Concerning Creativity: A Comparison of Chu Hsi, Whitehead, and Neville

Berthrong, John H.

ISBN 10: 0791439445 / ISBN 13: 9780791439449

Published by State Univ of New York Pr, 1998

About this Item

254 pages. 9.25x6.00x0.50 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # zk0791439445

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Concerning Creativity: A Comparison of Chu Hsi, Whitehead, and Neville
• Publisher: State Univ of New York Pr
• Publication Date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0791439445
• ISBN 13: 9780791439449
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.4 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

A cross-cultural comparsion of creativity that introduces Neo-Confucian discourse as a sophisticated dialogue partner with modern western speculative philosophy and theology.

This work examines the philosophies and theologies of three thinkers-Chu Hsi, Alfred North Whitehead, and Robert C. Neville-separated by time, space, and culture. In so doing John H. Berthrong provides a suggestive and successful comparison of creativity as a cross-cultural theme while introducing Neo-Confucianism as a sophisticated dialogue partner with modern Western speculative philosophy and theology.

Creativity lies at the heart of the discourse of Chu Hsi (1130–1200) and Alfred North Whitehead. For both, creativity emerges as an attempt to illustrate the organic unity of the world without resorting to an appeal to a source for creativity beyond the concrete actuality of the cosmos. Subtle critics such as Robert C. Neville argue that process thought is fatally flawed because Whitehead separated creativity from the other crucial elements of his system. By interjecting the Chinese Neo-Confucian synthesis of Chu Hsi, it is possible to show how creativity can be re-integrated into process discourse as creative synthesis.

About the Author

John H. Berthrong is Associate Dean for Academic and Administrative Affairs and is Director, Institute for Dialogue Among Religious Traditions, Boston University School of Theology. He is the author of All Under Heaven: Transforming Paradigms in Confucian-Christian Dialogue, also published by SUNY Press.