| Previous studies of early Chinese thought have labored under a number of unhelpful assumptions: (1) early Chinese thought is divisible into "Confucian" (Rujia) and "Daoist" (Daojia) categories, each exclusive of the other; (2) early Chinese texts are the composition of single authors from discrete historical periods; (3) early Chinese ideas are best understood as "philosophical" rather than "religious" in character. Working with groundbreaking new research on the historical development of early Chinese thought this dissertation argues against these three assumptions. It highlights features of thought, vocabulary, and practice common to both early "Confucians" and "Daoists," suggesting that these terms imply an anachronistic separation between ancient Chinese spiritual lineages. It adopts the increasingly-accepted "accretional development theory" of representative early Chinese texts such as the Laozi [Lao-tzu or Tao Te Ching], Lunyu [Analects], Mengzi [Mencius], and Zhuangzi [Chuang-tzu], presenting evidence in favor of extensive and highly heterogeneous redaction histories for these works. Finally, by tracing the parallel development of these texts across the Warring States and early imperial eras (ca. 479--150 BCE), it demonstrates that early Chinese thought is best understood as combining an interest in "magical" cosmology and causality with a commitment to "moral" psychology and agency. Thus, theoretical models from the study of philosophy (e.g., the metaethics of Josef Fuchs, S.J.) and religion (e.g., Poo Mu-chou's notion of the "extrahuman") help to make sense of the many historical, literary, and thematic connections between the "Confucian" and "Daoist" traditions. Furthermore, the use of joint disciplinary perspectives from philosophy and religious studies allows for meaningful comparisons between functionally-similar systems of thought and practice in other cultures, such as contemporary Christian ethics and traditional African magical practices. |
