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Bryan W. Van Norden
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Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy UK ed. Edition
by Bryan W. Van Norden (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 96 ratings
4.0 on Goodreads
205 ratings
This book is an introduction in the very best sense of the word. It provides the beginner with an accurate, sophisticated, yet accessible account, and offers new insights and challenging perspectives to those who have more specialized knowledge. Focusing on the period in Chinese philosophy that is surely most easily approachable and perhaps is most important, it ranges over of rich set of competing options. It also, with admirable self-consciousness, presents a number of daring attempts to relate those options to philosophical figures and movements from the West. I recommend it very highly.--Lee H. Yearley, Walter Y. Evans-Wentz Professor, Religious Studies, Stanford University
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This lucid introduction to early Chinese thought offers historical, textual and conceptual analyses of the schools of Classical Chinese philosophy, illuminating their basic themes, theories, and arguments and providing readers with an intellectual bridge between Chinese and Western thought. Introductory texts such as this are especially needed today, as the study of philosophy faces the challenges of globalization and the urgent need for dialogue among different philosophical traditions. An ideal text for introductory courses, this book will also inspire graduate students, scholars and experts in philosophy in general, and Chinese Philosophy in particular, with its theoretical insights and comparative methodology. --Vincent Shen, Lee Chair in Chinese Thought and Culture, Departments of Philosophy and East Asian Studies, University of Toronto
A substantial and highly accessible introduction to the indigenous philosophies of China. Van Norden shares his clear distillations of classical Chinese philosophies using conceptual frameworks many will find familiar. This reader-friendly book sets the historical and cultural contexts for the philosophies discussed, and includes appendices, study questions, and imaginative scenarios, which aid us in appreciating some of the most important philosophy ever developed. --Ann Pirruccello, Professor of Philosophy, University of San Diego
About the Author
Bryan W. Van Norden is Professor in the Philosophy Department, and in the department of Chinese and Japanese, at Vassar College.
Product details
Publisher : Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.; UK ed. edition (March 4, 2011)
Language : English
Paperback : 304 pages
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 96 ratings
Bryan W. Van Norden
Bryan Van Norden is Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Professor at Yale-NUS College, Chair Professor in the School of Philosophy at Wuhan University, and James Monroe Taylor Chair in Philosophy at Vassar College. He has published ten books, including Taking Back Philosophy: A Multicultural Manifesto (2017), Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy (2011), Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries (2008), Readings in Later Chinese Philosophy (2014, co-edited with Justin Tiwald), and most recently Classical Chinese for Everyone: A Guide for Absolute Beginners (2019).
chinese philosophy classical chinese van norden historical context introduction to classical philosophers western ideas tradition familiar important introductory ivanhoe text various west beginners dynasty philosophies professor
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William Nee
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and entertainingReviewed in the United States on February 25, 2019
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I just finished Bryan Van Norden's book Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy: and to make a long review short: it's highly recommended!
I bought the book a few years ago, after the author and I became mutual followers on Twitter, having discovered some of his tweets. Even though, as someone who researches Chinese issues, I felt I had a decent grasp of the main ideas of many of the philosophical schools, but I thought the book might help fill in some of the holes. However, due to the fact that I own more books than I can read, the book sat on my bookshelf collecting dust, until I started to dig deeper into a book on Neo-Confucianism (the Chinese version of Peter K. Bol's Neo-Confucianism in History), and wanted to refresh myself on Confucian thinkers.
In any case, the book goes over the major schools in the Eastern Zhou dynasty, with chapters as the following: 1. The Historical Context; 2. Kongzi and Confucianism; 3. Kongzi and Virtue Ethics; 4. Mohist Consequentialism; 5. Yang Zhu and Egoism; 6. Mengzi and Human Naure; 7. Language and Paradox in the "School of Names"; 8. The Daodejing and Mysticism; 9. Zhuangzi's Therapeutic Skepticism and Relativism; 10. Xunzi's Confucian Naturalism; 11. Han Feizi; 12. Later Chinese Thought.
The content of each thinker is skillfully and empathetically presented, and subsequently critiqued. One of Van Norden's strengths is writing in a simple and straightforward manner but without being simplistic.
Van Norden is now perhaps most well known as an advocate for greater diversity in (still predominately Euo-centric) philosophy departments in the West, and indeed, some of his passionate views are indirectly on display here. These Chinese thinkers are not presented in an esoteric, Orientalist fashion, but instead, while situating the thinkers in their particular historical context, Van Norden also often compares and contrasts their ideas with ideas generated in the West, such as how wisdom varies in the philosophies of Confucius and Aristotle, or how South Park's Cartman can help us critique the psychological egoism that could be associated with Yang Zhu, These lively comparisons help make the book quite entertaining. In general, I enjoyed the book the most in the author's explanation of the subtleties in Mengzi views of human nature as positive and in showing how viewing Zhuangzi's work through a therapeutic lens can hold various seemingly contradictory strands together. Of course, this is just an introductory book, and some may say that not everything is covered, or to the depth that some may desire. However, the author's suggestions for further reading look like a helpful guide to further studies.
Overall, highly recommended.
5 people found this helpful
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Renato Alves
4.0 out of 5 stars A good book for beginners in Chinese Philosophy.Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2017
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I really enjoyed reading this book. This is the first one I read about Chinese Philosophy. As a beginner in the topic, I wanted something easy to digest/grasp. I found the information very insightful, detailed, and broad.
Each chapter comes with exercises in the end regarding what's read, I found that interesting. Although I rarely stopped to answer them, I think it is important to make sure we answer it so that we can have an idea of what we really got from the reading. That's something I plan to do in my next reading of this book.
I didn't give 5 stars because I thought it was way too broad sometimes. The timeline was very well explained but I missed some correlation with worlds events. For people who are starting out in Chisene Philosophy, specially from the west, we can't relate or understand well if context is not given in regard to our understanding of what happened around here.
But a nice read indeed! :)
7 people found this helpful
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J. Barnes
5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting introductory view to Eastern philosophyReviewed in the United States on August 13, 2020
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Having read the works of several western philosophers I felt it important to read some works by eastern philosophers the more so because I have lived in the east for much of my life and many of my graduate students are from the east. This book makes a comfortable introduction to the scope and major players in eastern philosophy.
John Barnes
Bangkok
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David DE
2.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, but pretty disappointing ...Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2020
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I get what the author was going for in trying to *explain* (or "demonstrate") some of the key philosophical ideas of the various schools, but for an introduction like this, I suppose I was expecting some more detailed information and specifics on the key doctrines of these schools of thought, their canonical works, and especially when it comes to Confucianism, I was disappointed that the author really didn't get into the Neo-Confucian tradition which is HUGELY important in the history of Chinese intellectual thought, from the Song Dynasty all the way until the end of Imperial times. I don't think the information was "wrong" or "bad" or anything like that, just not how I would have imagined or structured an "introduction to Classical Chinese philosophy".
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Summary of Classical Chinese PhilosophyReviewed in the United States on February 21, 2016
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Really good book, used it in class. As far as text books go it was very engaging for me (who is familiar with Chinese culture and history but not philosophy), and the guy who sits next to me (who is very familiar with philosophy but not Chinese culture or history).
The books is good as a standalone, but to get full use of the books you must also use "Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy" by Van Norden and Ivanhoe.
9 people found this helpful
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Brianna
4.0 out of 5 stars Out of all my Chinese Philosophy text this was the ...Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2016
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Out of all my Chinese Philosophy text this was the most helpful. It was very straightforward in the thought process and ideas it was trying to get across. Only drawback is the paper is cheap and will tear if not cared delicately.
3 people found this helpful
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Dianne May
3.0 out of 5 stars So-soReviewed in the United States on August 10, 2020
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This book is too chatty and cute for my taste. I felt like I was being patted on the head as I read it. Couldn't finish it.
6 people found this helpful
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C. Schaefer
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any core library on Eastern PhilosophyReviewed in the United States on January 19, 2018
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Scholarly yet accessible, Professor Van Norden has provided clear perspectives on the Classical Chinese Tradition. Perhaps his greatest service is the thoughtfulness and skill in which the material is organized, with useful back matter and study questions for the independent reader. Highly recommended.
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dubliner50
5.0 out of 5 stars which was a really excellent course. This book was a most helpful resource ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 4, 2015
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I bought this book as a companion to a course on edx.org on Early Chinese thought... which was a really excellent course. This book was a most helpful resource and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get an overview of this most fascinating subject. I have studied western philosophy and I have to say I think the early Chinese were 2 millennia ahead of the west in their considerations on ethics and human psychology.
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Phil
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2016
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Good book. Thank you
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Matheus M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent Introductory book!Reviewed in Canada on January 31, 2020
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The book really presents in an easily way some of the fundamental early Chinese Philosopher. Also, it comes with some extra information related with the hermeneutics of symbols and a little of Chinese references to deepens your study.
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Anni Luise Schilling
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to readReviewed in Germany on December 5, 2022
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Nicely written, understandable, interesting, engaging
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===
11 titles
Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy
5.0 out of 5 stars1
Kindle Edition
$1455
Other formats: Paperback
Quick look
Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy
4.5 out of 5 stars96
Kindle Edition
$999
Other formats: Audible Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback
Quick look
Classical Chinese for Everyone: A Guide for Absolute Beginners
4.7 out of 5 stars124
Kindle Edition
$812
Other formats: eTextbook, Hardcover, Paperback
11 titles
Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy
5.0 out of 5 stars1
Kindle Edition
$1455
Other formats: Paperback
Quick look
Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy
4.5 out of 5 stars96
Kindle Edition
$999
Other formats: Audible Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback
Quick look
Classical Chinese for Everyone: A Guide for Absolute Beginners
4.7 out of 5 stars124
Kindle Edition
$812
Other formats: eTextbook, Hardcover, Paperback
