Author Description

Confucius was idolized, neglected, or disdained over centuries in China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, as well as in the West, but was revered by some great European thinkers in the Age of Enlightenment. There are only a few studies about how Confucius’ basic ideas can be integrated with Western rational thought. This new book situates Confucian ideas in complexity theory to demonstrate how East Asian rationality (based on the Yi Jing) and Western rationality based on Newtonian principles, can be integrated. This re-examination of Chinese civilization, especially the thoughts of Confucius in the light of complexity theory, is a unique contribution. Understanding Confucius and his implications for modern thought provides key insights into contemporary East Asian societies.