With contributions by some of the best and most significant contemporary Korean philosophers, this important volume provides an overview of the different debates, problems, figures and periods that make up traditional Korean Buddhist and Confucian thought. The book highlights the richness and diversity of Korean philosophy as a vital and ongoing philosophical endeavour.

"한국사상은 철학인가?" 라는 물음은 오랜 물음이지만 아직 명확히 답변되지 않은 물음 이다. 이 논문은 서양철학을 기준으로 다양한 국가의 사상이 철학인가를 평가하려는 시도는 부적절하며, 동양철학이나 서양철학이 아닌 철학 일반, 즉 보편철학 또는 세계철학의 기준 을 마련하고 그에 따라 다양한 사상이 그 기준에 부합하는가를 평가해야 한다고 주장한다. 이와 관련하여, 2장은 먼저 "중국철학의 적절성" 문제가 제기되는 배경과 중국 학계의 대응을 살피고, 서양철학을 하나의 기준으로 제시하는 것이 부적절하다는 점을 지적한다. 그런 뒤에 3장은 한국사상의 발전 과정과 연구 동향을 비판적으로 고찰하고, 보편철학을 진리 추구의 학문으로 규정할 (...) 때 한국사상이 보편철학으로 포함되기 위해 개선되어야 할 몇 가지 조건을 제안한다. (shrink)

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the issue of the meaning to be attributed to our talk of Korean philosophy. Of course, the answer to all the questions that can be raised concerning this issue depends on our conception of philosophy. I start by claiming that philosophy should be an ars vivendi aiming at making our life worth living. Drawing on Socrates’s saying that the unexamined life is not worth living, I try to show that philosophical inquiry (...) has to start with the reflection upon the belief-system underpinning our way of life. Through this reflective activity we are inevitably led to tackle the problem of cultural identity constituted by such belief system; there is no belief-system that is not culturally conditioned. Korean philosophy is an ongoing endeavor of the Korean people to renew their cultural identity—by way of philosophical reflection upon their cultural identity. (shrink)

Philosophy as an academic discipline was introduced to Korea at the end of the 19th century. Philosophical education and professional research did not begin, however, until the 1920s. The first ins...

This book explores Neo-Confucianism and its relationship to politics by examining the life and work of the two iconic figures of the Joseon dynasty Yi Hwang, (1501-1570, Toegye) and Yi I (1536-1584, Yulgok).

A metaphor is an effective way to show how something is to be conceived. In this article, I look at two Neo-Confucian Korean philosophical contexts—the Four-Seven debate and Book of the Imperial Pivot—and suggest that metaphors are philosophically expedient in two further contexts: when both intellect and emotion must be addressed; and when the aim of philosophizing is to produce behavioral change. Because Neo-Confucians had a conception of the mind that closely connected it to the heart (心 xin), metaphor’s (...) empathy-inducing and perspective-giving capacities made it an especially helpful mode of philosophizing in the history of Korean philosophy. (shrink)

This translation of an English essay that was subsequently published in the Journal of Humanities Therapy 8.2 (December 2017), pp.75-111, was published in the proceedings of the 2017 Bk21+ International Conference on Philosophical Counseling and Therapy.

This volume is the first comprehensive and in-depth discussion written in English of the Confucian tradition in the context of the intellectual history of Korea. It deals with the historical, social, political, philosophical and spiritual dimensions of Korean Confucianism, arguably the most influential intellectual tradition, ethical and religious practice, and political-ideological system in Korea. This volume analyzes the unique aspects of the Korean development of the Confucian tradition by examining the role of Confucianism as the ruling ideology of (...) the Choson Dynasty. It investigates Confucianism’s social and cultural construction, and intellectual foundation in highlighting the Korean achievement of the Neo-Confucian discussion on "human nature and its principle" in light of the Chinese Neo-Confucian development. The volume also surveys the most influential Korean Confucian scholars discussing their philosophical significance in relation to one of the most fundamental Neo-Confucian discourses, namely the li and qi debates, to elucidate how metaphysical theories shaped the socio-political factions of the Choson Dynasty. Furthermore, issues concerning the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism and other native traditional belief systems are also included in this volume. The volume explores the Confucian confrontation with modernity, encounter with the "Western Learning" including Western science and Catholicism, and the Confucian struggle with modernity in dealing with issues such as democracy, human rights, and gender in modern Korea. Individual contributors of this volume are either well established senior scholars or promising young scholars in the field. (shrink)

Korean civil society is often criticized because of its dual nature, that is, the paucity of social capital in everyday life and the plethora of collective political actions in the national civil society. Although liberals view such duality as the critical impediment to Korea’s authentic (that is, liberal) democratization, which would represent a fundamental, liberal-pluralist transformation of Korean society, this article rather acknowledges its cultural (that is, Confucian) uniqueness and utilizes it as the basis on which to construct (...) a Korean non-liberal democracy that is culturally pertinent and politically viable. First, this article critically re-examines the recent neo-Tocquevillian praise for social capital in light of Tocqueville’s original idea on the art of association, and reveals the liberal-individualistic assumption behind them, with which Confucian-Koreans are culturally unfamiliar. It presents a Korean version of Confucian civil society to promote democratic collective self-government and common citizenship, while rejecting modern Western moral individualism. (shrink)

This book explores Neo-Confucianism and its relationship to politics by examining the life and work of the two iconic figures of the Joseon dynasty Yi Hwang, and Yi I.

Eastern philosophy, including Korean thought, is opposed to the dominant Western perspec­tives, especially dualism. Korean Dong-hak life ecology equates the human being with God and nature and holds that there is a circular interrelationship between them. It is based on Daoism which stresses the unity of the universe and Buddhism which contains an anthropo­cosmic world view. The key ideas involving Korean green concerns are Dong-hak ecology, ecological Daoism, and Buddhist ecological philosophy. These ideas have been translated into (...) practice in the Indramang Community. (shrink)

This study examines the Korean aesthetic consciousness of colour by focusing on the preference far white in clothing culture. A nation's symbolic use of certain colours develops over time as a tradition representing the national sentiment and philosophy of life. In this way, traditional colours not only influence the senses but also evoke ideas about a country's social customs. Far example, white clothes without bleaching, artificial processing, or fancy patterns have a simple and pure beauty. This paper discusses the (...) Korean partiality toward such clothing as representative of the spiritual virtues of purity and holiness. A comparison is drawn with China and Japan, where traditional clothes feature other colours despite some shared concepts across the cultures, such as yin-yang and the five elements. (shrink)

Korean civil society is often criticized because of its dual nature, that is, the paucity of social capital in everyday life and the plethora of collective political actions in the national civil society. Although liberals view such duality as the critical impediment to Korea’s authentic (that is, liberal) democratization, which would represent a fundamental, liberal-pluralist transformation of Korean society, this article rather acknowledges its cultural (that is, Confucian) uniqueness and utilizes it as the basis on which to construct (...) a Korean non-liberal democracy that is culturally pertinent and politically viable. First, this article critically re-examines the recent neo-Tocquevillian praise for social capital in light of Tocqueville’s original idea on the art of association, and reveals the liberal-individualistic assumption behind them, with which Confucian-Koreans are culturally unfamiliar. It presents a Korean version of Confucian civil society to promote democratic collective self-government and common citizenship, while rejecting modern Western moral individualism. (shrink)

There is ongoing debate on whether Juche (주체/主體), the North Korean state ideology, is indigenous, Marxist-Leninist, or Confucian—or if it’s a real philosophy at all. In this article, I introduce Juche and show how characteristics that philosophers identify to be unique or pronounced in premodern Korean philosophy can be found in Juche as well. Intellectual adaptation, pragmaticism, and an emphasis on continual improvement are prominent in both premodern Korean thought and Juche. Juche should be understood as a (...) politically inflected outgrowth that is embedded within the larger context of Korean philosophy. (shrink)

현대 한국의 실천철학자로 손꼽히는 하기락은 자주인(自主人)에 의한 해방의 철학을 개척하였다. 그의 『조선철학사』는 한국의 전통에서 아나키즘을 이끌어내려는 결과물이다. 단순히 한국 철학의 역사를 전개한 것이 아니라 자주인에 대한 사상의 역사를 서술한 것이다. 그가 말한 자주인은 계급과 권력 등의 강제된 폭력으로부터 자유롭게 해방된 인간을 말한다. 『조선철학사』에 따르면, 상고시대에 일찍이 사람들이 서로 협력하여 자유롭고 평화로운 공동의 생활을 유지하였다고 한다. 그는 이러한 점을 한국 아나키즘의 기원으로 논의하였고, 역사적 고찰을 시도하였다. 상고시대 이후 왕조의 교체와 분열로 인해 아나키즘의 정신은 쇠퇴하였지만, 조선중기 이후부터 정신이 부활된다. 대표적인 인물로는 서경덕, (...) 정약용, 최수운이 있으며, 근대에 이르러 신채호가 있다.BR 그는 사상사 기술에 있어 신채호의 영향을 많이 받았다. 하기락은 신채호의 고대 사상 관련 문헌들을 직접 인용하면서 이에 대해 평가하였다. 평가를 통해 신채호의 관점을 계승하거나 변용하며 한국 전통에서 아나키즘의 역사를 모색하였다. 하기락의 한국철학 연구는 궁극적으로 한국적 아나키즘의 전통을 성립하려는 기획이었으며, 동시에 현대의 국가중심주의에서 인간중심주의로 사유의 전환을 모색한 것이다. (shrink)

Die Beiträge in diesem Buch sind in transkultureller Perspektive Problemen der Epistemologie, der Anthropologie, der Ethik und der politischen Philosophie gewidmet. Unter dem Titel Menschsein - On Being Human diskutieren koreanische und deutsche Philosophen Themen der einen Welt: Universale und lokale Diskurse über Kultur und Transkulturalität im Zeitalter der Globalisierung, die Rolle der Religionen, öffentliche Rationalität, transkulturelle Gerechtigkeit und Universalität von Menschenrechten. The contributions in this book are from a transcultural perspective and devoted to problems in epistemology, anthropology, ethics and (...) political philosophy. Under the title Menschsein - On Being Human, Korean and German philosophers discuss topics to do with one world: universal and local discourses about culture and transculturality in the age of globalization, the role of religion, public rationality, transcultural justice, and the universality of human rights. (shrink)

Korean Buddhism is distinctive within the broader field of East Asian Buddhism for the pronounced degree of its syncretic discourse. Korean Buddhist monks throughout history have demonstrated a marked tendency in their essays and commentaries to focus on the solution of disagreements between various sects within Buddhism, or on conflicts between Buddhism and other religions. While a strong ecumenical tendency is noticeable in the writings of dozens of Korean monks, among the most prominent in regard to their (...) exposition of syncretic philosophy are Wŏnhyo 元曉 617-686), Pojo Chinul 普照知訥 1158-1210) and Hamheo Kihwa 涵虚己和 1376-1433). (shrink)

This study investigates the relationship among ethical philosophy, thinking style, and managerial ethical decision-making. Based on the premise that business ethics is a function of culture and time, we attempt to explore two important questions as to whether the national differences in managerial ethical philosophies remain over time and whether the relationship between thinking style and ethical decision-making is consistent across different national contexts. We conducted a survey on Korean managers’ ethical decision-making and thinking style and made a cross-cultural, (...) cross-temporal comparison with the results presented by previous studies that surveyed Korean and US managers with the same questionnaire at different points in time. Our analysis revealed that Korean managers have become more reliant on rule utilitarianism for ethical decision-making over the last two decades, which is dominantly used by US managers, corroborating our convergence hypothesis built on social contracts theory. However, as opposed to previous research, we found that managers with a balanced linear and nonlinear thinking style do not necessarily make more ethical decisions compared to those with a predominantly linear or nonlinear thinking style. This study contributes to international business ethics literature by presenting a theoretical framework that may explain the convergence of ethical philosophies employed by managers in different national contexts over time, and that the relationship between thinking style and managerial ethical decision-making may not be universal, but contingent on contextual factors. (shrink)

This essay introduces two Korean women Confucian philosophers: Im Yun- jidang and Gang Jeongildang who lived in the latter period of the Joseon dynasty. Im Yunjidang was the first Confucian woman to explicitly claim women possessed an equal capacity to become sages as men. Gang Jeong- ildang made it clear that she was inspired by and sought to develop the thought of Im and added her own unique insights and new perspectives. Though they and their writings differ in many (...) ways, these two women philosophers created a lineage of female sages, marking a turning point in the history of Confucian philosophy. This paper aims to provide the his- torical background that shaped their thought and to introduce some of their writings in the hope of inspiring readers to study further the lives and philosophies of these two remarkable women and to take up and extend the insights they have left behind. (shrink)

이 논문은 생존을 위해 혁신의 측면을 지나치게 강조함으로써 고향상실의 사태를 유지하고 있는 한국사회에 대한 철학적 반성을 시도한다. 오뒤세우스는 귀향을 시도하는 것처럼 보이지만, 감각적 쾌락과 지식의 욕망, 즉 세계 지배의 욕망 때문에 계속적으로 귀향을 지연시킨다. 고향상실은 바로 세계 지배의 욕망 때문에 발생하는 것이고, 귀향은 오로지 세계 지배 욕망의 절제를 통해서만 이루어질 수 있다. 힌트리히스의 고향상실의 철학은 바로 이러한 측면을 철학적인 방식으로 밝혀준다. 고향상실과 귀향의 이러한 긴밀한 관계를 우리는 마르크바르트의 실존주의 철학을 통해 더욱 더 밝힐 수 있다. 이 실존주의에 따르면 인간의 실존적 (...) 사실은 느림과 빠름, 고향과 고향상실이라는 두 측면으로 구성되어 있다. 이 둘의 관계는 보상적이다. 느림은 빠름을 통해 보상되고, 빠름은 느림을 통해 보상된다. 인간은 이러한 두 요소의 상호 보상적 관계 속에서 실존한다. 우리는 욕망 실현을 위해 고향을 떠나야만 한다. 하지만 인간은 이러한 고향상실의 상태를 계속적으로 견뎌낼 수 없다. 이러한 견딤은 오로지 떠나온 고향의 존재가 유지되는 한에서만 가능하다. 그리고 고향의 존재의 유지 또한 인간이 고향상실의 사태를 실현하는 한에서만 의미가 있다. 이러한 두 요소의 보상적 관계가 바로 인간의 실존을 구성한다. 하지만 실존은 생존과 구별되어야 한다. 생존만이 문제되는 곳에서는 실존에 대한 반성과 물음이 제기되지 않는다. 실존적 요소의 상호 보상적 관계는 오로지 실존물음이 제기된 이후에야 비로소 인식되고 실현된다. 실존물음은 생존의 문제가 어느 정도 해결된 이후에야 가능하다. 한국사회는 아직도 생존을 삶의 주요한 과제로 설정하고 있다. 이러한 상태에서는 제대로 된 실존물음이 제기되지 않는다. 생존이 유일한 과제로 설정된 사회에서는 실존의 두 요소 간의 상호 보상적 관계가 실현될 수가 없다. 생존만을 부르짖다 보니, 한국사회는 혁신과 성장, 빠름과 창의성만을 유일한 가치로 내세웠다. 혁신에서 늦는 자는 생존하지 못한다. 이러한 생존 위주의 사회에서 실존물음이 제기되려면 우선 우리는 안정된 고향의 존재를 의식해야만 한다. 하지만 물리적인 고향이 모두 파괴된 한국사회에서 이러한 안전한 고향이란 존재하지 않는다. 이 상황에서 유일한 해결책은 우리가 고향을 새롭게 구성하고, 이를 고향이라 규정하고, 이를 보존하는 것을 시작하는 것이다. (shrink)

As far as I’m concerned, Korean moral education is facing the new challenge and new era. I’m teaching Korean secondary school studens as an Ethic teacher in high school and EBS lecturer as well. I’m worried about Korean education especially in middle and high school. There was missing thinking those parts cause an entrance examination, only for university in Korea. In this a serious worry, I found some exits from significant experience. First, I’d like to mention about (...) P4C (Philosophy for children) Program which was learned from Professor Mattew Lipman of Mont Clair State University in New Jersey, U.S.A. This program is emphasizing upon thinking skill including creative, critical, and caring thinking. The huge shift from knowledge based education to thinking based education inKorea contemporarily. Also Student-based education is new stream of Korean education system. Teachers think students come to school to get knowledge, parents think children can learn judgment at school which was "lost area.”All this things come from philosophy, when we ask for reason it is a philosophical question. For example, "Why is he a hero?”, “He is brave.” "Why is he brave?" Which is philosophical conceptualization? Every day life gives us some questions and concepts like: love, freedom and philosophy gives us answers to those question so without philosophy we cannot have happy life. In reality of Korean education system there is no independent class for philosophy. So philosophy can be taught in Korean language classes or social studies. I started using P4C program from Lipman: I taught students making questions or making stories. These exercising result was remarkable and amazing. So questions are thebeginning of discovering new knowledge. Even if the knowledge is known by other people students can enjoy the process of discovering new knowledge. They could also get thinking skills. (shrink)

With the introduction of zoom and cell group Bible study and fellowship gathering with church members from 6 to 10, congregation members of each Korean church have come to appreciate the diversity within each consistory encompassing multigenerational American born Koreans, foreign expats, diplomats, immigrants from middle class and up from the greater Seoul, South Korea area, political refugees and migrant workers who categorically entered this country with Republic of Korea visa but who originally were able to date back their (...) earlier life from Communist Regimes such as Siberia, China, Vietnam and North Korea (Ibuk chulsin) and other Asian of color looking foreigners and mix-breeds with Korean heritage and other combinations. The focus of their Christian practice has been more passive concept of God’s grace grounded on John Wesley tradition rather than their yoking and making progress in lineal fashion into the future with and by believers out of Christian love. A premium is placed in smooth transitioning from static Confucianism and Christianity embracing education, meritocracy, social harmony and order. (shrink)

China and Korea share a deep-rooted cultural and philosophical heritage, historically shaped by Confucianism, which has served as both a moral framework and a guiding principle for governance, ethics, and social harmony. As integral parts of the Confucian cultural sphere, both nations have engaged in vibrant intellectual and spiritual exchanges, with Mencius’ philosophy of benevolent governance (renzheng) playing a particularly influential role in shaping Korean political thought and ethical traditions. However, modern political shifts and historical disruptions led to a (...) temporary stagnation of these exchanges. With the normalization of China-South Korea relations, there has been a resurgence in cultural interactions, including renewed scholarly engagement with Confucian principles, particularly in relation to governance, morality, and religious philosophy. This study explores the historical and contemporary significance of Mencius’ doctrine of benevolent governance within Sino-Korean cultural exchange, emphasizing its religious and ethical dimensions. By analyzing how Confucian moral philosophy influenced Korean political structures, social ethics, and religious thought, this research highlights the enduring relevance of Confucian values in shaping the moral consciousness of both nations. The paper further examines contemporary manifestations of cultural exchange, such as the Korean Wave (Hallyu) and China’s Han Style, to assess their impact on the philosophical and spiritual discourse between the two nations. Through an exploration of Mencius’ ideas in the context of modern governance, interfaith dialogue, and ethical statecraft, this study addresses both the challenges and opportunities presented by contemporary Sino-Korean cultural exchange. It argues that Confucian religious and moral philosophy provides a valuable foundation for fostering cross-cultural understanding, strengthening diplomatic relations, and addressing ethical dilemmas in governance and social development. Future research should further examine how Confucian spiritual traditions continue to shape moral and political frameworks in East Asia and how these principles can be reinterpreted to address modern ethical and religious challenges. (shrink)

This paper is a short report about a series of picture books and manuals designed for P4C (especially Philosophy for Korean Young Children). There were not proper educational reading materials or books to help Korean young children to think by (or for) themselves and dialogue with. Dr. Sharp’s is a very helpful guidebook for young children to think by themselves, dialogue with friends, and discuss with others (peers, older or younger children, teacher and parents, etc.). However, there remain (...) some needs for consideration of Korean culture. I developed new eight picture books for young children and short manuals for parents and teachers to do ‘thinking experiments’ with children. The stories were created in the contexts of Korean young children’s daily lives and typical episodes. The community of inquiry, which Korean young children participate in, needs to consider general and special aspects, such as the relationship between peers, children-parents, and children-teachers, Confucius or new western customs, new and old generations, moral and cultural atmosphere of Korean kindergartens or childcare centers, etc. Various episodes and scenes in the picture books will revoke and encourage Korean children’s deeper or higher thinking, interesting and creative dialogues, vivid and harmonious discussions based on their own experiences and contexts of life in the community of inquiry. (shrink)

This paper reviews the history of Korean Neo-Confucian thought from its introduction in the late fourteenth century until the end of the Joseon dynasty in the early twentieth century. With the founding of Joseon in 1392 the Neo-Confucian synthesis that had swept China was adopted in Korea, replacing the Buddhist establishment of the previous dynasty. The introductory section discusses the major figures in this transition and their grasp of the new metaphysical framework and ascetical theory which now supplemented the (...) traditional Confucian ethical core. The new teaching took deep root in the fifteenth century, but it did so in the context of succession problems leading to a series of “literati purges” of Confucians serving in government. The sixteenth century marked the coming to full intellectual maturity of the Neo-Confucian thought of the Cheng-Zhu school on the Korean peninsula. Toegye and Yulgok, the most famous names in Korean Neo-Confucian thought, represented opposing sides in the celebrated Four Seven Debate concerning the origination of feelings in the mind-and-heart. As the Mongols established the new Qing dynasty in China in the seventeenth century, Korean Neo-Confucians felt they had become the sole heritors and defenders of true civilization, leading to a period of intense and conflicted conservative orthodox orientation towards the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucian school. In the intense factional struggles of the time the Yulgok followers of a faction led by Song Siyeol rose to dominance, and in the early eighteenth century the second most celebrated controversy, the Horak Debate, broke out within the ranks of this single intellectual lineage. The debate is best known for the question of whether and how humans and all other creatures share the same “original nature,” but it also inquired deeply into the accessibility of the original nature in techniques of meditative self-cultivation. The latter part of the eighteenth century is known for the emergence of a broad, loosely coordinated movement away from philosophical questions towards “practical learning,” or “Silhak” as twentieth century historians have named it. Philosophical inquiry continued to have a lively life well into the nineteenth century, however, with a deepening and radicalization of lines of thought established in the earlier debates, as well as some creative crossing and merging of the boundaries that separated the intellectual lineages of Toegye and Yulgok. (shrink)

Tasan Chong Yagyong (1762-1836) is one of the most creative thinkers Korea has ever produced, one of the country's first Christians, and a leading scholar in Confucian philosophy. Born in a staunchly Neo-Confucian society, in his early twenties he encountered writings by Catholic missionaries in China and was fascinated. However, when he later learned that the Catholic Church condemned the Confucian practice of placing a spirit tablet on a family altar to honor past generations, he left the small Catholic community (...) he had helped found and ostensibly returned to the Neo-Confucian fold. Nevertheless, the Christian ideas he studied in his youth influenced his thinking for the rest of his life, stimulating him to look at Neo-Confucianism with a critical eye and suggest new solutions to problems Confucian scholars had been addressing for centuries. A Korean Confucian's Advice on How to Be Moral is an annotated translation of Tasan's commentaries on the Confucian classic Zhongyong (usually translated as The Doctrine of the Mean) in which he applies both Confucianism and Christianity to the question of how to best develop a moral character. Written as a dialogue with King Chongjo, (r. 1776-1800) these texts reveal how Tasan interpreted his Confucian tradition, particularly its understanding of how human beings could cultivate morality, while the king's questions illustrate the mainstream Neo-Confucianism Tasan was reacting against. Tasan challenged the non-theistic standard, insisting that living a moral life is not easy and that we need to be motivated to exert the effort necessary to overcome our selfish tendencies. He had abandoned his faith by the time he wrote these commentaries but, influenced by Catholic works and determined to find a more effective way to live a moral life than non-theistic Neo-Confucianism provided, Tasan constructed a Confucian philosophy of moral improvement centered on belief in God. This translation, helpfully annotated for context and analysis, is an exploration of early Korean engagement with the West and a powerful guide to all those interested in Confucianism, Christianity, and morality. (shrink)

동양적 전통에서는 다양한 문체로 사물과 대화할 수 있지만 특히 시(詩), 명(銘), 부(賦)가 그런 경향이 두드러진다. 말은 입이 하는 것이 아니라 마음, 영혼이 하는 것이다. 따라서 어떤 사물과 함께 있는지가 그 사람을 규정하는 겉이라면, 사물과 어떤 대화를 했는지는 그 사람의 속이다. 겉과 속은 분명 다르지만, 그렇다고 속없이 겉이 없고, 겉이 없이 속도 없다. 그래서 그 사람이 어떤 사물과 함께 했는지를 알면 그의 겉을 상상할 수 있고, 사물과 어떤 대화를 했는지를 알면 속에 들어가 볼 수 있다. 빈한한 삶을 살았던 서경덕이지만 사물 없이 (...) 살 수는 없기에 그의 사물이 전무하지는 않다. 서경덕은 여러 사물 가운데 도죽장, 부채, 거문고에 대해 특별하게 기록해 두었다. 부채를 든 서경덕, 도죽장을 짚은 서경덕, 거문고를 품고 있는 서경덕. 우리가 상상해볼 수 있는 그림들이다. 도죽장에 투영된 서경덕은 백성의 곤궁과 험한 세상을 구제해야 한다는 현실 참여적 모습을 보이고 있다. 부채에 비춰지는 서경덕은 백성의 어려움을 씻어줘야 하는 현실적 선비의 모습과 함께 존재의 근원을 탐구하는 철학자이다. 거문고에서 찾을 수 있는 서경덕은 현상과 근원, 체와 용, 형이상과 형이하, 유형과 무형을 일기(一氣)로 파악하는 기철학자이다. 도죽장, 부채, 거문고를 통해 본 서경덕은 세상의 아픔을 걱정하고 좋은 세상을 이루어야 한다는 현실감을 지닌 선비이고, 존재의 근원을 파고드는 철학자이며, 기(氣)의 논리로 요순의 통치가 이루어질 수 있음을 확신하는 이상가이기도 한다. (shrink)

This is a study of 288 Korean and 323 Japanese Business executives. The result indicates that, (1) the business executives believe basically in higher level business ethics, but (2) they occasionally have to make unethical business decisions which conflict with their personal values, because of prevailing business practices. (3) However, they think higher ethical standards is useful for long-term profit and for improving workers' attitudes, and the standards can be improved, and (4) to improve ethical standards, model setting by (...) superiors is the most important and clear-cut company policies and code of ethics are essential. (shrink)

Evidence from life science, cognitive science, and philosophy supports the hypothesis that knowledge is a central norm of the human practice of assertion. However, to date, the experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis is limited to American anglophones. If the hypothesis is correct, then such findings will not be limited to one language or culture. Instead, we should find a strong connection between knowledge and assertability across human languages and cultures. To begin testing this prediction, we conducted three experiments on Koreans (...) in Korean. In each case, the findings replicated prior results observed in Americans and were corroborated by key findings from new replication studies on Americans using materials back-translated from Korean. These findings support the theory that there is a core, cross-culturally robust human practice of assertion and that, according to the rules of this practice, assertions should express knowledge. (shrink)

본 연구의 목적은 한자경의 연구(『한국철학의 맥』)에서 ‘다산이 우리 사상사의 연속성, 정신의 역사성을 부정했다’는 주장을 반성적으로 검토하는 것이다. 한자경은 성리학을 ‘내재주의’적 관점으로, 다산의 학문을 ‘외재주의’적 관점으로 해석하며, 정약용의 사상은 결국 ‘탈성리학적’이면서 ‘탈유교적’이라고 해석한다. 한자경의 주장에 따르면 다산은 송대 성리학이 공맹의 원시유학과 그 근본정신에서부터 상반되며 질적으로 ‘변질’된 것으로 본다. 이렇듯 한자경은 다산이 ‘주희가 유학의 도통으로 확립한 것이 오히려 유학의 왜곡일 뿐’이며, 주자학을 계승한 조선 유학의 역사도 “자기 왜곡의 역사”인 것이라고 주장하여, 결과적으로 다산은 “우리 사상사의 연속성, 정신의 역사성을 부정”하고 있다고 규정한다. 한자경은 이러한 (...) 다산의 사상관이 마테오 리치(Matteo Ricci, 1552-1610)의 『천주실의』에 대한 영향 때문이라고 주장한다. 그렇지만 다산의 학문이 “우리 사상사의 연속성, 정신의 역사성을 부정”하는 것이며, 이것을 마테오 리치의 『천주실의』에서 배운 것이라는 한자경의 주장은 이 연구서 전체에 흐르는 ‘한국철학의 맥’ 즉 일심이 유독 다산에게서만 단절되었다는 문제가 생긴다. 이에 대해 논자는, 다산에게서 한국철학의 고유성이 없지 않으며, 특히 다산의 편지글에는 역사와 시원에 대한 그의 관심이 많이 나타난다는 점과 그의 독특한 실존적 사상 경향이 나타나고 있음을 드러내었다. 그는 자신의 실존적 삶 속에서 더 깊이 더 멀리 시원을 바라보았으며, 우리나라 문학과 역사, 선현들의 글들을 읽고 지혜를 얻어 또 그것을 후세에 전해주려고 노력했다. 다산은 ‘주자학’과 ‘공맹유학’을 거슬러 올라가, 그것들 보다 더 원천적인 ‘상고시대 중국유학’, 또 그 보다도 더 시원적이면서 동시에 ‘지금 여기’를 강조하는 실존적인 철학적인 사유를 추구하고 있다. (shrink)

Edward Y. J. Chung's A Korean Confucian Way of Life and Thought is great news to the field of Korean philosophy. It has been some twenty years since Chung, one of the few experts on Korean Confucianism in English-speaking academia, published his first monograph on Yi Hwang and Yi Yi in 1995,1 and now we are able to see and savor another fruit of Chung's lifelong scholarship. This time, by providing an English translation of T'oegye's own work, (...) Chung lays a stepping-stone for readers to gain direct access to the scholarly life of T'oegye.Given this purpose, I think Chung's choice of the Chasŏngnok 自省録 is not only critical, because this work has not... (shrink)

Since the Korean Philosophy of Education Society was established in 1964, the question regarding the nature of Philosophy of Education as a modern discipline has always been a vexing question to mo...