THE ART OF RETRIEVAL: Stoicism?

This essay argues that retrieving insights from the ancient Stoic philosophers for Christian ethics is much more difficult than is often assumed and, further, that the “ethics of retrieval” is itself something worth prolonged reflection. The central problem is that in their ancient sense both Christianity and Stoicism are practically dense patterns of reasoning and mutually incompatible forms of life. Coming to see this clearly requires the realization that the encounter between Stoicism and Christianity is a conflict of lived traditions. Precisely because we cannot simply extract Stoic insights from the lives in which they belong, the task of determining how Stoicism is useful for Christianity is exceptionally challenging. Indeed, doing justice to the Stoics has more to do with facing an alternative to Christianity than it does with appropriating insights for our own use. These points are developed in conversation with Elizabeth Agnew Cochran's recent article on the Stoic influence upon Jonathan Edwards.     

Belief in altruistic human nature and prosocial behavior: a serial mediation analysis

According to the theory of internal working model, belief in altruistic human nature positively influences prosocial behavior. However, the precise influencing mechanism remains unclear. Based on the determinants of human behavior theory and self-efficacy theory, we hypothesized that belief in altruistic human nature indirectly influences prosocial behavior through causally linked multiple mediators of prosocial attitude and prosocial self-efficacy. The results of the current research supported our hypothesis and demonstrated that this serial mediation model could be generalized across individualistic and collectivistic cultures.     

Spinoza’s Christology A Brief Summary

Abstract

This article summarizes a number of Spinoza texts relating to his Christology and soteriology based on his Christology. The texts show that Spinoza’s Christology underpins his formulation of human nature or the constitution of the essence of the human mind. Considering Spinoza’s texts concerning God or Nature, “Christ according to the spirit”, the spirit or mind of Christ, and human salvation or blessedness; this article illustrates that given the texts, the study of Spinoza’s Christian religion is skewed and ought to be more balanced. The author’s reading of Spinoza and its application to his work presented in this article provides a coherent and tenable understanding of Spinoza’s efforts “to commend and establish the authentic purpose of the Christian Religion”.     

BUDDHISM AND SCIENCE: HOW FAR CAN THE DIALOGUE PROCEED?

On the stage of the religion‐and‐science dialogue, Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism, is a late arrival. However, thanks primarily to the long‐standing personal interest of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan tradition he represents has come to engage deeply with various disciplines of modern science. This essay follows the active engagement that has occurred particularly in the form of the biannual Mind and Life dialogues between the Dalai Lama and scientists. From the perspective of an active participant, I present the careful deliberations that ensure constructive parameters for these dialogues so that no one side can exert a hegemonic voice. I explore the challenges that are likely to confront the Buddhist side from its encounter with science, particularly with respect to its worldview. I identify specific areas where the two sides can and do engage in concrete collaboration, especially with respect to investigating healthy qualities of the mind and the effects of conscious mental training for attention and emotion regulation. Finally, I explore the question of the possible impact of this dialogue on modern science.     

《大学章句》中的"出发点丧失"问题

先秦儒学史上,《中庸》对"过之"问题的强调,以及对由此引出的"真知"问题的处理,从根本上确立了心性论在儒学中的地位.宋明时代,《论语》、《大学》、《中庸》、《孟子》几经遴选最终脱颖而出,成为平起平坐的圣人之书.朱熹于"四书"之中最重《大学》.《大学章句》既是对《大学》的注释,同时也是在系统阐述朱子本人所服膺的修身之道.然而,《大学章句》在借用《中庸》、《孟子》的"性"概念时,几乎完全忽略了与之相应的"过之"与"真知"问题.顺此继续追踪,我们发现,《大学章句》虽设定了"仁义礼智之性",但实际上并未将其作为修身的出发点.在对"过之"与"真知"问题缺乏深刻体会的情况下,《大学章句》试图以"格物致知"作为获取真知的途径.然而,"格物致知"所蕴含的怀疑精神,最终却使实践者陷入了"不知该如何格致"的"出发点丧失"困境.     

《易传》道家说质疑

本文从陈鼓应先生论证“《易传》道家说”的重点文章《〈彖传〉与老庄》、《〈彖传〉的道家思维方式》出发,不仅指出其论据方面的不足,而且指出其论证方法是使用“丐辞”、“默证”。因此,《彖传》不能成立。甚至陈先生所用的“道家”这一名目,也不适当。从而说明“《易传》道家说”不能成立,其“道家主干说”也因此缺少重要文献材料,难以服人。     

Too Much Playing Games – A Response to Kretchmar

ABSTRACT

Scott Kretchmar recently put forth a new definition of what it is to play a game. Unfortunately, it must be rejected. In this paper, I will show that this new definition is far too broad by discussing an activity that is not an instance of playing a game but is wrongfully ruled as one on this new definition.