Lecture14 Hsun Tzu Oct 25 Chinese Philosophy Lectures杜兰大学中国哲学课堂教学PPT教学文稿.pptVIP

PHIL 2931 Hsün Tzu (Xunzi) Schedule Life of Hsün Tzu, and his status in Confucianism Position of Man (Metaphysics) Theory of Human nature Origin of Morality Social organization and rules of conduct (Political Philosophy) Theory of rites (Li) and Music Confucianism Greatest Sage: Confucius Second Sage: Mencius Third(?): Hsün Tzu 荀子 Compare with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle Status Hsün Tzu is a naturalist if Mencius is an idealist. Hsün Tzu holds an opposite position from Mencius about the human nature Hsün Tzu was neglected in the Confucian tradition since after the Han Dynasty 漢朝 Life 298-238 B.C (?) (China was united by Ch’in/Qin in 221 B.C.) He was born in the state of Chao/Zhao 趙 (in the southern part of the present Hopei 河北and Shansi 山西 provinces) When he was fifty he went to the state of Ch’i/Qi 齊, where he was probably the last great thinker of the academy of Chi-Hsia 稷下, the greatest center of learning at that time (Mencius was once a scholar there as well) Position of Man (Metaphysics) Hsün Tzu’s philosophy may be called a philosophy of culture. His general thesis is that everything that is good and valuable is the product of human effort. Values comes from culture and culture is the achievement of man It is in this that man has the same importance in the universe as Heaven and Earth Chapter 17 Heaven has its seasons, Earth has its resources, man has his culture. This is what is meant [when it is said that man] is able to form a trinity [with Heaven and Earth] (See Chan’s for the full translation of this chapter) Mencius vs. Hsün Tzu Mencius said that by developing one’s mind to the utmost, one knows one’s nature, and by knowing one’s nature, one knows Heaven (7A:1). On the contrary, Hsün Tzu thinks that “It is only the sage who does not seek to know Heaven” Hsün Tzu thinks that Heaven, Earth and men, each has its own particular position! “Heaven” ? in the sense of naturalism. Just like talking about the physical sky or universe. Not supernatural being