Wang Yangming

Wang Yangming

Author: Political Theory 101 May 13, 2023 Duration: 1:04:26
Alex and Benjamin discuss the state of Confucianism during the Ming Dynasty. Should "li" be understood as "principle" or "pattern"? What is the relationship between li and chi? While some theorists, like Zhu Xi, hold that studying the classics can help clear up your chi, Wang Yangming argues that the virtues are much easier to acquire, because for him li always already exists in the mind. He suggests there is a "unity of acting and knowing," so if a person acts in a virtuous way, that implies they have knowledge. This means that knowledge of the li can be found in the simple benevolent acts of ordinary people. While civil servants can quote classical texts, they may not act with the same benevolence, and if they act poorly they can't have the knowledge they purport to have. We therefore get a critique of civic education that comes from within Confucianism, without appeal to the legalist framework of someone like Lord Shang.

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Author: Language: English Episodes: 96

Political Theory 101
Podcast Episodes
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G.K. Chesterton & G.B. Shaw as Political Theorists [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Lyotard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Deleuze & Guattari [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Althusser & Foucault, Ideology & Power [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Free Speech with Doug Lain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:40
Alex and Benjamin bring on Doug Lain to talk about free speech in the 21st century. Doug offers his take on why free speech matters, and we discuss the political economy of speech and the role the state and civil society…
Nicole Oresme [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:01
Alex and Benjamin discuss Nicole Oresme, a 14th century French bishop who took an interest in political economy. An advocate for limited monarchy, Oresme argued against the right of king to debase the currency and even t…