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Valmisa, Mercedes. 2021. Adapting: A Chinese Philosophy of Action . New York: Oxford University Press.   (1) How do we act wisely in the world? (2) Facing fate, how should we act?   (1) Action The modes of Action: 1, prescriptive actions abide by rules 2, forceful actions force objects to follow the agent itself (follow me!) 3, critical actions find evidence   Adapting ( 因 ) is a meta-model of action, it adopts any mode of action depending on changing circumstances. “Adapting precisely consists in not adhering to any particular standard of action…” (p.17) “The adaptive agent overcomes both absolutism (as he can appreciate things from different perspectives) and relativism (as he can make decisions and engage in efficacious action).” (pp.29-30)   Chapter 2 separates adapting from other similar concepts, like flexibility, relying, conformity, balancing ( 权 ), and spontaneity ( 自然 ).   Chapter 3 explores adapting in military literature.       (2...

Perkins, Franklin. 2022.  Doing What You Really Want: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mengzi . New York: Oxford University Press.   Introduction The central question at the origin of Chinese philosophy: how can we fix the problems of the world? (p.4)   1 Unlike the necessity for proving the existence of God, heaven has alreay existed. “Since heaven or tian is an aspect of the world itself, it made no sense to deny its existence. The question was whether or not tian supports our values.” (p.20)   Confucians believe that nature (or tian or dao) is the source of values and of the sacred.   Compare Mengzi to Zhuanzi, whether the taste is universal or particular? (p.39) “Mengzi’s desire to ground human values in nature or the divine also has a religious or spiritual dimension.” (p.49) Mengzi cares about being at home in the world. (ibid.)   2 In this chapter, four sprouts are introduced. “Mengzi defines human beings according to ...

Virág, Curie. 2017. The Emotions in Early Chinese Philosophy . Oxford University Press.   Introduction We should step out of many dualistic categories to study Chinses philosophy, such as immanent versus transcendent, performative versus abstract, and integrative versus objective. (p.3) For the question of truth in Chinese philosophy, see Alexus McLeod, Theories of Truth in Chinese Philosophy (London and New York: Rowman and Littlefield, 2016). Emotion (qing) is not only the passive faculty forced by external things, but also reflects the interface between self and world.   Chapter 1 (Kongzi) Confucius highlights emotion since emotion is the depth of the human self in moral action. (p.28) Confucius believes that truly performing rituals should be aligned with proper feeling. (p.33) Emotion functions as an interface between the self and the world. The outer expression is taken as true disclosure of the inner state, called transparency ethics, a...