Mencius on the Mind by I. A. Richards

Author:I. A. Richards [Richards, I. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780766192201
Goodreads: 1180512
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Published: 1983-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

1 See Candide. Pangloss’ doctrine was, ‘That all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.’ Leibnitz, in fact, seems to come near to some latent possibilities of early Chinese thinking in more than one of his doctrines: notably in his Pre-established Harmony.

2 Compare the interesting analysis by M. Masson-Oursel (Revue de Métaphysique et de morale, Nov., 1912, ‘Esquisse d’une Théoriecomparée du Sorite’) of the sorites that is a favourite mode of exposition in Mencius (IV, i, 9, 12, and 27) in the Great Learning and the Chung Yung. “Les commentateurs s’évertuerent à élucider leur diverse étapes; mais ils n’eurent guère souci de la forme même du raisonnement.” (p. 812.)

3 As to this social basis, the work of Marcel Granet should be consulted; particularly, “L’expression de la pensée en Chinois,” Journal de Psychologie, 15th October, 1928, and “Quelques particularités de la langue et de la pensée chinoises,” Revue Philosophique, January and March, 1920. My debt to it will be evident, particularly as to the ritual aspects of early Chinese customs.

4 I am not, I think, assuming here that psychical events either are or are not reducible to physical events—on any of the usual definitions of either. On any view, some important differences divide what are ordinarily described as the physical and the psychical, and again such psychical ‘activities’ as willing, desiring and thinking from sensations. It is a relevant question whether these divisions can safely be crossed on metaphors.

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