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Chris Fraser presents a rich study of the culminating period of classical Chinese philosophy, the third century BC. He offers new perspectives on Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, and other movements, ranging over metaphysics and metaethics, political philosophy, ethics, moral psychology, epistemology, philosophy of language and logic
List of contents
- Preface
- Chronology
- Abbreviations
- Citation Conventions
- Introduction
- 1: The Way
- 2: The State
- 3: Ethics
- 4: Ethical Cultivation
- 5: Epistemology
- 6: Language and Logic
- Glossary
- For Further Reading
- Appendix: The Sources
About the author
Chris Fraser is Richard Charles and Esther Yewpick Lee Chair in Chinese Thought and Culture in the Department of Philosophy and Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto. He has published widely in Chinese philosophy, covering ethics, metaphysics, political philosophy, moral psychology, epistemology, and philosophy of language and logic.
Summary
Chris Fraser presents a rich and broad-ranging study of the culminating period of classical Chinese philosophy, the third century BC. He offers novel and informative perspectives on Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, and other movements in early Chinese thought while also delving into neglected texts such as the Guanzi, Lu's Annals, and the Zhuangzi 'outer' chapters, restoring them to their prominent place in the history of philosophy.
Fraser organizes the history of Chinese thought topically, devoting separate chapters to metaphysics and metaethics, political philosophy, ethics, moral psychology, epistemology, and philosophy of language and logic. Focused specifically on the last century of the Warring States era, arguably the most vibrant, diverse period of philosophical discourse in Chinese history, the discussion covers the shared concerns, rival doctrines, and competing criticisms presented in third-century BC sources.
Fraser explicates the distinctive issues, conceptual frameworks, and background assumptions of classical Chinese thought. He aims to introduce the philosophical discourse of early China to a broad audience, including readers with no prior familiarity with the material. At the same time, the thematic treatment and incisive interpretations of individual texts will be of interest to students and specialists in the field.
Additional text
The book under review presents a comprehensive exploration of the pivotal 3rd century BCE, a culminating period in classical Chinese philosophy.
