This paper analyses the usage of the two concepts of nature (xing) and artifice (wei) in the Xunzi. It will be suggested that each of the two concepts is given two definitions in the Xunzi and that in each case the two definitions form into a two-tier structure. That is, each concept has not only two aspects but the two aspects are also of two stages, one acting as the basis of the other. The two concepts could be further combined and gives us a three-tier structure of human agency. According to such an understanding, the natural endowment of human beings is the target of reflection and transformation. Human beings reflect upon our natural endowment and give it a form of expression, the result of which is human action. Through the accumulation of human action we could construct out of it some normative principles and form human culture. On the one hand, such a three-tier structure of human agency explains why Xunzi thinks that nature of humans is bad and that any good comes from artifice. It is because nature by itself does not have a proper form of expression and will only disrupt agency and give rise to bad consequences. A good form of expression and consequently good action could only be the result of artifice, which consists of perception, reflection and deliberation. On the other hand, such a three-tier structure also explains why Xunzi emphasizes nonetheless that nature and artifice must be joined together to accomplish order and flourishing. For without nature, there is nothing to be reflected upon and to be transformed. The three-tier structure of human agency discloses Xunzi’s vision that human beings are not the slave of our natural endowment but could deliberate and reflect upon our nature so as to bring about self-transformation and self-realisation. It is also through such a structure that Xunzi justifies Confucian rituals, for rituals are self-imposed normsand represent the best form of expression of our nature.

In Liu Xiang's “Other Records”, it is said: “Shi Zi was in the State of Chu, but probably in (Shu) Sichuan. Now according to the book 'Shi Zi', he has the name 'Jiao' and originally from the State of Jin. He became an adviser to Wei Yang, the prime minister of Qin. He was always consulted in the administration and legislation that Wei Yang (Lord Shang) contemplated and implemented. Later, When Lord Shang was executed, Jiao fearing complicity in and fled to Sichuan. Since then, he completed this book containing 60,000 words in 20 chapters. He died in Sichuan."Since the excavation of Four Texts of the Yellow Emperor at Ma Wang Dui in Chang Sha in 1973, scholars have come to understand the full aspect of the"School of Huang Lao" from the period before Qin to the beginning of Han. What the Royal Historian, Tai Shi Gong had characterized about "Daoism"as " bending to the alternation of Yin and Yang, adopting the positive aspects of Confucianism and Mohism, summing up the essentials of the school of Min(Names) and Fa (Legalist)," the scholars have come to appreciate this being essentially an integration of thoughts at the time of the Warring States from allprevious schools since the period of Spring and Autumn. As Ban Gu said about "Shi Zi", it "incorporates Confucianism and Mohism, combining Min andFa." In fact, it also includes the thoughts of Lao Zi and Yin Yang, and is a work from the Warring States period. Ban Gu classified it as one of the "Miscellaneous Schools."Lao Zi's "Dao" is an abstraction of prevalent principles and laws. It is not something that could be understood through sensory perception or that could be altered subjectively. Thus, Lao Zi emphasizes "non-intervention", "natural", "not to go against the nature of things", "cause over effect". Hence, "Shi Zi" also says in the chapter "Feng": "Once on the right track, no longer need wisdom and techniques." : "(care for the people, appreciate advisers, govern diligently) may appear different, but really belong to the same principle. And thus, in chapter "Fa Mung" :"Once the right analysis is made, it is applicable to every matter; once the right regulation is established, everything is so regulated." In the chapter "Qui Yan": “The old lived in a house without chimney and crack knows no fire alarm all his life.” In the chapter " Chu Dao": "Know the world without setting foot outdoor, govern the world without descending his court, for the principles are the same." In the chapter "Fa Mung": "An aware Lord does not need to enhance his hearing and sight, does not need espionage, does not expressly find out; for he observes when formations appears, listens when sound arrives and reacts when events transpire." "Shi Zi" assume the objectivity and universality of these principles and laws in order to distill and describe the thoughts of the different schools so as to establish its own school of thought. So it is in the study of "Shi Zi", one must grasp what in the original text and then proceed to compare it with Daoism, Confucianism, Mohism and Fa in order to fully interpret its thoughts and contentions.

This thesis is aimed to study the approach when Chi-tsang composed verses of commentary on the Nagarjuna founded and Pivgala annotated Middle Treatise(Chung-lun), how, through back and forth debating on the relativistic concepts such as “delusion” and “non-delusion”, “selfness” and “selflessness”, “arising/ceasing” and “non-arising /ceasing”, and finally summing-up to “mundane truth” and “noble truth”, he tried to bring up the notion of the “True Reality of AllDharmas”, and established the philosophical contents of Buddhist teaching. With argumentative analysis and elucidation done in this thesis the author expects to assist fellow scholars to understand and grasp a sideway viewpoint in Chi-tsang’s Buddhist thinking, so as to reflect on the essential philosophical issues of “by what it means to see ‘True Reality’ ”, and/or “what the so-called ‘True Reality’ is.”The bibliography of this thesis mainly consists the Commentary on The Middle Treatise (Chung-kuan-lun Su) and other Buddhist writings and commentary works by Chi-tsang. An Argumentative Explanation Approach is adapted as the study approach; as for the methodology, through conceptual connotation analyzing, subject backgrounds reestablishing, and multilayered probing and summarizing of the dogma, it achieves the goal of illustrating the objective that Chi-tsang set to establish the debates on the True Reality philosophy.The key argumentative points of this article are briefly summarized as follows:Chi-tsang suggests, based on the “Ultimate Emptiness” notion of the true reality of all dharmas dogma, since it is not possible to establish any ideas such as “being” or “non-being” or even “oneness” or “multiplicity”, therefore, when sutras and commentaries write about “selfness” or “selflessness”, or even “permanence” or “impermanence”, although some relativistic pedagogical meanings might exist, nevertheless, in essence the dogma is established with theonly intention to relate all phenomenon to the virtuous status of “nonattainment”. In addition, Chi-tsang points out that every causal dharma of falsephenomenon or illusory existence, at its heart “is real too.” Therefore, if we understand the existence nature of the illusory or false phenomenon dharma, knowing that it is dependent on arising, and furthermore cease to abide by illusory existence or false phenomenon, we then will be able to open the “Door of True Reality”.By the verses of commentary Chi-tsang teaches us the basic conceptual approach to opening the “Door of True Reality”, which is by griping without parting the “Causation” theory of “Two Truths” doctrine, to carry out analyzing and differentiating issues such as “being” and “non-being”, “permanency” and “non-permanency”, and even “arising” and “ceasing”, “delusion” and “non-delusion”, knowing that basically they are no more than causal hypothesis of “duality but non-duality” or “non-duality but duality”, therefore, in order to approximate the truth, we must liberate ourselves from the mental processing style which forms illusory external phenomena, that is to say, we need to extinguish “differential false thinking” which stops us from observing correctly the genuine truth of dharmas.

This paper aims to explore Chen Chien’s The Clarification of the Veiled Theories (Hsueh-Pu-Tung-Pien), specifically his comments on Wang Yang-ming’s The Later Chu Hsi: The Conclusion (Chu-Tzu-Wan-Nien-Ting-Lun) and Cheng Min-cheng’s The Way Is One(Tao-I-Pien), which, according to Chen, suffer from the same fault of reconciling and combining Chu Hsi and Lu Hsiang-shan. I will begin with a thorough investigation on Chen’s comments, sorting out as well as explaining the book’s merits and flaws, and weigh its intended effect. I endeavor to reevaluate this book in the hope of bring out a more constructive perspective on the issues concerning the reflections on the similarities and dissimilarities between Chu and Lu.

The aim of this essay is to elucidate John Rawls’s idea of public reason and its limits. According to Rawls, public reason is an ideal of democratic citizenship,which requires that the public discussion of fundamental political questions should be conducted solely in terms of reasons all citizens can reasonably be expected to endorse. Public reason can therefore produce a political consensus given the fact of reasonable pluralism of a liberal society.In this essay, I will begin by examining the idea of public reason proposed by Rawls. Next, I will consider four objections to this idea. Third, I will critically analyze whether and how the modified view of Rawls’s latest thoughts on public reason can reply to these objections. In conclusion, I point out that, without well-educated citizens, Rawls cannot resolve the problem of plebiscitory reason.

The forum of debate between Huang Zong-Yi and Chen Chien-Chu is a major publicly known archive in the transformation of Philosophy during the lastof Ming Dynasty and beginning of Ching Dynasty. It also represents the beginning of the transformation of the Confucian Learning of Song and Ming Dynasty transition to the practical Confucians of Ching Dynasty. In the studies by recent generations, they have either eye the thoughts of Chen Chien-Chu too much higher by thinking that the final years of thoughts of Huang Zong-Yi was changed by the effect from Chien-Chu or have eye the thoughts of Chien-Chu too much lower by thinking that it is equal to the tradition of born with Nature by Gau-Tze. Similarly, the studies by recent generations are also vague in defining the thoughts of Huang Zong-yi and can not give him a reasonable and pertinent status.Many Scholars have used the four rewrites of Huang Zong-Yi on the Mu-Ze-Ming by Chen Chien-Chu as their subject of studies or to stand with the first three view points of Huang Zong-Yi criticizing Chen’s thoughts being “Desire oriented”. Or to use the view point of the fourth rewrites on Mu-Ze-Ming of Huang Zong-Yi to think that the thoughts of later years of Huang Zong-Yi has leaned toward Chen Chien-Chu.I do not agree to that, my personal view point is that within the first three rewrites of Mu-Ze-Ming by Huang Zong-Yi he has misunderstood the thoughts of Chen Chien-Chu to think that Chien-Chu has denied the Confucians thoughts of Song and Ming Dynasty and become the tradition of later learning ofShun-Tze and Gau-Tze.In the fourth rewrites of Mu-Ze-Ming, he then clearly sees the theory of justice of exertion and fulfillment in Chen’s thoughts. Therefore I will not criticize it, but it can also be seen that Chien-Chu’s thoughts were not from the authentic Gi-San Learning. It has his own set of upright theory of justice, nevertheless this is not likely to become the later learning of Shun-Tze and Gau-Tze and will not degrade to the fallen scholarship either.

This paper begins with an analysis of Kant’s concept of “transcendental”, and proceeds to discuss some theoretical problems of transcendental cognition.Transcendental cognition refers to a kind of a priori cognitions about the faculty of cognition itself, which include the distinction between sensibility andunderstanding as well as their spatiotemporal and categorial forms. Although Kant’s transcendental philosophy aims to account for the possibility of objectiveexperience and knowledge by investigating into our faculty of cognition, the theoretical status of transcendental cognitions itself is rather unclear. On the onehand, they cannot be cognitions of the phenomenal self through inner sense, because these empirical cognitions could never serve as a foundation for thetranscendental philosophy. On the other hand, Kant also criticizes traditional rational psychology, rejecting the possibility of a priori cognitions of the noumenal self through reason alone. It is true that Kant denies every possibility of a priori self-cognition, but he does allow a kind of intellectual self-consciousness, i.e., the pure “I think” or “transcendental apperception”. Transcendental apperception is not cognition, but through transcendental reflection, we can analyze the structure of cognition. Yet, transcendental cognition is not primarily about the cognitive mechanism of human beings as a species. Kant’s transcendental philosophy is not cognitive science or transcendental psychology, but rather a kind of conceptual analysis of the structure of cognition of the finite rational being as such.

Suffering the problem of Ming-Shi-Xiang-Yuan（名實相怨） in Pre-Qin era, Zhu-zi （諸子）, which include Kong-sun Long, are thus paying more attentions tothe notion of Ming（名）. The principle of Yi-Shi-Zheng-Ming（以實正名） purposed by him, however, meets with no acceptant of contemporaneous Zhu-zi.The repulsion of Xun Zi, which argues that “making a delusory usage of Ming, could disturb (the orders of) Sh（i 實）(we have recognized)”, refers to the practiceof Kong-sun Long. Provoking criticism universally, the theory of Kong-sun Long is of so distinctive objective, that differs from the general notions of philosophy in that period. In short, the two diversions of Ming（名）, to which Kong-sun Long refers, are on one hand to signify (on certain individual), the “Wu Ming”; while on the other hand to refer (the nature of the individual itself), the “Shi Ming”, are discovered by Kong-sun Long. The value and doctrine of which highlighted by him is obviously the later, which overlooked in that period, would rather be regarded as Metaphysical rather than logical. It is even significant to discover and elaborate of philosophy of Kong-sun Long, while comparing with the thoughts of contemporaneous Zhu-zi and the other philosophers in the process of development of latter Chinese philosophy.

This essay explores Confucius’ hermeneutical method through his speeches, referencing, reading and discussion of the “Book of Odes”. It has the followingsections: 1. Preface 2. Clarification of terms in “poetry or odes”, the “Book of Odes” and “three hundred stanzas of the “Book of Odes” 3. The Pre-Confucianformation and use of the text 4. Confucius’ hermeneutical method with regard to the “Book of Odes”, and 5. Conclusion.The discussion focuses on (the hermeneutical method of) (1) The teachings of the “Book of Odes, (2) The analyses of Zhou dynasty musical lyrics which refer to the “Book of Odes”, and (3) Confucius’ references and readings of the “Book of Odes”. There are two stages of Confucius’ hermeneutical activity. First, the early years, based upon the Zhou Book of Odes stored in the court of Lu. Second, the later years, when Confucius re-edited the text to spread the‘philosophical principles of an ideal king’.The essay shows that Confucius’ hermeneutical method consists of taking passages out of context, the use of analogies, and the goal of developing the chivalrous and virtuous person. His hermeneutical activity combines historical and practical elements, and the use of theoretical implications.

The focus of this paper is on life as an academic concept and philosophy of life as a body of knowledge or a discipline, defining, clarifying, and examining relevant concepts or questions.The structure of this paper is divided into eight sections in terms of definition, clarification, questioning, and examination. The first section, “Introduction,” points out the theme and gives a general outline of the theme. The second section, “What Is Life?”, brings forward in the forms of list and succinct definition the most common definitions of life as organism in academic cycle. In order to develop a better definition of life, this paper makes a critical review of the above and, in a non-fixated and open manner, defines life as “a coherent base, mechanism, or principle which manifests life as such a process of life.” Such a definition not only avoids the deficiencies of narrowness, fixation,and closure but also makes it a suitable foundation for investigating philosophy of life, philosophy of religion, or Buddhist philosophy. The third section, “Clarifying Life and Related Concepts,” makes a distinction among human life, living creature, living entity, phenomena of life, livelihood, living, and death in order not to confuse life with these related concepts. The fourth section, “What Is Philosophy?”, concisely indicates what philosophy means from the light of philosophy as a professional field. The fifth section, “What Is Philosophy of Life?”, follows to define philosophy of life after discussing the concepts of life and philosophy. Philosophy of life is “the study of life with life as its main concern and philosophical inquiry and reasoning as the method.” The sixth section, “The Relation of Life to Philosophy,” discusses the relation between life and philosophy in terms of life to philosophy and philosophy to life respectively. The seventh section, “Clarifying Philosophy of Life and Related Disciplines,” makes a proper clarification among philosophy of life, biology, philosophy of human life, life studies, life-and-death studies, and thanatology. By means of contrast, this section makes the definition of philosophy of life clearer and more intelligible. The eighth section, “Conclusions and Prospects,” summarizes the key points of this paper and anticipates future discussions.The main objective of this paper includes at least the following two points. One is to offer a more rigorous and complete outline for the concept of life and philosophy of life by way of philosophical writing. The other is to present philosophy of life as less narrow than conducive to be connected with philosophy of religion and Buddhist philosophy, open to the religious way of life practice, and contributing to understanding the close relationship between theory and practice on the topic of life.