Altruistic Reveries is a unique volume, which arises out of an Interdisciplinary Conference on Perspectives on Altruism from the Humanities and Social Sciences organized by the Centre for Advanced Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, in October 1999. Altruism is a deep, multi-faceted phenomenon, of great interest and relevance to scholars across the entire range of disciplines in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Centre therefore brought together experts in diverse disciplines - Philosophy, Literature, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, and Political science - to examine and discuss the significance and role of altruism from their respective perspectives. A total of 10 papers in all were presented, and the volume is completed by an Introduction by the editors, and a final Concluding Chapter by one of the editors. Among the issues discussed are: the efficacy of motivational altruism in the resolution of public issues; the genetic origins of altruism and its attendant risks; the metaphysical basis of altruism; empathy and altruism; altruism or social exchange; altruism in wartime; and the welfare state. A notable feature of the volume is that the various authors have not talked past' one another. Although each is a specialist in his field, the papers are accessible to those in other fields, and to non-specialists. Both individually and together, they provide a rich set of insights and perspectives on altruism as a fundamental human and social phenomenon, which will edify, interest, and stimulate all readers of the volume.

This comprehensive collection brings out the rich and deep philosophical resources of the Zhuangzi. It covers textual, linguistic, hermeneutical, ethical, social/political and philosophical issues, with the latter including epistemological, metaphysical, phenomenological and cross-cultural (Chinese and Western) aspects. The volume starts out with the textual history of the Zhuangzi, and then examines how language is used in the text. It explores this unique characteristic of the Zhuangzi, in terms of its metaphorical forms, its use of humour in deriding and parodying the Confucians, and paradoxically making Confucius the spokesman for Zhuangzi's own point of view. The volume discusses questions such as: Why does Zhuangzi use language in this way, and how does it work? Why does he not use straightforward propositional language? Why is language said to be inadequate to capture the "dao" and what is the nature of this dao? The volume puts Zhuangzi in the philosophical context of his times, and discusses how he relates to other philosophers such as Laozi, Xunzi, and the Logicians.

This book is about the philosophical, historical, and interpretative aspects of Mencius. It explores his influence, reception, and relevance in China from the third century BCE to the present, as well as offers comparative studies of Mencius and major figures in the history of Chinese and Western philosophy. With 34 accessible articles written by leading philosophers and scholars, the Dao Companion to the Philosophy of Mencius provides both broad pictures and in-depth discussions regarding the work of one of the most important and influential Chinese philosophers. It covers his normative ethics, meta-ethics, political philosophy, epistemology and moral psychology. The last section of the volume, “Mencius and Western Philosophers: Comparative Perspectives,� explicitly puts him in dialogue with major Western philosophers. The Dao Companion to the Philosophy of Mencius serves as an essential volume for college students, graduate students, and scholars who study and teach Mencius as well as Chinese philosophy and comparative philosophy in general.​   

Altruistic Reveries is a unique volume, which arises out of an Interdisciplinary Conference on Perspectives on Altruism from the Humanities and Social Sciences organized by the Centre for Advanced Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, in October 1999. Altruism is a deep, multi-faceted phenomenon, of great interest and relevance to scholars across the entire range of disciplines in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The Centre therefore brought together experts in diverse disciplines - Philosophy, Literature, Psychology, Sociology, Economics, and Political science - to examine and discuss the significance and role of altruism from their respective perspectives. A total of 10 papers in all were presented, and the volume is completed by an Introduction by the editors, and a final Concluding Chapter by one of the editors. Among the issues discussed are: the efficacy of motivational altruism in the resolution of public issues; the genetic origins of altruism and its attendant risks; the metaphysical basis of altruism; empathy and altruism; altruism or social exchange; altruism in wartime; and the welfare state. A notable feature of the volume is that the various authors have not `talked past' one another. Although each is a specialist in his field, the papers are accessible to those in other fields, and to non-specialists. Both individually and together, they provide a rich set of insights and perspectives on altruism as a fundamental human and social phenomenon, which will edify, interest, and stimulate all readers of the volume.

Import Text Use this feature to import existing text from another title. Key Notes Compares Chinese and Western ethics Explores the concept of community and self Description If ethics encompasses not just a concern for self and family but also for a wider circle of others, what resources do Chinese and Western ethics offer to motivate and guide this expansion of concern? This question is the theme uniting all these essays by lead Chinese and Western philosophers. Topics discussed include: the Confician emphasis on hierarchy; the motivational basis driving concern for others; how Descartes Mencius analyzed pity and compassion, how personal identities are formed in Chinese and Western cultures, the possibility of a Confucian civil society, and children's rights.