The American Civilization and Ancient Confucianism

Author： Wei-bin Zhang  

Publisher： Algora Publishing‎

Publication year： 2002

E-ISBN: 9780875861739

P-ISBN(Paperback): 9780875861623

P-ISBN(Hardback):  9780875861630

Subject： B222 儒家

Keyword： 宗教,亚洲哲学

Language： ENG

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The American Civilization and Ancient Confucianism

Description

Scholars have analyzed Chinese society in the light of contemporary Western social and natural sciences for centuries. This compact volume turns the tables, and opens tantalizing new perspectives on the American civilization by examining it through the lens of ancient Confucianism.

The current work invites Americans to step through the looking glass - backwards, this time - and view ourselves from a Confucian perspective. In his analysis, Zhang draws together references to the I Ching, Leibniz, Tocqueville, Lipset and Aristotle, a judicious few statistics such as crime rate and economic growth, and the lions of Chinese philosophy.

Chapter 1. The American Civilization and Ancient Confucianism in Open Society

Chapter 2. "All Men Are Created Equal" Versus All Men Are Born Equal

Chapter 3. Democracy and Law

Chapter 4. Education and Knowledge

Chapter 5. Economic Freedom and Development

Chapter 6. The American Universalism and Rational Civilizations in the Future

Chapter

Preface and Acknowledgements

I. The American Civilization and Ancient Confucianism in An Open Society

The American Civilization in Modern Times

Ancient Confucianism Created in Open Society

The Newtonian Vision Versus the I-Ching Vision

The I Ching Perceived by Nonlinear Science

The I Ching and Ancient Confucianism

II. “All Men Are Created Equal” Versus “All Men Are Born Equal”

“All Men Are Created Equal” in American Civilization

All Men Are Born Equal in Confucianism

Separation between Church and State in the United States

Multiculturalism in the United States

To Follow the Way in Confucianism

The American Individualistic Clubism

Symmetry Relations as Fair Reciprocity in Confucianism

III. Democracy and Law

The Sovereignty of the People and Separation of Power in the United States

The People’s Welfare as the Sole Purpose of the State in Confu cianism

Trust in Law, in the United States

Trust in Law, in the West, and Rituals and Self-Cultivation in Confucianism

Democratic Voting versus Confucian Examination

Adam Smith’s Rules of Justice and Confucius’ Rules of Propriety

Ritual-Based Japan Versus Law-Based America

The Democratization and Americanization of Taiwan after the War

IV. Education and Knowledge

Education in the United States

Learning in Confucianism

Knowledge and Equal Opportunity in the United States

Smith’s and Confucius’ Ideal Man

Economic Conditions and Ways of Learning

V. Economic Freedom and Development

Economic Freedom in the United States

Minimum Government Intervention in Confucianism

Economic Doctrines by Adam Smith and Confucianism

Adam Smith and Confucius’ Attitudes Toward the Great and the Rich

Economic Growth and Consumption in the United States

Japan and China - Contrasting Paths to the Modernization of Confucian Manifestations

Income Inequalities in the United States

Economic Consequences of Social Welfare

VI. American Universalism and Rational Civili zations in the Future

The End of Rational Simplicity

Freedom in the United States

Human Rights in Confucianism

Harmony of Rational Civilizations in Confucian Perspectives

References

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