CONFUCIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS,CLIMATE ENGINEERING,AND THE “PLAYING GOD” ARGUMENT

The burgeoning literature on the ethical issues raised by climate engineering has explored various normative questions associated with the research and deployment of climate engineering, and has examined a number of responses to them. While researchers have noted the ethical issues from climate engineering are global in nature, much of the discussion proceeds predominately with ethical framework in the Anglo‐American and European traditions, which presume particular normative standpoints and understandings of human–nature relationship. The current discussion on the ethical issues, therefore, is far from being a genuine global dialogue. The aim of this article is to address the lack of intercultural exchange by exploring the ethics of climate engineering from a perspective of Confucian environmental ethics. Drawing from the existing discussion on Confucian environmental ethics and Confucian ethics of technology, I discuss what Confucian ethics can contribute to the ethical debate on climate engineering.     

The relational self and the Confucian familial ethics

In this article, I shall briefly examine the basic characteristics of Confucian familial morality, especially of the concept of filial piety, and argue that ancient Confucians tend to be conservative on allowing breach of filial obligations although they may not entirely exclude particular considerations to exceptional situations to a certain degree. I shall then argue that this conservative aspect of the Confucian idea of filial piety accurately captures some distinctive features of familial relationships and may thus shed light on our understanding of the ethical nature of human family life and our philosophical investigation of familial ethics.     

辅助生殖技术的现代性反思——基于传统儒家文化的视角

在现代性语境中,对辅助生殖技术引发的医学现代性危机进行反思无疑具有重要意义.从本质上而言,辅助生殖技术所产生的一系列问题与挑战,深刻地反映出人与自然、人与人、人与社会之间内在的冲突与矛盾.基于传统儒家文化的视角,寻求现代生命技术与传统儒家文化之间相互冲突、交汇、融合、嵌入的对接点,并有针对性地提出应战机制,从而进一步探讨现代性与传统之间的绵延不断的相互作用,深入挖掘传统中蕴含的现代性因素,现代性中间的传统,以更为开放包容的心灵,重视传统与现代性的结合,让科技为人类造福.     

从秦汉时期皇帝诏书称引儒家经典看儒学的发展

两汉皇帝自武帝起有 1 7人在诏书中征引经书 ,这从一个侧面反映了两汉经学发展的轨迹。这一现象展示了政治与经学互动的规律 :经学政治化与政治经学化。此后 ,引经据典成为中国古代文人为文的传统 ,历千年而不衰。其对中国社会发展的影响主导面是消极的     

从张之洞、吴汝纶经学课程观看清末儒学传统的中断

清末新政教育改革使传统上处于核心地位的经学课程失去其重要地位 ,致使儒学面临中断的威胁 ,这是与权力中心接近、受经学熏陶的官绅亲手从正反两面促成的 ,他们在情理上必然处于紧张对立状态 ,在理性上吸收西方知识 ,在情感上对经学依恋不舍。通过对历史发展的理论预设和对张之洞、吴汝纶经学课程设置观的典型分析 ,既可以揭示他们心理趋向的异同 ,也可以反观中国近代文化发展的内在线索。     

Confucian Cosmopolitanism

Scholars in the humanities and social sciences are keenly aware of and often deeply engaged with more global or cosmopolitan approaches to their respective fields; nevertheless, theories of cosmopolitanism remain exceedingly controversial and arise exclusively from Western philosophical sources. Recently, Martha Nussbaum presented a contemporary Western liberal cosmopolitan theory and sought to integrate it with a call for multicultural education. In this essay, I describe, analyze, and criticize Nussbaum's conception of cosmopolitanism and argue that it does not sit comfortably with her laudable advocacy of multicultural education. I then draw upon resources within the Confucian tradition to sketch two alternative conceptions of cosmopolitanism, which I argue are both more powerful than what Nussbaum proposes and better support the kind of multicultural education she so eloquently advocates.     

从《战国策》看战国时期社会风气与思想倾向

《战国策》中的思想极其复杂，被称作“畔经离道之书”。《战国策》暴露出人类最原始、最本能的一面——追求物质利益的最大化。仁义廉耻等儒家通常所谓的美德，跟很多战国策士的价值观格格不入。但是，也正是在这样宽松自由的时代背景下，人们的思想与意识由百家争鸣渐渐向儒家的标准合拢，价值观由多元化向一元化靠拢。儒家的价值观正在悄然地受到尊重。汉代“罢黜百家，独尊儒术”有着一定的社会背景和思想意识基础。     

儒道禅文化的自我觉解与心理和谐修养

心理和谐是社会和谐的基本要素之一,而不同层次的自我意识间的和谐又是心理和谐的核心。通过对当代中国人心理现状的分析,发现在自我意识的层次中缺乏高层精神性自我对各层自我的整合,是影响个体心理和谐因素中最根本的。儒道禅文化对宇宙自我的觉解及其对各层自我的关照,对增进当代中国人心理和谐具有极大理论意义和可操作性价值。     

The Taciturn Exemplar

Early Confucian thinkers have an intense interest in the external aspects of moral exemplars. This article explores this interest by unpacking a complicated relation between silence, speech, and moral cultivation in the Analects. Situating Confucius’s desire to be silent in a pedagogical context, this article points out a tension between speaking of moral knowledge and personalizing it. It argues that silence is considered a desirable pedagogical practice because it fosters a more intimate relation between people and the moral knowledge they receive. This article then offers a detailed analysis of several difficult pedagogical moments between Confucius and two of his most eloquent students, Zigong and Zai Wo. Their problematic ways of speaking provide cases in point that flesh out the arguments sketched above. This article concludes by reflecting on how silence can also be alienating in moral cultivation, and on how people’s styles of speech may shape who they are.