Suchergebnisse

Although the idea of harmony is one of the basic Confucian ideas, two of its key classic authors, Mengzi and Xunzi, emphasised either the ethical-personal or socio-political aspects, respectively, and this contrast was only maintained and deepened in later Chinese history. The socio-political considerations of harmony often considers an ideal state of community to be static, with social and ethical states being preserved, rather than dynamic. On the other hand, personal and spiritual harmony was valued by artists and autonomous thinkers, which often found themselves in conflict with the state. However, an open conflict between these two lines of thought very seldom if at all appeared in traditional China, and thus the differences often remained implicit. A self-cultivated individual without external social support was condemned to social isolation and personal defeat. Even among contemporary Chinese Marxist politicians and theorists, the idea of a "harmonious society" follows Xunzi's rather legalist emphasis, even if (in Marx view) the term "social harmony" stands for some surface phenomena of seemingly harmonious societal interrelationship, covering up the brutal reality of social and economic contradictions. I argue that not only in China, but also elsewhere, a better balance is needed between the personal and the social ideas of harmony. However, manifesting harmony can become something worthwhile only if it becomes a part of a broader project, namely that of active solidarity based on the reciprocal and universal cultivation of personal dignity and virtuous humaneness.

Although the idea of harmony is one of the basic Confucian ideas, two of its key classic authors, Mengzi and Xunzi, emphasised either the ethical-personal or socio-political aspects, respectively, and this contrast was only maintained and deepened in later Chinese history. The socio-political considerations of harmony often considers an ideal state of community to be static, with social and ethical states being preserved, rather than dynamic. On the other hand, personal and spiritual harmony was valued by artists and autonomous thinkers, which often found themselves in conflict with the state. However, an open conflict between these two lines of thought very seldom if at all appeared in traditional China, and thus the differences often remained implicit. A self-cultivated individual without external social support was condemned to social isolation and personal defeat. Even among contemporary Chinese Marxist politicians and theorists, the idea of a "harmonious society" follows Xunzi's rather legalist emphasis, even if (in Marx view) the term "social harmony" stands for some surface phenomena of seemingly harmonious societal interrelationship, covering up the brutal reality of social and economic contradictions. I argue that not only in China, but also elsewhere, a better balance is needed between the personal and the social ideas of harmony. However, manifesting harmony can become something worthwhile only if it becomes a part of a broader project, namely that of active solidarity based on the reciprocal and universal cultivation of personal dignity and virtuous humaneness. ; Čeprav je ideja harmonije ena osrednjih konfucijanskih idej, sta dva od njenih osrednjih klasičnih avtorjev, Mengzi in Xunzi, poudarjala bodisi etično-osebne ali družbenopolitične vidike in to nasprotje se je ohranjalo in poglabljalo v nadaljnji zgodovini Kitajske. Družbenopolitično pojmovanje harmonije se pogosto opira na misel o idealnem stanju družbe, kjer se družbeno in etično stanje ohranja kot nekaj statičnega, ne pa dinamičnega. Po drugi strani so umetniki in samostojni misleci cenili osebno in duhovno harmonijo in so se zato pogosto znašli v konfliktu z državo. Vendar je v tradicionalni Kitajski le redko, če sploh, prihajalo do odkritega konflikta med tema pojmovanjema harmonije, zaradi česar so razlike pogosto ostajale implicitne. Samo-kultiviran posameznik brez zunanje socialne podpore je bil obsojen na družbeno izolacijo in osebni poraz. Celo med sodobnimi kitajskimi marksističnimi politiki in teoretiki zamisel o »harmonični družbi« sledi Xunzijevim precej legalističnim poudarkom, čeprav (po Marxovem pojmovanju) pojem »družbene harmonije« zajema površinske pojave domnevno harmoničnih družbenih odnosov, ki prikrivajo surovo naravo družbenih in ekonomskih protislovij. Zagovarjam misel, da ne le v Kitajski, temveč tudi drugje po svetu, potrebujemo boljše ravnotežje med osebnimi in družbenimi predstavami o harmoniji. Vendar je dejanska harmonija lahko nekaj vredna le, če postane del širšega projekta, namreč projekta aktivne solidarnosti, ki sloni na medsebojni in splošni kultivaciji osebnega dostojanstva in vrline človečnosti.

In the contemporary (Western) literature on mindfulness many authors present it as only a mental practice, which may bring one to a more successful and effective working of the mind, as well as different kinds of mental concentration. However, at least in part of Buddhist literature mindfulness is taken as an inseparable part of the Eightfold Way, and not as a means to achieve a separate mental aim. Another important emphasis of Mahayana Buddhism is that mindfulness does not aim at something new, but instead leads our awareness towards a deeper origin, which has already been present with us. While the initial form of mindfulness clings to various methods and achievements, the higher form lies bare in the present moment, always ready to reveal itself. When we are ready to let go of all that we achieve and do, we can surrender our being to the here and now.

Govorim o možnosti sinteze človečnosti in racionalnosti v sodobnem svetu ter se sprašujem, ali in kako nam pri tem prizadevanju lahko pomaga kitajska filozofska misel, zlasti konfucijanska tradicija. V kitajski filozofski tradiciji je racionalnost grobo vzeto razumljena kot sposobnost človeške »srčne zavesti« (xin) za modro razmišljanje, pametno razpravljanje in ravnanje, ki je v skladu z najvišjimi vrlinami plemenitega človeka. To je bolj podobno konceptu celostne razumnosti kot pa racionalnosti v zahodni filozofski tradiciji. Razumnost v kontekstu kitajske kulture, zlasti konfucijanstva, je močno vezana na specifične oblike argumentacije, predvsem na sklepanje po analogiji ter uporabo metafor in vzorčnih modelov vedenja, ki jih ni mogoče stlačiti v okvire logične (deduktivne ali induktivne) argumentacije. Ob naslonitvi na Mencijevo metodo »ekstenzije« vrojenih, potencialnih človeških vrlin (človečnosti, pravičnosti, dostojnosti in modrosti) od njihovih paradigmatskih primerov na podobne primere v vsakdanjem življenju lahko bolje razumemo gojenje in izvajanje razumnosti kot sinteze racionalnosti in človečnosti. Pri tem ne vidim nobenega notranjega nasprotja med samointeresi posameznika in njegovo moralnostjo. Dejansko moralnost in dejansko razumnost vidim prav v notranji povezanosti stremljenj posameznika po samouresničenju in moralične usmeritve posameznika.

I contrast briefly the Buddhist concept of Self as a process and a conditional reality with the concept of the substantial metaphysical concept of Self in Brahmanism and Hinduism. I present the criticism of the Buddhist thinkers, such as Nāgārjuna, who criticize any idea of the metaphysical Self. They deny the idea of the Self as its own being or as a possessor of its mental acts. However, they do not reject all sense of Self; they allow a pure process of knowledge (first of all, Self-knowledge) without a fixed subject or "owner" of knowledge. This idea is in a deep accord with some Chan stories and paradoxes of the Self and knowledge.

A review of Thomas S. Kuhn's arguments against the unification of the philosophy & history of science focuses on his definition & defense of the interdisciplinary dialogue between the two sciences. While they can explain a given problem for their particular points of view, their perspectives cannot be synthesized. Kuhn's work on the scientific revolutions gives rise to a new science of the development of sciences that could unify the historical analysis of scientific development with the rational reconstruction of scientific developments. 7 References. Adapted from the source document.