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.
Alexus McLeod is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Colorado State University. He is the author of Understanding Asian Philosophy.
Acknowledgements / Introduction / 1. Truth, Philosophy, and Chinese Thought / 2. Lunyu and Mengzi / 3. Mozi / 4. Xunzi / 5. Zhuangzi, Huainanzi, and Syncretists / 6. Wang Chong and Xu Gan / Conclusion: Comparative Thought and Future Directions / Bibliography / Index
In his important contribution to debates on truth in early Chinese philosophy, Alexus McLeod takes up the important comparative issue of how to understand the concept of truth in early Chinese philosophy.... In addition to his grounding chapter on how to think about truth in Chinese philosophy, “Truth, Philosophy, and Chinese Thought,” McLeod offers a quite comprehensive account of the development of thinking about truth.