Transcendence and Non-Naturalism in Early Chinese Thought

Contemporary scholars of Chinese philosophy often presuppose that early China possessed a naturalistic worldview, devoid of any non-natural concepts, such as transcendence. Challenging this presupposition head-on, Joshua R. Brown and Alexus McLeod argue that non-naturalism and transcendence have a robust and significant place in early Chinese thought.

This book reveals that non-naturalist positions can be found in early Chinese texts, in topics including conceptions of the divine, cosmogony, and apophatic philosophy. Moreover, by closely examining a range of early Chinese texts, and providing comparative readings of a number of Western texts and thinkers, the book offers a way of reading early Chinese Philosophy as consistent with the religious philosophy of the East and West, including the Abrahamic and the Brahmanistic religions.

Co-written by a philosopher and theologian, this book draws out unique insights into early Chinese thought, highlighting in particular new ways to consider a range of Chinese concepts, including tian, dao, li, and you/wu.

Alexus McLeod is Associate Professor in Philosophy and Asian/Asian American Studies at the University of Connecticut, USA. He has published numerous books and articles in Chinese and Comparative Philosophy. Theories of Chinese Philosophy (Rowman and Littlefield International) has appeared in print, and Philosophy of the Ancient Maya: Lords of Time is forthcoming (Lexington Books).

Joshua R. Brown is Assistant Professor in Theology at Mount St. Mary’s University, USA. He has published several articles in the fields of comparative and systematic theologies, focusing on Confucian Philosophy in the Pre-Qin through Han periods. He has articles forthcoming in Theological Studies, The Heythrop Journal, Pro Ecclesia, and Nova et Vetera.