Background
Cua, Antonio S. was born on July 23, 1932 in Manila, Philippines. Son of Oh and Chio (So) Cua. came to the United States, 1953, naturalized, 1971.
( In this volume, distinguished philosopher Antonio S. Cu...)
In this volume, distinguished philosopher Antonio S. Cua offers a collection of original studies on Xunzi, a leading classical Confucian thinker, and on other aspects of Chinese philosophy. While each essay individually makes an important contribution to the study of Chinese philosophy, the book as a whole represents a major scholarly achievement. In the first part of the book, Cua focuses on Xunzi. Although the topic of human nature is a recurrent concern for Xunzi, recent studies have neglected to analyze the key notions and arguments that he offers. Cua shows that Xunzi deserves attention from moral philosophers, not only because of the clarity and depth of his thought, but also for the ways in which he focused on language and for his method of presenting theses dealing with the relation between morality and human nature; the significance of ritual for governance in a civilized community; the ethical uses of history; the possibility of ethical knowledge; and honor and shame. The second part of the book deals with key aspects of Chinese philosophy and the Confucian vision. Cua discusses the emergence of Chinese philosophy; the notion of practical causation presupposed in Confucian ethics; implications for the quality of human life in the context of environmental ethics; the problem of moral failure; and metaphysical grounding of Confucian ethics. Throughout the book, the methodology exemplifies a constructive interpretation and analysis of major concepts. Cua's work offers new opportunities for the study and development of Chinese philosophy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Antonio S. Cua is Professor Emeritus in the School of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America. He is the author of numerous books, including Moral Vision and Tradition and Ethical Argumentation: A Study of Hsun Tzu's Moral Epistemology. He also serves as the coeditor of the Journal of Chinese Philosophy, associate editor of the International Journal of Philosophy, and editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Chinese Philosophy. PRAISE FOR THE BOOK: "Cua's total body of work on Xunzi is the deepest and richest work in English on this thinker. . . . Cua is one of the great senior figures in the field, and this book will be a useful reference in courses in Chinese and comparative studies."―David Wong, Duke University "The essays in this book exemplify a deep integration of scholarship and analytical rigor that clarify the thoughts of certain thinkers, concepts and issues in Chinese and Comparative Philosophy. . . . This book is of interest not only to those working in the area of Chinese and Comparative Philosophy, but also to Western philosophers who should benefit from the insightful discussions into the topics mentioned. The reader will be inspired by Professor Cua's rare combination of scholarship, philosophical skills, insights, and wisdom."―Kim-chong Chong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology "Cua brings an analytical approach to both Xunzi and the other issues in Chinese thought covered in this collection. . . . His scholarship and attention to detail are striking. . . . The drawing together of more of Cua's works on Xunzi makes this book an important resource, and the assorted essays in the second section all address issues relevant to contemporary work on Chinese thought." ― Andrew Lambert, Chinese Review International "Antonio Cua strongly affirms Xunzi's intellectual excellence in his Human Nature, Ritual, and History, a distinguished addition to the field. Cua is a preeminent scholar whose work incorporates a deep understanding of Chinese philosophy. . . . Cua highlights valuable aspects of reasoning and argumentation in Chinese philosophy. His passion for Xunzi's philosophy is palpable and he convincingly demonstrates the intellectual acumen of this e
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(This volume offers a comprehensive philosophical study of...)
This volume offers a comprehensive philosophical study of Confucian ethics - its basic insights and its relevance to contemporary Western moral philosophy. Writer and philosopher A. S. Cua presents fourteen essays which deal with various problems arising in the philosophical explication of the nature of Chinese ethical thought. Offering a unique analytical approach, Cua focuses on the conceptual and dialectical aspects of Confucian ethics. Among the topics discussed are: the nature and significance of the Chinese Confucian moral vision of tao; the complementary insights of Classical Taoism, namely, of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu; and the logical and rhetorical aspects of Confucian ethics. Perhaps more relevant to contemporary East-West ethical discourse, several essays introduce a systematic Confucian moral philosophy. Cua concludes with a discussion of the possibility of reasoned discourse, aiming at a resolution of intercultural ethical conflict.
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(The creative aspect of moral life is explored in this boo...)
The creative aspect of moral life is explored in this book by focusing on the role of paradigmatic individuals. Such individuals are seen as concrete embodiments of moral principles and ideals. Professor Cua's approach is transcultural, comparing the Confucian conception of paradigmatic individuals with the conceptions of classical Greek thought, Buddhism, Christianity, and modern Western ethics, anthropology, and psychology.The valuative experience of an individual moral agent is viewed by the author in terms of three focal notions: form of life, way of life, and style of life. Form of life is the existential matrix. Way of life manifests how an individual orders and integrates his emotions, desires, needs, and aspirations. Style of life encompasses idiosyncratic features of identity. All three are partly personal, partly communal. Given every man's form-way-style of life and consequent apprehension of exemplary individuals, how can we interpret his moral ideals? One way is to regard them as norms with perceptive implications. Another way is to conceiver of moral ideals as quasi-aesthetic themes: for example, Plato's Good, Christian agape, Confucian jen. An ideal norm is a blueprint for action, whereas an ideal theme is a point of orientation for the moral life as a whole. Both are exemplified in paradigmatic individuals. The normative or rule-making dimension of morality can be understood through systematic theoretical analysis, but understanding its creative dimension is akin to artistic appreciation. Understanding the moral life as a whole, including its claims to justification, therefore requires a harmony of what the 18th century called reason and sentiment.
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Cua, Antonio S. was born on July 23, 1932 in Manila, Philippines. Son of Oh and Chio (So) Cua. came to the United States, 1953, naturalized, 1971.
Bachelor, Far Eastern University, Manila, 1952. Master of Arts, University California, Berkeley, 1954. Doctor of Philosophy, University California, Berkeley, 1958.
Teaching assistant University California Berkeley, 1955—1958. Instructor, assistant professor Ohio University, 1958-1962. Professor, chairman department philosophy State University of New York College at Oswego, 1962-1969.
Professor philosophy Catholic University American, Washington, 1969-1996, professor emeritus, 1996—2007. Visiting professor University Missouri, Columbia, 1974—1975, University Hawaii, 1976—1977. Visiting professorial lecturer Fu Jen Catholic University, 1993, National Cheng-chi University, Taiwan, 1993, National Tsinghua University, Taiwan, 1995.
(This volume offers a comprehensive philosophical study of...)
(The creative aspect of moral life is explored in this boo...)
( In this volume, distinguished philosopher Antonio S. Cu...)
Member of Aristolelian Society, Mind Association, Society Asian and Comparative Philosophy (president 1978-1979), International Society Chinese Philosophy 1984-1986, American Philosophical Association.
Married Shoke-Hwee Khaw, June 11, 1956. 1 daughter, Athene K.