Overview

For centuries, the starting points for serious thought about ethics, justice, and government were traditions founded, in China by Confucius, and in the West by his near contemporary Socrates. In both classical traditions, norms were based on human nature; to contravene these norms was to deny part of one's humanity. The Chinese and Western philosophical traditions have often been regarded as mutually unintelligible. This book shows that the differences can only be understood by examining where they converge. It describes the role of these traditions in two political achievements: the formation of the constitutions of Song dynasty China and the American Republic. Both traditions went into eclipse for similar reasons but with quite different consequences: in China, the growth of absolutism, and in the West, the inability of modern political and ethical thought to defend the most fundamental values.

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9781108949613

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Reviews

'The sweep of Gordley's analysis is enormous, and his theory is driven through centuries of classical and modern thought. This volume will appeal to speculative minds that enjoy wide-ranging conclusions. … Recommended.' L. L. Lam-Easton, Choice 'In his magisterial comparative work, James Gordley undertakes a project of remarkable ambition and profound significance. … a seminal work of comparative ethical, political, and legal philosophy. Its greatest, most enduring contribution is its argument for a shared humanistic foundation in the classical traditions of China and the West. In a world too often focused on civilizational difference and conflict, Gordley provides an essential scholarly corrective, reminding us of a common heritage grounded in the perennial quest to understand human nature and to build a social and political order conducive to human flourishing. By demonstrating the viability of a philosophy rooted in human good, he offers an indispensable intellectual resource for navigating the dilemmas of contemporary thought and society.' Long Cheng, Society 'The Eclipse of Classical Thought in China and The West stands as a seminal work of comparative ethical, political, and legal philosophy. Its greatest, most enduring contribution is its argument for a shared humanistic foundation in the classical traditions of China and the West. In a world too often focused on civilizational difference and conflict, Gordley provides an essential scholarly corrective, reminding us of a common heritage grounded in the perennial quest to understand human nature and to build a social and political order conducive to human flourishing. By demonstrating the viability of a philosophy rooted in human good, he offers an indispensable intellectual resource for navigating the dilemmas of contemporary thought and society.' Long Cheng, Society

'The sweep of Gordley's analysis is enormous, and his theory is driven through centuries of classical and modern thought. This volume will appeal to speculative minds that enjoy wide-ranging conclusions. … Recommended.' L. L. Lam-Easton, Choice

Author Information

James Gordley is W. R. Irby Distinguished University Professor at Tulane Law School, and Shannon Cecil Turner Professor of Jurisprudence Emeritus at the Berkeley Law School. He is a Fellow of The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Corresponding Fellow of The British Academy and a membre titulaire of the Académie internationale du droit comparé. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Fulbright Fellow. He is the author of numerous books and articles including The Jurists: A Critical History (2013), Foundations of Private Law (2006), and The Philosophical Origins of Modern Contract Doctrine (1991).

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