Location
University of Windsor
Document Type
Paper
Keywords
Becker, Confucianism, argumentation, Confucius, Mencius
Start Date
22-5-2013 9:00 AM
End Date
25-5-2013 5:00 PM
Abstract
Becker argued Confucianism lacked of argumentation, dialogue and debate. However, Becker is wrong. First, the purpose of philosophical argumentation is to justify an arguer’s philosophical standpoints. Second, both Confucius’ Analects and Mencius’ Mencius were written in forms of dialogues. Third, the content of each book is the recorded utterance and the purpose of dialogue is to persuade its audience. Finally, after Confucius, Confucians’ works have either argued for those unjustified standpoints or re-argued about some justified viewpoints in the Analects.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Response to Submission
Lawrence H. Powers, Commentary on: Minghui Xiong's "Confucian philosophical argumentation skills"
Reader's Reactions
Lawrence H. Powers, Commentary on: Minghui Xiong's "Confucian philosophical argumentation skills" (May 2013)
Included in
Confucian philosophical argumentation skills
University of Windsor
Becker argued Confucianism lacked of argumentation, dialogue and debate. However, Becker is wrong. First, the purpose of philosophical argumentation is to justify an arguer’s philosophical standpoints. Second, both Confucius’ Analects and Mencius’ Mencius were written in forms of dialogues. Third, the content of each book is the recorded utterance and the purpose of dialogue is to persuade its audience. Finally, after Confucius, Confucians’ works have either argued for those unjustified standpoints or re-argued about some justified viewpoints in the Analects.
