Harmony and Strife: Contemporary Perspectives, East & West
Shuxian Liu, Robert Elliott Allinson
This volume is intended for professional philosophers and laymen with an interest in East-West studies and comparative philosophy and religion. The central focus is the concept of comparing perspectives from both the Eastern and the Western philosophical traditions on harmony and strife. The unique and happy result is an East-West anthology which is directed at analyzing a single philosophical problem which is of importance to both traditions. Unlike many anthologies which tend to be collections of isolated and unrelated essays, the Editors' focus on a single theme has resulted in a unified volume which maintains a high continuity of interest throughout. The Editors have carefully culled and organized essays from a select group of philosophers from the United States, West Germany, Japan, Australia, Beijing, Taipei and Hong Kong. Harmony and strife are analyzed as systematic concepts in Western philosophy, as parts of classical Chinese thought, as central concepts in Buddhism, as metaphysical concepts, as dialectical concepts and even as null concepts. The Editors have taken great care so that a continuity and a coherence of presentation is achieved despite the striking variety of perspectives from which harmony and strife are analyzed. It is both unusual and important to have such a systematic and thorough investigation of a topic of paramount social and philosophical significance by some of the leading minds of the day. Besides, the essays included are eminently readable. The volume is likely to become a standard work in this area for some years to come.
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Contents
Harmony through Strife as a Problem of Natural and Cultural
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3 |
Philosophy and the Conflict between Tendencies of Life
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21 |
Mediation Conflict and Creative Diversity
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31 |
Between Chaos and Totalization
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49 |
Do Higher Order Desires Resolve Conflict?
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59 |
Conflict Contract and the Principles of Justice
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69 |
The Significance of Harmony in Buddhist Thought
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91 |
Changing Phases of Conflict in the History of Buddhist Thought
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113 |
The Confucian View
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187 |
A Philosophical Assessment
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211 |
Paradigms from the I Ching
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225 |
On Chu Hsis Search for Equilibrium and Harmony
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249 |
Variations on the Theme of Unity
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271 |
The Idea of Measure and Its Relation to the Furthering
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293 |
Measure Reality Philosophy
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303 |
The Necessity for a MetaTheoretical Approach to Cultural
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309 |
The Buddhas Middle Way as a Vehicle of Culture
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143 |
The Concept of Harmony in Chuang
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169 |
The Problem of Harmonious Communities in Ancient China
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321 |
Common terms and phrases
according achieve action actual ancient appear approach argument attain authority become beginning believed Book Buddha Buddhist called Chang Chinese Chu Hsi chung communication concept of harmony concerned conflict Confucian Confucius conscious considered constitute context cultural dependent described discussion doctrine Earth essence ethical existence experience expressed fact feelings force function give Heaven Hence human idea ideal important individual interests interpretation justice knowledge language later means measure metaphysics Middle mind moral nature notion object original person philosophy political position possible practice present principle problem question rational reality realization reason refer regard relationship represents result rules seems sense situation social social contract society speak strife structure substance suggests teachings theory things thinking thought tion traditional translation ultimate understanding unity University whole