Alexus McLeod | Indiana University (original) (raw)
Papers by Alexus McLeod
The Philosophical Forum, 2022
A call for a greater international focus in the academic study of philosophy, and a discussion of... more A call for a greater international focus in the academic study of philosophy, and a discussion of the establishment of The Philosophical Forum as a source for “World Philosophy”. Editor’s Note from 53(1), 2022.
This book offers a picture of madness as a category and a tool in the early Chinese tradition, gi... more This book offers a picture of madness as a category and a tool in the early Chinese tradition, giving an account of how early Chinese thinkers developed a conception of mental illness connected to both medicine and ethics, particularly in the Warring States and Han periods. Specifically, it is concerned with the connections between madness, mental illness in general, and philosophical positions on personhood, moral agency, responsibility, and social identity. Madness is a near universal category in human thought. In early China, madness (kuang ?) has particular unique forms, shaped through consideration of the features of mind and body, cultural norms, and illness and health. While madness and other forms of mental illness were taken as either foils or ideals by different thinkers in early China, they were nearly always contrasted with operability, proper communal development, and progress on a specifically moral path. This book explores these conceptions of madness in early Chinese...
Alston, Carpenter, and Wiseman, eds., Portraits of Integrity, 2020
A short account of the role of internal struggle (called "the greater jihad" in Islam) in the tho... more A short account of the role of internal struggle (called "the greater jihad" in Islam) in the thought of the Senegalese religious leader and scholar Amadou Bamba (1853-1927), and his life and example as a representation of the virtue of integrity.
Norton Introduction to Ethics
A discussion of Daoist challenges to Confucian views of virtue, and the unique forms of virtue we... more A discussion of Daoist challenges to Confucian views of virtue, and the unique forms of virtue we find in Daoist texts. Unabridged version of forthcoming article on early Daoist conceptions of virtue in the Norton Introduction to Ethics.
Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Humility
The early Chinese philosophical school most focused on moral self-cultivation, Confucianism , res... more The early Chinese philosophical school most focused on moral self-cultivation, Confucianism , reserves an important place for humility. Interestingly, though the virtue is an important one for Confucians, they do not address it directly as an independent virtue, but rather through consideration of related virtues. Below, I offer the general contours of the early Confucian view on humility, its link to notions of proper self-concern, and argue that Confucians do not place it as a specific separate virtue alongside the oft discussed concepts of ren (humaneness), yi 義(righteouseness), xiao 孝(filialiity) and other important virtues, because its primary role is to facilitate the development of these virtues and enable harmonious social interaction.
Dao Companion to Neo-Daoism, 2020
The Eastern Han philosopher Wang Chong's 王充 (27-100 CE) influence on the “pure conversation” (qin... more The Eastern Han philosopher Wang Chong's 王充 (27-100 CE) influence on the “pure conversation” (qingtan 清談) movement in the 3rd century CE is well known. His Lunheng 論衡 was prized and used by Cai Yong 蔡邕 (132-192 CE), Wang Lang 王朗 (d. 228 CE), and a number of others as aid in their argumentative pursuits, which largely followed the methods devised by Wang. The connection of Xuanxue to the qingtan movement is also well known. In this paper, I argue that WANG Chong’s view of the connection between nature (xing 性), generation (sheng 生), and their implications for ziran 自然 (spontaneity) influenced Xuanxue views of ziran, particularly those offered by Wang Bi 王弼 (226-249 CE) and Guo Xiang 郭象 (d. 312 CE). Wang used ziran primarily to make sense of causation in the absence of purposive activity. He minimized the role of purposive activity in the determination of outcomes of life based on allotment, in part to make sense of the frequent inconsistencies between effort and outcomes. This led him to a view of ziran as itself a principle of development and activity tied to the nature of a thing. This view is further developed by Wang Bi and Guo Xiang, both of whom adopt a view of ziran as the principle of development tied to the nature of a thing.
Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy, 2019
Some contemporary scholars understand the doctrine of 'jian ai' (universal care) of the Mohists t... more Some contemporary scholars understand the doctrine of 'jian ai' (universal care) of the Mohists to be a less extreme position than it is sometimes made out to be and was often made out to be by opponents of the Mohists in their day. I argue in this paper that there are a number of reasons in support of the "traditional" interpretation of the Mohist doctrine of jian ai, as a radical position calling for equal concern for all people, independent of particular relationships.
(Parergon 35 (2), 2018) I argue in this paper that a number of concepts of the Maya of the Postc... more (Parergon 35 (2), 2018) I argue in this paper that a number of concepts of the Maya of the Postclassic Period in the Yucatan (900-1539 CE) can be understood as hybrid concepts based on a synthesis of Maya and Central Mexican ideas. Focusing on the deities of Kukulkan and Itzamna as well as the concept of itz (essence), I argue that Maya concepts were reconstituted based on Central Mexican cultural forms, a process that helped bring about the development of a new Maya and ultimately new Pan-Mesoamerican identity, including the idea of the “Toltec” as a distinct people and the basis of migration myths.
Table of Contents and Introduction to the Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Politic... more Table of Contents and Introduction to the Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy (Bloomsbury, October 2018)
(L'Ateo, 6/2017) Interview on the thought of the Eastern Han Dynasty philosopher Wang Chong (27--... more (L'Ateo, 6/2017) Interview on the thought of the Eastern Han Dynasty philosopher Wang Chong (27--100 CE).
forthcoming in Manyul Im, ed., APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philos... more forthcoming in Manyul Im, ed., APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies
forthcoming in Flanagan and Zhao, eds. "Cross-Cultural Studies in Well-Being" special issue, Scie... more forthcoming in Flanagan and Zhao, eds. "Cross-Cultural Studies in Well-Being" special issue, Science, Religion, and Culture
forthcoming in McLeod, ed. Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy (... more forthcoming in McLeod, ed. Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2018)
In this article, I investigate Confucian views on the father-‐child relationship in the Lunyu, a... more In this article, I investigate Confucian views on the father-‐child relationship in the Lunyu, and uncover four difficulties with the position: 1) asymmetry between the responsibilities of the child and those of the father within the relationship; 2) there is a breakdown of the parallel between the ruler and the father drawn in the Lunyu, on the basis of the asymmetry mentioned in (1); 3) the position is open to a Zhuangist criticism of ritual on grounds that it alienates people and undermines relationships; and 4) it conflicts with intuitions concerning fatherly care that are not only held by contemporary thinkers, but were also held by many in early China. I investigate Kongzi's relationships with his son and daughter, as well as with Yan Hui, to uncover these difficulties. Finally, I consider Mengzi's reformulation of the basis of the father-‐child relationship in mutual affection rather than ritual, and suggest that it can and was intended to solve the problems of the views found in the Lunyu on this topic.
in APA Newsletter 15.2, Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies
In recent years there have been debates surrounding various aspects of the early Confucian philos... more In recent years there have been debates surrounding various aspects of the early Confucian philosopher Xunzi’s view on ritual (li 禮) as a specific core element of his ethical thought. One of the main questions concerns the source of ritual. Is ritual something that humans (in particular, the sages) discover in the world, or is it instead something they create? That is—does Xunzi offer a realist or a conventionalist view of ritual? The answer to this question is of great import for understanding the thought of Xunzi in general, as it will suggest certain readings of his views on language, human nature, and moral self-cultivation. Part of the problem, however, is that although Xunzi says quite a bit about the function of ritual and why we should be concerned with it (the pragmatic application of ritual), he says relatively little about the metaphysics of ritual. Arguments either for a realist or conventionalist position have thus far tended to focus mainly on textual interpretation. The problem is that on the issue of the metaphysics of ritual there is a very limited amount to work with in the text of the Xunzi itself. Fortunately, however, there are other available methods that have been neglected which can help us to make headway on this issue. In this paper I outline one such method, which I call the "analogical method", and apply it to the case of Xunzi’s metaphysics of ritual.
The philosophy of the Han Dynasty, especially that of the Eastern Han (25–220 CE), is an unjustly... more The philosophy of the Han Dynasty, especially that of the Eastern Han (25–220 CE), is an unjustly neglected area of scholarship on early Chinese thought. In this article, I introduce the thought of a number of important Eastern Han philosophers, with particular attention to Wang Chong, Wang Fu, Xu Gan, and Wang Su. I also explain the main features of Eastern Han thought as distinct from those of the Warring States and Western Han periods, and consider their origins in reaction to Western Han ideas and their further development in the Wei-Jin period.
(draft- forthcoming in Sor-hoon Tan, ed. Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Chinese Philosophy Metho... more (draft- forthcoming in Sor-hoon Tan, ed. Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Chinese Philosophy Methodologies, 2016)
The Philosophical Forum, 2022
A call for a greater international focus in the academic study of philosophy, and a discussion of... more A call for a greater international focus in the academic study of philosophy, and a discussion of the establishment of The Philosophical Forum as a source for “World Philosophy”. Editor’s Note from 53(1), 2022.
This book offers a picture of madness as a category and a tool in the early Chinese tradition, gi... more This book offers a picture of madness as a category and a tool in the early Chinese tradition, giving an account of how early Chinese thinkers developed a conception of mental illness connected to both medicine and ethics, particularly in the Warring States and Han periods. Specifically, it is concerned with the connections between madness, mental illness in general, and philosophical positions on personhood, moral agency, responsibility, and social identity. Madness is a near universal category in human thought. In early China, madness (kuang ?) has particular unique forms, shaped through consideration of the features of mind and body, cultural norms, and illness and health. While madness and other forms of mental illness were taken as either foils or ideals by different thinkers in early China, they were nearly always contrasted with operability, proper communal development, and progress on a specifically moral path. This book explores these conceptions of madness in early Chinese...
Alston, Carpenter, and Wiseman, eds., Portraits of Integrity, 2020
A short account of the role of internal struggle (called "the greater jihad" in Islam) in the tho... more A short account of the role of internal struggle (called "the greater jihad" in Islam) in the thought of the Senegalese religious leader and scholar Amadou Bamba (1853-1927), and his life and example as a representation of the virtue of integrity.
Norton Introduction to Ethics
A discussion of Daoist challenges to Confucian views of virtue, and the unique forms of virtue we... more A discussion of Daoist challenges to Confucian views of virtue, and the unique forms of virtue we find in Daoist texts. Unabridged version of forthcoming article on early Daoist conceptions of virtue in the Norton Introduction to Ethics.
Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Humility
The early Chinese philosophical school most focused on moral self-cultivation, Confucianism , res... more The early Chinese philosophical school most focused on moral self-cultivation, Confucianism , reserves an important place for humility. Interestingly, though the virtue is an important one for Confucians, they do not address it directly as an independent virtue, but rather through consideration of related virtues. Below, I offer the general contours of the early Confucian view on humility, its link to notions of proper self-concern, and argue that Confucians do not place it as a specific separate virtue alongside the oft discussed concepts of ren (humaneness), yi 義(righteouseness), xiao 孝(filialiity) and other important virtues, because its primary role is to facilitate the development of these virtues and enable harmonious social interaction.
Dao Companion to Neo-Daoism, 2020
The Eastern Han philosopher Wang Chong's 王充 (27-100 CE) influence on the “pure conversation” (qin... more The Eastern Han philosopher Wang Chong's 王充 (27-100 CE) influence on the “pure conversation” (qingtan 清談) movement in the 3rd century CE is well known. His Lunheng 論衡 was prized and used by Cai Yong 蔡邕 (132-192 CE), Wang Lang 王朗 (d. 228 CE), and a number of others as aid in their argumentative pursuits, which largely followed the methods devised by Wang. The connection of Xuanxue to the qingtan movement is also well known. In this paper, I argue that WANG Chong’s view of the connection between nature (xing 性), generation (sheng 生), and their implications for ziran 自然 (spontaneity) influenced Xuanxue views of ziran, particularly those offered by Wang Bi 王弼 (226-249 CE) and Guo Xiang 郭象 (d. 312 CE). Wang used ziran primarily to make sense of causation in the absence of purposive activity. He minimized the role of purposive activity in the determination of outcomes of life based on allotment, in part to make sense of the frequent inconsistencies between effort and outcomes. This led him to a view of ziran as itself a principle of development and activity tied to the nature of a thing. This view is further developed by Wang Bi and Guo Xiang, both of whom adopt a view of ziran as the principle of development tied to the nature of a thing.
Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy, 2019
Some contemporary scholars understand the doctrine of 'jian ai' (universal care) of the Mohists t... more Some contemporary scholars understand the doctrine of 'jian ai' (universal care) of the Mohists to be a less extreme position than it is sometimes made out to be and was often made out to be by opponents of the Mohists in their day. I argue in this paper that there are a number of reasons in support of the "traditional" interpretation of the Mohist doctrine of jian ai, as a radical position calling for equal concern for all people, independent of particular relationships.
(Parergon 35 (2), 2018) I argue in this paper that a number of concepts of the Maya of the Postc... more (Parergon 35 (2), 2018) I argue in this paper that a number of concepts of the Maya of the Postclassic Period in the Yucatan (900-1539 CE) can be understood as hybrid concepts based on a synthesis of Maya and Central Mexican ideas. Focusing on the deities of Kukulkan and Itzamna as well as the concept of itz (essence), I argue that Maya concepts were reconstituted based on Central Mexican cultural forms, a process that helped bring about the development of a new Maya and ultimately new Pan-Mesoamerican identity, including the idea of the “Toltec” as a distinct people and the basis of migration myths.
Table of Contents and Introduction to the Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Politic... more Table of Contents and Introduction to the Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy (Bloomsbury, October 2018)
(L'Ateo, 6/2017) Interview on the thought of the Eastern Han Dynasty philosopher Wang Chong (27--... more (L'Ateo, 6/2017) Interview on the thought of the Eastern Han Dynasty philosopher Wang Chong (27--100 CE).
forthcoming in Manyul Im, ed., APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philos... more forthcoming in Manyul Im, ed., APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies
forthcoming in Flanagan and Zhao, eds. "Cross-Cultural Studies in Well-Being" special issue, Scie... more forthcoming in Flanagan and Zhao, eds. "Cross-Cultural Studies in Well-Being" special issue, Science, Religion, and Culture
forthcoming in McLeod, ed. Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy (... more forthcoming in McLeod, ed. Bloomsbury Handbook of Early Chinese Ethics and Political Philosophy (Bloomsbury, 2018)
In this article, I investigate Confucian views on the father-‐child relationship in the Lunyu, a... more In this article, I investigate Confucian views on the father-‐child relationship in the Lunyu, and uncover four difficulties with the position: 1) asymmetry between the responsibilities of the child and those of the father within the relationship; 2) there is a breakdown of the parallel between the ruler and the father drawn in the Lunyu, on the basis of the asymmetry mentioned in (1); 3) the position is open to a Zhuangist criticism of ritual on grounds that it alienates people and undermines relationships; and 4) it conflicts with intuitions concerning fatherly care that are not only held by contemporary thinkers, but were also held by many in early China. I investigate Kongzi's relationships with his son and daughter, as well as with Yan Hui, to uncover these difficulties. Finally, I consider Mengzi's reformulation of the basis of the father-‐child relationship in mutual affection rather than ritual, and suggest that it can and was intended to solve the problems of the views found in the Lunyu on this topic.
in APA Newsletter 15.2, Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies
In recent years there have been debates surrounding various aspects of the early Confucian philos... more In recent years there have been debates surrounding various aspects of the early Confucian philosopher Xunzi’s view on ritual (li 禮) as a specific core element of his ethical thought. One of the main questions concerns the source of ritual. Is ritual something that humans (in particular, the sages) discover in the world, or is it instead something they create? That is—does Xunzi offer a realist or a conventionalist view of ritual? The answer to this question is of great import for understanding the thought of Xunzi in general, as it will suggest certain readings of his views on language, human nature, and moral self-cultivation. Part of the problem, however, is that although Xunzi says quite a bit about the function of ritual and why we should be concerned with it (the pragmatic application of ritual), he says relatively little about the metaphysics of ritual. Arguments either for a realist or conventionalist position have thus far tended to focus mainly on textual interpretation. The problem is that on the issue of the metaphysics of ritual there is a very limited amount to work with in the text of the Xunzi itself. Fortunately, however, there are other available methods that have been neglected which can help us to make headway on this issue. In this paper I outline one such method, which I call the "analogical method", and apply it to the case of Xunzi’s metaphysics of ritual.
The philosophy of the Han Dynasty, especially that of the Eastern Han (25–220 CE), is an unjustly... more The philosophy of the Han Dynasty, especially that of the Eastern Han (25–220 CE), is an unjustly neglected area of scholarship on early Chinese thought. In this article, I introduce the thought of a number of important Eastern Han philosophers, with particular attention to Wang Chong, Wang Fu, Xu Gan, and Wang Su. I also explain the main features of Eastern Han thought as distinct from those of the Warring States and Western Han periods, and consider their origins in reaction to Western Han ideas and their further development in the Wei-Jin period.
(draft- forthcoming in Sor-hoon Tan, ed. Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Chinese Philosophy Metho... more (draft- forthcoming in Sor-hoon Tan, ed. Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Chinese Philosophy Methodologies, 2016)
The philosophy of Mesoamerica – the indigenous groups of precolonial North-Central America – is r... more The philosophy of Mesoamerica – the indigenous groups of precolonial North-Central America – is rich and varied but relatively little-known. In this ground-breaking book, Alexus McLeod introduces the philosophical traditions of the Maya, Nahua (Aztecs), Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and others, focussing in particular on their treatment of language, truth, time, creation, personhood, knowledge, and morality. His wide-ranging discussion includes important texts of world literature such as the K'iche Maya Popol Vuh and the Aztec Florentine Codex, as well as precolonial glyphic texts and imagery. This comprehensive and accessible book will give students, specialists and other interested readers an understanding of Mesoamerican philosophy and a sense of the current scholarship in the field.
This book is a study of the methodological, metaphysical, and epistemological work of the Eastern... more This book is a study of the methodological, metaphysical, and epistemological work of the Eastern Han Dynasty period scholar Wang Chong. It presents Wang’s philosophical thought as a unique and syncretic culmination of a number of ideas developed in earlier Han and Warring States philosophy. Wang’s philosophical methodology and his theories of truth, knowledge, and will and determinism offer solutions to a number of problems in the early Chinese tradition. His views also have much to offer contemporary philosophy, suggesting new ways of thinking about familiar problems. While Wang is best known as a critic and skeptic, Alexus McLeod argues that these aspects of his thought form only a part of a larger positive project, aimed at discerning truth in a variety of senses.
Philosophy of the Ancient Maya is an investigation of some of the central topics of metaphysics i... more Philosophy of the Ancient Maya is an investigation of some of the central topics of metaphysics in the philosophical thought of the Maya people of Mesoamerica, particularly from the Preclassic through Postclassic periods. It covers the topics of time, change, identity, and truth, through comparative investigation integrating Maya texts, practices, and early Chinese philosophy. Adopting an approach I refer to as the “analogical comparative method”, the book offers a possible reconstruction of early Maya metaphysical positions with the help of structurally similar positions from early Chinese philosophy. Philosophy of the Ancient Maya investigates Maya philosophical thought via Classic Period stelae, Postclassic Codices, and Colonial era texts such as the Popol Vuh and the books of Chilam Balam.
Alexus McLeod explores every aspect of the lesser-known history of astronomy in the Americas (Mes... more Alexus McLeod explores every aspect of the lesser-known history of astronomy in the Americas (Mesoamerica and North America), China and India, each through the frame of a particular astronomical phenomena. Part One considers the development of astronomy in the Americas as a response, in part, to the Supernova of 1054, which may have led to a cultural renaissance in astronomy. He then goes on to explore the contemporary understanding of supernovae, contrasting it with that of the ancient Americas. Part Two is framed through the appearances of great comets, which had major divinatory significance in early China. The author discusses the advancement of observational astronomy in China, its influence on politics and its role in the survival or failure of empires. Furthermore, the contemporary understanding of comets is also discussed for comparison. Part Three, on India, considers the magnificent observatories of the Rajput king Jai Singh II, and the question of their purpose. The origins of Indian astronomy are examined in Vedic thought and its development is followed through the period of Jai Singh, including the role played by solar eclipses. The author also includes a modern explanation of our understanding of eclipses to date. In the final section of the book, McLeod discusses how ancient traditions might help modern civilization better understand Earth’s place in the cosmos.
Theories of Truth in Chinese Philosophy deals with debates surrounding the concept of truth in ea... more Theories of Truth in Chinese Philosophy deals with debates surrounding the concept of truth in early Chinese thought, from the earliest periods through to the Han dynasty. Alexus McLeod focuses first on the question of whether there is a concept of truth in early Chinese thought, giving a critical overview of the positions of contemporary scholars on this issue, outlining their arguments and considering objections and possible problems and alternatives. McLeod then goes on to consider a number of possible theories of truth in early Chinese philosophy, giving an overview of what he takes to be the main contenders for truth concepts in the early material, and surrounding concepts and positions.In addition, the author considers how these theories of truth might be relevant in contemporary debates surrounding truth, as well as in the context of theories of truth in the history of philosophy, both in Western and Indian thought.