|
|
Article: Between Nature and Culture: A Glimpse of the Biosemiotic World in Fourth-Century BCE Chinese Philosophy
- Article from:
- The American Journal of Semiotics
- Article date:
- January 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Semiotic Society of America 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
Abstract:
When ancient Chinese philosophy culminated in the sixth to third centuries BCE, "hundreds of flowers [intellectual schools] were blooming", yet not many theoreticians were particularly interested in questions regarding the relationship between animal and human life - despite their profuse discussion of, and heated debates about, both "nature" and "human nature" in their writings. This indifferent attitude towards creatures lower than humans is best illustrated by Confucius (551-479 BCE), who observed: "It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts, as if they were the same as us." Later, however, this condescending attitude of the Sage would be challenged by the Daoist ...