In this essay, I argue for a historical‐critical perspective on rationality. In our global age, we in the West need to come to terms with the fact that non‐Western traditions have developed complex forms of practical rationality. I will first give an overview of what I call the “Confucian standards of reasoning.” Secondly, I will explain how the Neo‐Confucian thinker Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130–1200) has rearticulated the earlier understanding of practical reasoning. Thirdly, I will demonstrate why a comparative perspective may enrich our reasoned engagement with individuals in the Chinese‐speaking world. In developing forms of global reasoning, we should make sure that these are neither parochial nor difference‐blind.
Relation:
Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Vol.43, No.3-4, pp.1-21