老子之道的虚空特征与本体性之新探

"道"是老子哲学体系中的核心。"道"以"虚空"或"无"的形态存在,"虚空"或"无"是物质的潜在状态。"道"是混成之物,所以"道"是具有精妙的内部结构特性的,它是人类尚未完全认识的物质存在的高级形态。宇宙万物是"道"创生与演化的结果,而且在演化的过程中,"道"的作用是"无为而无不为"的。在研究宇宙的本体(或本源)问题上,没有其它的概念可以替代它、超越它。"道"是具有至上性的。     

无极、太极、道本体渊源新探

老子提出"道"是宇宙的本体,因"道可道,非常道",为描述"道",老子又提出"无""无极"的概念。周敦颐的《太极图说》认为无极生太极,但朱熹为建立理学思想体系的需要,将无极与太极改造成相互说明的关系。在科学昌明的时代,面对现代宇宙论的发展,综合研究中国哲学的本体思想,发现:朱熹的无极太极之说对现代宇宙论的本体思想无融通之处。然而无极生太极、道生一的宇宙创生及演化思想,为探索宇宙的本体及宇宙的演化提供了新的思维维度,为现代宇宙论的发展形成了不可或缺的哲学背景。     

论道与物的关系问题(下)--中国哲学史上的一条主线

三庄子的道与物关系 庄子至少在三个方面深化发展了老子的道、物关系.其一,老子"玄之又玄"的道,是为域中之一,仍是处于空间之中,庄子则将道往无限的时空延伸;其二,老子的道是"独立而不改"(25章),庄子则将道与生命做更紧密的结合,道落实到人心,并且"唯道集虚"(<人间世>),透过"心斋"之虚,使得道体现出精神境界的意涵;其三,庄子透过道--气--物的关系,提出"物化"与"安化"的观念.前者意指个体生命在宇宙大生命中的转化,后者则触及死生问题,而宣畅死生乃气之聚散,人应安于气化.以下,即就庄子思想中的道物关系,逐次展开申论.     

试论张果的道体混寂思想

道家论“混”“寂”,最早见于老子的《道德经》。《二十五章》有云:“有物混成,先天地生。寂兮寥兮,独立不改,周行而不殆,可以为天下母”。这里,“混”,即无差别的统合整一。“寂”,即寂寞无声响、寂静。指先于天地而又生育万物的“道”,处于一种与万物无差别地统一整合为一个整体而又寂静无声的状态。唐初重玄学家成玄英、李荣把“有物混成”,理解为“道非有而有、非物而物,混沌不分”和“不可以有无议,不可以阴阳辨”而“能生成庶品”;把“寂兮寥兮”理解成“道体窈冥”、“听之不闻其声响,搏之不得其形状”(强思齐《道德真经玄德纂疏》卷七)。在《道德义枢》中,“混”与“寂”也不是作为两个对立统一的范畴     

老子养生思想新解

一、老子养生思想的宇宙观基础作为道家的创始人和道教的祖师 ,老子通过他的《道德经》提供了一种以“道”为核心的道家思想体系。老子认为 ,“道”是天地万物的本原 ,世界上的一切事物都是由“道”产生的 ,并且是按照“道”的规律运动变化的。那么什么是“道”呢 ?老子说 :道可道 ,非常道 ;名可名 ,非常名。无名天地之始 ,有名万物之母。 (《道德经一章》)有物混成 ,先天地生。寂兮寥兮 ,独立而不改 ,周行而不殆 ,可以为天下母。吾不知其名字之曰道 ,吾强为之名曰大。 (《道德经二十五章》)在老子看来 ,真正的“道”是不可以言说的 ,它在天…     

自然之德性与无为的智慧——老子哲学的本体与方法

一、老子对“道”的诠释“道”是老子哲学的基本范畴。“道”在老子哲学逻辑结构中有生成论、本体论二重含义。生成论意义上的“道”似万物之宗 ,是天地万物赖以产生的本根 ;本体论意义上的“道”是天地万物之为天地万物之根据。关于宇宙生成论之“道” ,亦即天地万物赖以产生的本根 ,老子提出道为“天地之始”、“万物之母”、“似万物之宗”的思想。此种生成之“道” ,指先天地而生且混沌未分的实体性存在。这里说“实体性存在”而不说“具体性存在” ,宜作辨析。具体性存在是已经生成之物 ,此具体之物具有质的规定性和时空的有限性 ;实体…     

作为摹状词的“《老子》之道”

道的原义是道路,后引申为正确的方法。"《老子》之道"的内容是无为而自然。从正面来说,在《老子》看来,顺由事物自己而生存才是万物正确的生存方式。从反面来说,不加人为干涉才是正确的方法。因此,万物的生存不仅以自然之道为基础即道生万物,而且还有一个物理性、实体性本源即事物自己。故而,无为之道虽然能够超越现实,但是由于它并不是实有之物,因而不属于形而上者。     

老子『和』文化述要

《老子》中"和"字共有7处,意蕴着丰富的辩证思想.老子将"和"范畴引入到生命、自然、社会层面,展示了一条"和"从何来,又如何至"和"的内在理路. "和"之要义 "冲气以为和" 此为生命之和."道生一,一生二,二生三,三生万物.万物负阴而抱阳,冲气以为和."(第42章)道是万物之宗、生命的根源,为"天地之始,万物之母"(第1章).宇宙中的一切都是由道创生的,而"和"是万物生成的前提和基础."一"乃一种混沌未分的气,后分化为阴阳二气,道主要通过阴阳二气的交互作用,呈现"冲动"状态,随之呈现出第三种状态,即"三",为阴阳二气适匀、和合的统一体,这就是"和"的状态,它构成了生命的前提和基础,所谓"三生万物".     

道与言——论存在与表达

《老子》说: “道可道, 非常道。” (第一章) 什么是道? 《庄子》说, 道有是非; 道有封; 道有物; 道未始有物。道是无。一、道: 以为未始有物与以为有物1. 未始有物: 存在的本体是生　　道存在。《老子》说: “有物混成, 先天地生。寂兮廖兮, 独立而不改, 周行而不殆。可以为天下母。吾不知其名, 字之曰道。” (第二十五章 ) 道确确实实存在。道普遍存在。《庄子》说: “夫道……在太极之先而不为高, 在六极之下而不为深, 先天地生而不为久, 长于上古而不为老。” (《大宗师》)道自己为自己的存在的根本。道是元。从时间的角度来看, 道先于…     

唯道论的创立

道是老子提出的哲学概念,老子的哲学理论都是围绕着道而展开的。过去几十年,哲学界长期争论老子的道是物质还是精神,老子哲学是唯物论还是唯心论。其实老子的道不是物质也不是精神,是什么呢?是“天地之始”、“万物之母”,即宇宙本根。老子哲学不是唯物论也不是唯心论,是什么呢?是“唯道是从”的唯道论。过去已有一些学者将老子哲学概     

Language,politics and dreams: the challenges of building resilience in refugees

This paper describes a case study of a 60-year-old Peruvian refugee in some detail, focusing on the importance of building emotional resilience in a patient in Spanish in order to create a space for learning the English language – the patient did not speak English after 20 years of living in Britain. The work was carried out with an interpreter and some of the literature on working with interpreters is referred to. The paper also briefly outlines the refugee journey in broad terms, which is a journey from the culturally known to the culturally unknown. The question of how well the literature on resilience, which sits firmly within a Western developmental perspective, can be applied to refugees, most of whom come from group and family-based cultures dominated by ideas of honour and shame, is discussed. The paper also touches on the importance of the receiving country enabling or not, as the case may be, a transitional space for refugees who have lost their home and are seeking to find a safe haven in a strange culture.     

Together – apart: in touch in a time of separation

This paper explores the experience of working as a Jungian analyst through the various phases of the global COVID-19 pandemic, examining the importance of the physical containing space alongside the analyst’s internal mind and how technology can both help and hinder understanding. A number of clinical vignettes illustrate the challenge of communicating over a distance, paying particular attention to the way countertransference phenomena can become re-attuned. Reference is made to mythology and symbols of hope, and consideration given to the meaning and purpose of the pandemic.     

Phenotypic plasticity and archetype: a response to common objections to the biological theory of archetype and instinct

Since Jung’s death in 1961, scholars have attempted to integrate growing biological science data into Jungian concepts such as the collective unconscious, instincts and the archetypes. This enterprise has been challenging due to persistent false dichotomies of gene and environment occasionally arising. Recent works by Roesler (2022a, 2022b) for example, have raised objections to the biological theory of archetypes, but the objections are plagued by such dichotomies. The concept of phenotypic plasticity, however, helps to both avoid this problem as well as bridge the gap between competing theories into a more integrated model with solid biological foundations.     

The Possibility of Meaning in Human Evolution

Science undermines the certitude of non-naturalistic answers to the question of whether human life has meaning. I explore whether evolution can provide a naturalistic basis for existential meaning. Using the work of philosopher Daniel Dennett and scientist Ursula Goodenough, I argue that evolution is the locus of the possibility of meaning because it has produced intentionality, the matrix of consciousness. I conclude that the question of the meaning of human life is an existentialist one: existential meaning is a product of the individual and collective tasks human beings undertake.     

When is it time to stop? When good enough becomes bad enough

This article draws on Winnicott’s concept of the good enough mother to discuss how to know whether a therapeutic situation is good enough to continue or bad enough to end. This dilemma is explored in terms of clinical syndromes, such as anorexia and pathological gambling, but focuses mainly on analyst-initiated endings, which are termed the ‘Casablanca dilemma’, based on an amplification of the ending of the film Casablanca. The author goes on to discuss such one-sided endings, drawing on interviews with 40 analysts and therapists about their clinical experience. A typology of bad enough endings is presented. The psychological differences between a good enough analysis as opposed to a bad enough one are explored through the ideas of Winnicott and Neumann.     

Seeing in the Dark: A View into Dissociation and Healing

In this paper, I will explore the role of art-making, the experience of trauma and dissociation, and the process of working with self-states from an analytic and creative frame. Relevant literature on dissociation, trauma, and the use of art will be discussed. A case involving my work with an adolescent girl who had experienced sexual abuse from a family member will be shared, with an emphasis on the meaningful role images played during the therapeutic process. Both Jungian and psychoanalytic models of conceptualizing and working with dissociation are included, following Donald Kalsched’s (2013) recommendation for a “binocular stance” to treatment, including both a focus on the inner, intrapsychic world and the interpersonal, relational realm, and how art images both illuminated and expressed these realms. Within the therapeutic process, art images allowed the therapist a view into the client’s unconscious process, and created a meeting ground for dissociative barriers to be gradually seen, felt and known, by both therapist and client. The experience of dissociation, in images and in session, provided a reference point for myself and my client, Taylor, to develop a shared understanding and a framework for growth.     

The transcendent function in Spitteler’s Prometheus and Epimetheus

In August 2020, John Beebe and Steve Myers met via Zoom to discuss their differing interpretations of psychological typology and the different sources within Jung’s writings that influenced their books: Integrity in Depth: Energies and Patterns in Psychological Type (Beebe), and Myers-Briggs Typology vs Jungian Individuation (Myers). The discussion centred on Spitteler’s epic poem Prometheus und Epimetheus, which forms the basis of chapter V of Psychological Types. This is both the largest chapter and one of two chapters that Jung highlighted in the Argentine foreword as containing the essence of the book. Jung’s book is primarily about the transformation of personality rather than the categorization of people. Although it contains a critical psychology that deconstructs the nature of consciousness, that is only one half of the book and a stepping-stone to the other half, which is the reconciliation of opposites with particular emphasis on the relation of consciousness and the unconscious. Jung assumed that readers were already familiar with Prometheus und Epimetheus, an understanding of which sheds light on the nature of the transformation that Jung described – the development of a new attitude towards attitude itself.     

Order,disorder, and the absolute: An experiment in dialogue

The first section of this dialogue is excerpted from an edited conversation between Sean Kelly and the late David Bohm, and focuses on the concepts of order, disorder, and the Absolute. The second section explores these concepts in greater depth, with Bohm maintaining the impossibility of absolute knowledge and the fundamental unintelligibility of the concept of disorder, preferring instead to speak of “orders of infinite degree” which emerge out of an “unknown ground.” Kelly responds by proposing the concept of “absolute knowing” as the cognitive process within which the concepts of order and disorder, the known and the Unknown are seen as dialectically related moments of the Absolute as complex whole. The third section is Edgar Morin's response to the preceding dialogue. He begins by outlining his views on the nature and limits of rationality, maintaining, with Bohm, the superiority of the “negative modality” of speaking about “being” or “reality.” In the second part, however, he proposes the notion of nature as “chaosmos,” which he understands as a creative “dialogic” of order, disorder, and organization.     

Kann Es Ein Argument Für Den Skeptizismus Geben? Das Epistemische Problem Der Irrtumsmöglichkeit

Summary  Is there any argument for scepticism? The epistemic problem of the possibility of error. Arguments for scepticism rest on the assumption that knowledge claims are fallible. For this reason the concept of knowledge appears to be questionable. Since it is necessary to distinguish doubts from possible doubts, the arguments for scepticism appear to be unconvincing. If we take it into account that we know something that is immune to doubt, we should draw the conclusion that, contrary to scepticism, knowledge claims have to be compatible with being fallible. Thus any knowledge claim is capable of being doubted.