The Cosmological Basis Of Pre-Qin Confucian Ethics In The Horizon Of The Other

Sinologists have aroused more and more attentions in China in recent years. Many of their works have been translated into Chinese, which promotes a trend of sinology study in the academic field. Roger T. Ames, one of the most renowned ones among all, has his major works, including The Analects of Confucius:A Philosophical Translation, Anticipating China:Thinking Through the Narratives of Chinese and Western Culture, and Thinking Through Confucius, published in Chinese due to his research on pre-Qin Confucianism that corresponds to the regained attention of Confucianism in the nation. Analects ranks the first place among Chinese Canons, and interpretations on it abound.In what way should we take and understand its interpretations, especially that of recent sinologists, set off my way to the thesis.Most Research on Ames has been comparative study focusing on his translation of Chinese Canons. Otherwise, they have studied one of the concepts from which. All these studies could hardly perceive Ames’s academic idea fundamentally. Why did Ames study Confucianism in the first place? Why did he retranslate those canons? What are the features of his version? In order to solve all these problems, for me, it is necessary to start from cosmology because understanding of any philosophy or culture should all be based on the foundation of its cosmology. Therefore, this thesis chose cosmology as the subject.Ames’s ideas originate from American Pragmatic philosophy as represented by John Dewey, and Process philosophy as represented by Alfred Whitehead. Both schools provide basis for the development of physics in the20th century. Ames, having built bis theory on these, puts forward "ars contextualis" and "focus and field" as his way to understand Confucianism. While Confucianism itself undergoes the development from "Manifest Destiny" in the Shang Dynasty to "Humanism" in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and to the Collapse of Rituals in the Spring and Autumn Period. From "Shaman" to "Rites", and then to "Ren," Confucianism summarizes the culture of ancient China. Meanwhile, it surpasses the latter.A researcher, translator’s own academic background would certainly affect his research and translation. Other historical factors would be taken into consideration, too. The form of a culture has its own cause, process and sequence. To reveal the two things, and compare them will enhance our understanding of sinologists, as well as our own culture.