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Discussion of the relationship between chance and necessity in the West goes back at least to Democritus in the fifth century BCE , and was highlighted again in the twentieth century by Jacques Monod in Chance and Necessity. Monod contrasted "teleonomic" (directional but not directed) biological evolution with "teleologic" (purpose-driven) Biblical theology. This article uses that distinction in examining Zhu Xi's concepts of Heaven (in particular the "mandate" or "givenness" of Heaven) and tradition (focusing on the normative Confucian tradition, the "succession of the Way" or daotong). The result sheds light on the unique combination of rationality and transcendence in Neo-Confucian thought.

Of the approximately 20 million public employees in the United States, more than eight million are either members of or represented by labor unions—a penetration rate of just over 40 percent. What is remarkable about this phenomenal growth is that most of the expansion of union activity in government has occurred within the last 40 years, and almost mirrors the decline of union strength in the private sector. The rise and fall of labor in the private sector is a backdrop to the growth of public sector collective bargaining. Explanations for the dramatic increase in government union activity can be explored from a number of different perspectives. Current public policy efforts to reform civil service and allow managers greater flexibility are seen by some researchers as having the potential to impact the ability of public sector unions to represent their members effectively. The recent split within the AFL-CIO may also have consequences affecting public sector union activity. Costly and self defeating jurisdictional disputes can arise and subsequently lead to a decline in membership strength. On the other hand, increased competition can serve to reinvigorate the entire labor movement in much the same way that the original split between the AFL and CIO resulted in massive private sector organizing efforts and dramatic, if temporary membership gains.

Der Autor stellt die 4 Haupttraditionen Chinas vor: Das sind die Volksreligion sowie die 3 Lehren "Konfuzianismus", "Daoismus" und "Buddhismus". Da die Geschichte all dieser Lehren sehr kompliziert ist, geht er chronologisch vor und beschreibt die einzelnen Traditionen in jedem Zeitalter