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This Is The Way is a podcast on Chinese philosophy, exploring philosophical themes by reflecting on significant Chinese texts and through interviews with scholars of Chinese thought. We aim to offer discussions that are informative and accessible to a broad audience. Please email us at: ChinesePhilosophyPodcast@gmail.com and follow us on X @ChinesePhilPod
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Play seems to constitute an important part of a flourishing human life. Most of us experience play through things like simple childhood games of hide-and-go-seek or more intellectual activities like chess or go. What these experiences of play have in common is that they are circumscribed in various ways by the times, places, and circumstances estab…
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The concept of wu-wei, often translated as nonaction or effortless action is central to classical Chinese philosophy. But what exactly is the idea and what are its practical implications? What puzzles does it raise regarding the nature of human actions, purpose, and intention? We examine these questions by focusing on some central passages from the…
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Episode 10: Mencius on Moral Development
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How do we become good? What is the process by which we acquire the virtues? We examine these question by focusing on some key concepts in Mencius's account of moral development such as reflection and extension. This discussion also centers on Mengzi 1A7 and the famous "king and the ox" passage that has been the subject of much conversation and deba…
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What is the nature and source of morality? Are human beings naturally inclined toward moral goodness? The early Confucian thinker Mencius (Mengzi) believed that human beings by nature possessed certain moral sprouts that could be nurtured and developed into robust virtues. In this episode we explore Mencius's account of these moral sprouts, examini…
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Across different religious and moral traditions we often find some version of the Golden Rule. In this episode we explore the Golden Rule as formulated in the Analects and explore questions such as how fundamental it is to the Confucian ethical framework, how it is supposed to work in actual practice, and how it connects with issues about self-cent…
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Certain allegories and myths offer profound philosophical insights. In the West, Plato's Allegory of the Cave occupies a key role in the history of philosophy with its marvelous representation of the quest for knowledge and the distinction between illusion and reality. In the East, Zhuangzi's story of the butcher, "Cook Ding" has for over two mille…
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Episode 6: Partiality and Justice
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It seems clear that special relationships give rise to strong attachments and responsibilities that are at the heart of human lives. But it also seems that considerations of justice can require us to give equal consideration to a stranger. What do we do when there is a conflict between considerations of partiality and impartiality? In this episode …
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Episode 5: Cultivation and the Autobiography of Confucius
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In this episode we discuss Confucius's autobiography as found in Analects 2.4, one of the most famous passages in the Analects and a rich resource for reflection on the process of moral self-cultivation. Among the many topics we explore: what Confucius meant by being "free of doubts" and "understanding Heaven's Mandate," and the relationship betwee…
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In this episode we discuss the topic of persuasion by exploring a dialogue between Confucius and his disciple Yan Hui in Chapter Four of the Zhuangzi. Among the questions we explore are: (1) Is persuading someone who disagrees with you even possible? (2) Under what conditions might someone be persuaded to a different viewpoint? (3) What is the conc…
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In this episode we explore the fascinating topic of Oneness with our guest Philip J. Ivanhoe, a distinguished scholar and translator of East Asian philosophy. Join the discussion of episode 3 here! We thank Lena Li (LI La 李拉 ) for her expert editing and sound engineering. We also thank the blog Warp, Weft & Way for hosting the discussion for this e…
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In this episode we introduce ourselves and explore the concept of detachment, focusing especially on the Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu 莊子), a classical Chinese text. Want to continue the discussion? Need links to some of the sources mentioned? Go to the support page for this episode on Warp, Weft, and Way. We thank Lena Li (LI La 李拉 ) for her expert editing…
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In this episode we interview Dr. Jing Iris Hu (HU Jing 胡婧), an associate professor at Concordia University in Canada. The central concept we explore is shame as represented in Confucian texts. Dr. Hu offers a nuanced defense of the value of Confucian shame and what it may play in our ethical lives. Please check out Dr. Hu's article, "Shame, Vulnera…
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