tradition and examines his focal concepts of Dao （the Way,道） and Virtue （德）, their relationship as well as the connection with enlightenment and education. In addition, the paper analyzes the insights and meaning Lao Zi＇s thought has for the contemporary philosophers and practices and raises questions regarding the implementation of his philosophy in the classrooms today.
文摘The liberty of expression is one of the most important values in the human society, and a tolerant, unconstrained social atmosphere can provide personal development with a healthy and harmonious environment. Since the modern times, the liberty of expression has been gradually deemed by academic circles and all walks of life as a basic human right, and also has been fixed as a basic right of citizens through the legal form. The purpose of this paper is to clearly analyze the kernel and value of the liberty of expression through a historical review, so as to specifically sort out the development course of the liberty of expression and also excavate its implied meanings. In addition, the embodiment of the liberty of expression in both theory and practice since the modern times is analyzed around the limit theory of the liberty of expression, and then the opinions of the author are drawn up. Thus, some new ideas and views are provided for the future development of the liberty of expression from a new perspective.
文摘Eastern philosophy and western science have convergent and divergent viewpoints for their explanation of consciousness. Convergence is found for the practice of meditation allowing besides a time dependent consciousness, the experience of a timeless consciousness and its beneficial effect on psychological wellbeing and medical improvements, which are confirmed by multiple scientific publications. Theories of quantum mechanics with non-locality and timelessness also show astonishing correlation to eastern philosophy, such as the theory of Penrose-Hameroff （ORC-OR）, which explains consciousness by reduction of quantum superposition in the brain. Divergence appears in the interpretation of the subjective experience of timeless consciousness. In eastern philosophy, meditation at a higher level of awareness allows the personal experience of timeless and non-dual consciousness, considered as an empirical proof for the existence of pure consciousness or spirituality existing before the material world and creating it by design. Western science acknowledges the subjective, non-dual experience, and its multiple beneficial effects, however, the interpretation of spirituality designing the material universe is in disagreement with the Darwinian Theory of mutation and selection. A design should create an ideal universe without the injustice of 3% congenital birth defects and later genetic health problems. The western viewpoint of selection is more adapted to explain congenital errors. The gap between subjectivity and objectivity, the mind-body problem, is in eastern philosophy reduced to the dominance of subjectivity over objectivity, whereas western science attributes equal values to both. Nevertheless, there remains an astonishing complementarity between eastern and western practices.
文摘As their attempt to assert the strength and uniqueness of traditional Chinese culture in comparison with Western culture, to transform Confucianism by creatively responding to and reinterpreting Western religious concepts from Confucian perspective, as well as to contribute to inter-religious dialogue, contemporary New Confucians 新儒家 have asserted the transcendence, religiousness and moral metaphysics of Confucianism. The New Confucians have also perceived the spiritual problems of modern people and suggested to deal with them by linking humans with the transcendent Heaven. In this article, I will analyse and evaluate the New Confucians＇ arguments on Confucian ＂immanent transcendence＂ 内在超越. I will argue that they are the bases of the New Confucians＇ arguments on the religiousness of Confucianism, as well as their perception of Confucianism as a moral metaphysics and the solution to the problems of modernity.
