Human Rights in Chinese Thought: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry (Cambridge Modern China Series)

Description

This book has illustrated for me the real need for western peoples to familiarize themselves with some elements of eastern life, literature and culture. One glance at the extensive bibliography shows that there is much to be learned before we can engage in meaningful dialogue with eastern peoples on sensitive issues that will influence the policies of nations and the lives of all of us, east and west alike.The author begins by quoting a Chinese speaker's statement that countries may have different notions of Human Rights due to differences in their histories and that one country may not be held to account by standards seen as Human Rights in another country. To this the author states on page l, "The principal goal of this book is to assess these two claims."In order to accomplish this goal Dr. Angle begins with a most edifying section on the process of human discourse and in doing so he makes clear the thinking of several philosophers, in particular the work of Robert Brandom on concepts and language.The body of the book is best described as an historical look at Human Rights as Chinese writers have expressed their ideas on the subject and comparisons with western writers who have dealt with the same themes.This book steers a remarkably steady course between the language of philosophical precision and that of the average intelligent reader.