Human Rights in Chinese Thought: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry (Cambridge Modern China Series) [Paperback]

Stephen C. Angle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 24, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0521007526 | ISBN-13: 978-0521007528

What should we make of claims by members of other groups to have moralities different from our own? Human Rights in Chinese Thought gives an extended answer to this question in the first study of its kind. It integrates a full account of the development of Chinese rights discourse with philosophical consideration of how various communities should respond to contemporary Chinese claims about the uniqueness of their human rights concepts. The book elaborates a plausible kind of moral pluralism and demonstrates that Chinese ideas of human rights do indeed have distinctive characteristics, but it nonetheless argues for the importance and promise of cross-cultural moral engagement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A historical orientation makes [this book] of immense interest beyond circles of human rights theorists and philosophers...engaging and provocative..." China Rights Forum

"There has been a flurry of fine books within the last decade on the debate about the history and role of human rights in China, and Professor Stephen Angle has written one of the best, if not the best of the lot." - John Berthrong, Boston University

Book Description

This book is about the origins and development of Chinese ideas of human rights, and about what we in the contemporary world should make of different cultures having different moral ideas. It differs from competing books in two ways. First, its historical account is much fuller, since it shows how Chinese discussions of rights grew out of pre-existing Confucian philosophical concerns. Second, it is also a work of philosophy: it explains what it means to have moral concepts that differ from one another, and how we should react to such differences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (June 24, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521007526
• ISBN-13: 978-0521007528
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #866,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Human Rights Explored, September 20, 2002

By 

C. Brower (Burnt Hills, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Rights in Chinese Thought: A Cross-Cultural Inquiry (Cambridge Modern China Series) (Paperback)

This book has illustrated for me the real need for western peoples to familiarize themselves with some elements of eastern life, literature and culture. One glance at the extensive bibliography shows that there is much to be learned before we can engage in meaningful dialogue with eastern peoples on sensitive issues that will influence the policies of nations and the lives of all of us, east and west alike.

The author begins by quoting a Chinese speaker's statement that countries may have different notions of Human Rights due to differences in their histories and that one country may not be held to account by standards seen as Human Rights in another country. To this the author states on page l, "The principal goal of this book is to assess these two claims."

In order to accomplish this goal Dr. Angle begins with a most edifying section on the process of human discourse and in doing so he makes clear the thinking of several philosophers, in particular the work of Robert Brandom on concepts and language.

The body of the book is best described as an historical look at Human Rights as Chinese writers have expressed their ideas on the subject and comparisons with western writers who have dealt with the same themes.

This book steers a remarkably steady course between the language of philosophical precision and that of the average intelligent reader.