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Thank you for your introduction Zhenbao Jin. I recently became interested in Chinese philosophy via the EdX course, “The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches Us about the Good Life”. I will check out your YouTube page!

Lynndal, that may be a pretty good characterization of the political terms, particularly in the current American culture, nostalgic (conservative) vs utopian (liberal). What comes across in the class readings is an emphasis on the future, but not an idealized future per se.

One of things I am trying to parse out are the process ideas of change, creativity, interrelatedness. In the text, Dr. McDaniel talks about “creative harmony”. Right now, I am assuming the “creative” aspect is a given and all these aspects of reality – “change”, “creativity”, “interrelatedness” – are neither good or bad, just the way reality is. That makes sense to me. They are a feature not a bug. They don’t necessarily mean reality is moving towards an idealized future. “Creativity” means scientists can create nuclear weapons, as well as cures for cancer. That seems where something called “wisdom” can come into play. But I wonder where “wisdom” comes from?

Good points and question Lynndal. I have previously read Dr. Mesle’s book (the once that is part of our course) and he makes the point in one chapter that a theistic understanding is not required in process thinking and I gathered that he himself is not inclined to include God in his own views (which is interesting because he also wrote a book on “process theology”). It does seem that the process thinkers I’ve read mean something quite different by the term “god” than I learned in Sunday school – or seminary for that matter.

One more thing, I recently came across a quote from the Chinese philosopher Xunzi that struck me – “Water and fire have qi (vital force), but they do not have life. Grass and trees have life, but they do not have understanding. Birds and beasts have understanding, but they do not have propriety. Humans have qi, life, and understanding, but they also have propriety. Thus, they are the most precious thing under heaven.” I don’t exactly know what all the words mean. Certainly, “heaven” means something different in Chinese philosophy than it does in western religion, but I was struck by the idea that there is sort of nesting of reality, but more important, there is an underlying field to everything. Perhaps, consciousness is like that.

Dennis & Kevin, it is hard for me to wrap my ahead around “consciousness” because I have for so long thought of it as another “thing” – something I have or possess. I wonder if the word means something different in process thought. After all, when I am driving my car (but worrying about something else), I am still perceiving all manner of things – other cars, traffic signals, etc. – and yet, I am not conscious of those other things. I know in Dr. Mesle’s book, he says Whitehead stretched the meaning of words, such as the word “feeling”. I wonder if “consciousness” is a word whose usual meaning is being stretched.

Hi John, I don’t think of myself as particularily conservative, but I have thought about your point, wondering how someone might embrace both terms “process” and “conservative”. Using process terms, I wonder if a society or ecosystem has achieved a high level of diversity, harmony, etc., unmitigated change might destroy the system, eg if a land developer clear cuts a forest, then the entire system would suffer (even though the developer is an agent of change). That is my long winded way to say that I think you are right, the difference between liberal and conservative may have to do with rate of change, ant not an underlying protest against all change.

Hey David! Glad to meet you!

Hey Joel, you had me at coffee! Nice to meet you!

Hi Hayden, What great experiences you’ve had. Thanks for sharing!

Thank Thomas for sharing!