- University of Guam, CLASS, UOG Station, Mangilao, GU 96923
- 671-735-2805
James Sellmann
University of Guam, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Department Member
- University of Guam, CLASS, Department Memberadd
- Chinese Philosophy, Classical Chinese Philosophy, Philosophy, Philosophy Of Religion, Anthropology, Micronesian Studies, and 28 moreDaoism, Chinese Religions, Philosophy of Time, Political Philosophy, Class, Buddhist Studies, Pacific Island Studies, Zen Buddhism, Asian Philosophy, Chinese Religion, Zen/chan koan studies, Zen Chan studies, Feminism and Chinese Philosophy, Feminism and Daoism, Ethics, Zhuangzi, Laozi, Aporia, Chamoru, Chamorro, Friedrich Nietzsche, Daoist Philosophy, Early China, Early Chinese texts, Confucianism, Comparative Philosophy, Micronesia, and Mythology And Folkloreedit
- My areas of interest are Chinese, and global or comparative philosophy. I focus on the Lushi chunqiu, Daoism, Confuci... moreMy areas of interest are Chinese, and global or comparative philosophy. I focus on the Lushi chunqiu, Daoism, Confucianism and Later Daoism. I also study the indigenous cultural philosophies of Micronesia, especially Pohnpeian and Chamorro cultures.edit
Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals (Lüshi Chunqiu) inspired the king who united the warring states to become China's first emperor. In this work on the Lüshi Chunqiu, author James Sellmann finds that the concept of "proper timing" makes... more
Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals (Lüshi Chunqiu) inspired the king who united the warring states to become China's first emperor. In this work on the Lüshi Chunqiu, author James Sellmann finds that the concept of "proper timing" makes the work's diverse philosophies coherent. He discusses the life and times of its author, Lü Buwei, and the structure of the work. Sellmann analyzes the role of human nature, the justification of the state, and the significance of cosmic, historical and personal timing in the Lüshi Chunqiu. He looks at the implications for contemporary understandings of human nature, political order, time, and social and environmental ethics.
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Throughout his scholarly career, Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130–1200) pondered the hallowed Confucian project of self-cultivation in quest of moral realization (see Chan 1976, 1987; Schirokauer 1976). On one level, his understanding of this Confucian... more
Throughout his scholarly career, Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130–1200) pondered the hallowed Confucian project of self-cultivation in quest of moral realization (see Chan 1976, 1987; Schirokauer 1976). On one level, his understanding of this Confucian project has much in common with modern virtue ethics, which is receiving attention in the scholarship; on another level, he made additional philosophical efforts to justify and ramify Confucian cultivation and moral realization. In making these efforts, Zhu Xi in effect sought to set forth the grounds of genuine moral agency, which in turn led to the formation of what I consider to be his distinctive ethical theory, one that bears parallels with that of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) and highlights the salience of Zhu’s contribution to ethical theory. The expression “ethical theory” covers a range of accounts of ethics. In the early twentieth century, ethical theorists in the Anglo-American philosophical tradition examined the meaning and uses of the key t...
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In a sense Zhu Xi’s philosophy would not be possible without Daoist cosmology and self-cultivation practices. Daoism provides the beginning and end of Zhu Xi’s philosophy in that his philosophy begins with the Diagram of the Great... more
In a sense Zhu Xi’s philosophy would not be possible without Daoist cosmology and self-cultivation practices. Daoism provides the beginning and end of Zhu Xi’s philosophy in that his philosophy begins with the Diagram of the Great Polarity or Taijitu 太極圖, and it ends with his later life interest in Daoist self-cultivation and breathing techniques. This is a bold claim. This chapter will explicate why Daoism plays such an important role in his philosophy.
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To study the Lüshi chunqiu (or Lü‐shih ch'un‐ch'iu. Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals is to enter into the tumultuous but progressive times of the Warring States period (403–221 BCE). This period is commonly referred to... more
To study the Lüshi chunqiu (or Lü‐shih ch'un‐ch'iu. Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals is to enter into the tumultuous but progressive times of the Warring States period (403–221 BCE). This period is commonly referred to as ‘the pre‐Qin period’ because of the fundamental changes that occurred after the Qin unification. Liishi chunqiu was probably completed, in 241 BCE, by various scholars at the estate of Lü Buwei (Lü Pu‐wei) the prime minister of Qin and tutor to the Qin child King, Zheng. It is one of the few pre‐Qin texts that dates itself; the date, though not precise, is given in the xuyi chapter. A decade after the completion of the Lüshi chunqiu, King Zheng began the ensuing 9 years of fervent warfare that led to his unification of the empire in 221 BCE. Before the political unification, Lüshi chunqiu created a philosophical consolidation. The Liishi chunqiu performed an important function in the literary and political education of the young King Zheng. More importantly, it provided a philosophical understanding of and justification for a unified empire which left its mark on the young King, and subsequent Han philosophy. After the unification of the empire, King Zheng took the title Qin shihuangdi (First‐generation Emperor of Qin), and he established the insignia of water for the imperial emblems, employing concepts from Liishi chunqiu's yingtong (responding and identifying) chapter which describe the succession of dynasties according to the timely cycle of the five phases (wuxing) to justify his new dynasty.
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... Although Ji Kang was not a member of a Daoist sect, the authors discuss his thoughts on immortality and self-cultivation in some detail without noting that Ji Kang is considered to be one of the seven worthies of the bamboo grove,... more
... Although Ji Kang was not a member of a Daoist sect, the authors discuss his thoughts on immortality and self-cultivation in some detail without noting that Ji Kang is considered to be one of the seven worthies of the bamboo grove, an advocate of latter day Daoist philosophy. ...
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... of law is to restrain, by adjudication and sentencing, those unruly and immature individuals who need to be disciplined by a 'father figure judge'. ... Not only is there a future possibility of findinga Shang written... more
... of law is to restrain, by adjudication and sentencing, those unruly and immature individuals who need to be disciplined by a 'father figure judge'. ... Not only is there a future possibility of findinga Shang written code of law, but also the extant documents show that there was a rich ...
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To continue the project of explicating Pacific values and worldviews, this paper focuses on correlative thinking in some of the cultural philosophies of the Pacific islands, especially Micronesia. Correlative thinking differs, in degree,... more
To continue the project of explicating Pacific values and worldviews, this paper focuses on correlative thinking in some of the cultural philosophies of the Pacific islands, especially Micronesia. Correlative thinking differs, in degree, from scientific and academic logic that emphasize the truth-value of statements. After examining aspects of correlative thinking in Bali and the Philippines, I extract some characteristics of Pacific philosophies from cultural practices, myths, and beliefs. Unlike William Alkire (Alkire, 1972), I find that Pacific islanders use correlative thinking, not dualism, to fill their canoes and baskets of wisdom, so that they can navigate between contemporary logic or scientific thinking, and their cultural knowledge systems and ways of reasoning.
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This paper is chapter 2 of the Dao Companion to Xuanxue philosophy. The chapter provides a historical background to Wei Jin philosophy, a summary of important philosophers and their ideas as they contributed to later developments in Song... more
This paper is chapter 2 of the Dao Companion to Xuanxue philosophy. The chapter provides a historical background to Wei Jin philosophy, a summary of important philosophers and their ideas as they contributed to later developments in Song dynasty Lixue.
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Zhu Xi’s philosophy would not be possible without Daoist cosmology and self-cultivation practices. Daoism provides the beginning and end of Zhu Xi’s philosophy in that his philosophy begins with the Diagram of the Great Polarity or... more
Zhu Xi’s philosophy would not be possible without Daoist cosmology and self-cultivation practices. Daoism provides the beginning and end of Zhu Xi’s philosophy in that his philosophy begins with the Diagram of the Great Polarity or Taijitu太極圖, and it ends with his later life interest in Daoist self-cultivation and breathing techniques. This is a bold claim. This chapter will explicate why Daoism plays such an important role in his philosophy.In this chapter, I present a critical interpretation of the Diagram of the Great Polarity or the Taijitu太極圖, The Seal of the Unity of the Three in the Zhou Book of Changes or the Zhouyi Cantongqi周易參同契, and The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of the Secret Talisman or the Huangdi Yinfujing黃帝陰符經 to show that Zhu Xi was influenced by Daoist inner-meditative alchemy (neidan dao內丹道). In particular, I argue that Zhu Xi’s approach toward the cultivation of sagehood requires an investigation and application of inner-meditative alchemical (neidan) practices. Although Julia Ching has presented a comprehensive study of Zhu Xi’s spiritual interests in Daoism (Ching 2000: 152–70), Judith Berling showed the intricate relations of Daoism and Neo-Confucianism (Berling 1979: 123–47), and Chan Wing-tsit exposed Zhu Xi’s indirect influence from Daoism (Chan 1975: 131–44), someone might want to dismiss Zhu Xi’s interaction and influence from the (so-called religious) Daoist practices of neidan inner-meditative alchemy. However, the skeptic should not dismiss Zhu Xi’s investigation of neidan too quickly, because neidan thought plays an important part in his philosophy of self-cultivation and the attainment of sagehood.
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Can four dominate approaches to environmental ethics help inform the theoretical and practical aspects of the various "green" movements on Guåhan, especially the UOG Green Interns? How do the dominant theories frame our understanding of... more
Can four dominate approaches to environmental ethics help inform the theoretical and practical aspects of the various "green" movements on Guåhan, especially the UOG Green Interns? How do the dominant theories frame our understanding of human responsibility in regard to the natural environment and fellow animals? After briefly reviewing Ecofeminist, Deep Ecology, Sentientist, anthropocentric approaches, the author argues that each theory offers something for our movements.
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This article take a philosophical look at the Fifth Discipline and its application to business management.... more
This article take a philosophical look at the Fifth Discipline and its application to business management.
https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrive.google.com%2Ffile%2Fd%2F17OB8Uxk7vvaXhp49M7acPEg_URjuVSxy%2Fview&data=02%7C01%7Cjsellmann%40triton.uog.edu%7Cd300faa4449c4a751da408d7c6728076%7C2a652fdf10c34e4f9e94369090abfd04%7C0%7C0%7C637196067404032156&sdata=cKqcvSlaylA2jWYm8E3ZbLbH1IEBEBDxDR3%2Bwqdzbuc%3D&reserved=0
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This is an initial attempt to extract the cultural philosophy, world view and social political practices and beliefs in the Western Pacific to begin an entry point into academic philosophy.
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Sports psychologists have noted the importance of meditation or an altered state of consciousness that puts the athlete-performer in “a zone” or in a “flow” experience where the performance is natural, spontaneous and autotelic. In this... more
Sports psychologists have noted the importance of meditation or an altered state of consciousness that puts the athlete-performer in “a zone” or in a “flow” experience where the performance is natural, spontaneous and autotelic. In this paper I argue that the story of cook Ding butchering an ox is actually an example of performing in a meditative or altered state of consciousness. Generally speaking I propose that all of the skills stories in the Zhuangzi are offered as examples of how a person’s life can be improved by living in and acting or performing with the meditative or altered state of consciousness. The episode with cook Ding and the skills stories in general focus on different aspects of the meditative state. They are only indirectly concerned about the efficacy of the performance because the performance can only be attained when the performer has entered the meditative state of awareness.
The expressions used to describe cook Ding’s state of awareness; namely, being in touch with the spirit or daemonic, not using the senses, turning the senses inside and the mind and knowing outside, describe the state of awareness that places the performer into the flow or zone experience. The performance may result in a desired outcome such as a butchered ox for a meal, a beautiful bell stand, an outstanding belt buckle, gracefully body surfing a rapid and so on, but for Zhuangzi the state of awareness that puts the performer into that natural flow or zone is what is most important. If people use social standards of excellence or beauty to judge the outcome, then that is another matter. The efficacious performances and their outcomes may captivate people’s attention as a kind of skillful means to attract the reader to enter the altered state of consciousness and experience the unity of existence, entering the flow or zone.
The expressions used to describe cook Ding’s state of awareness; namely, being in touch with the spirit or daemonic, not using the senses, turning the senses inside and the mind and knowing outside, describe the state of awareness that places the performer into the flow or zone experience. The performance may result in a desired outcome such as a butchered ox for a meal, a beautiful bell stand, an outstanding belt buckle, gracefully body surfing a rapid and so on, but for Zhuangzi the state of awareness that puts the performer into that natural flow or zone is what is most important. If people use social standards of excellence or beauty to judge the outcome, then that is another matter. The efficacious performances and their outcomes may captivate people’s attention as a kind of skillful means to attract the reader to enter the altered state of consciousness and experience the unity of existence, entering the flow or zone.
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This paper discusses the instrumental social contract and the organic theories of political constitutions to develop what is called an organic contract theory. Chinese, especially Confucian, political philosophy provides an organic theory... more
This paper discusses the instrumental social contract and the organic theories of political constitutions to develop what is called an organic contract theory. Chinese, especially Confucian, political philosophy provides an organic theory that is not based on a transcendental religious perspective, so it deployed to provide an alternative perspective on the natural, organic elements in human history, society and political order. The organic contract theory proposes that historically humans have always lived in some type of social and political arrangement, and those arrangements have been renegotiated in different instrumentalist, contractual, formats. The organic contract approach uses the gregarious character of people and our interrelatedness to develop what is called the existential parity to develop a stronger case for the equal consideration of the interest of others. This political form of parity is used to argue for the existential commitment that people must live and work together with a moral duty to be responsible for and have an obligation to show concern and provide care for the life and well-being of others. These ideas are used to develop the organic contract theory, which is used to dispel the problematic relations ship between reason and culture. This research is offered to open new horizons for improving political constitutional theory.
Keywords: social contract,. Instrumentalism, organic political theory, human rights, equality, freedom, equal consideration of interests, existential parity, existential commitment, organic contract theory.
Keywords: social contract,. Instrumentalism, organic political theory, human rights, equality, freedom, equal consideration of interests, existential parity, existential commitment, organic contract theory.
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: Is there something about the way we understand our basic American values of freedom, equality, justice and individualism that hampers students’ access in higher education? I proposed that the concept of “rugged individualism” that... more
: Is there something about the way we understand our basic American values of freedom, equality, justice and individualism that hampers students’ access in higher education? I proposed that the concept of “rugged individualism” that helped grow the nation is now dated. Educators and administrators need to awaken to the needs of our students. This paper analyzes core values and beliefs to show how they have been used to inadvertently restrict access. To educate the cultural, social, and economic diversity of peoples with differing abilities, talents, personalities, learning styles and so on, the institutions of education must overcome the shortcomings of the pervasive but simplistic theories of individualism, equality, freedom and justice and work for the greater good by giving greater access to those who are least well-off.
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I seek to put the "eco" of ecology back in to the "eco" of the economy. I want to offer a world view that could inform international corporate society by arguing for a new world view about human's place in the world, offering a new... more
I seek to put the "eco" of ecology back in to the "eco" of the economy. I want to offer a world view that could inform international corporate society by arguing for a new world view about human's place in the world, offering a new perspective on the "green movement" such that "the green of money" and "the green of the environment" can be mutually pursued without conflict.
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I propose a duty based approach for environmental ethics and ecological protection building on traditional Asian and Pacific cultural values for the land and the ancestors who gave us our lives and who took care of the land.
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An early version of the Classic of Filial Piety appears in the LSCQ.
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Over the past one-hundred years, the People's Republic of China has been faced with a number of serious practical concerns from coping with natural disasters such as floods, famine and earth quakes to serious social, political and... more
Over the past one-hundred years, the People's Republic of China has been faced with a number of serious practical concerns from coping with natural disasters such as floods, famine and earth quakes to serious social, political and economic problems that the ruling parties have in part created through mismanaging its relations with others. The holocaust during the so-called liberation of Tibet, the Cultural Revolution, the massacre at Tiananmen square, and the economic despair of the agrarian masses are just a few of the ruling party=s major debacles. Many of these practical problems are rooted in the government=s use and abuse of political and legal power, which are grounded in the political constitution. This paper critically examines the constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC). First, an outside looking in approach is employed. The PRC constitution is criticized as if it were expected to meet the general requirements of a just social contract. Second, an internal approach is employed. The PRC constitution is criticized from the perspective of Marxism. The arguments establish that the Constitution of the PRC does not work as a social contract because it protects the state's interests more than the citizens' interests. It is further shown that the constitution does not constitute good Marxism because it lacks the humanistic spirit of Marx, and it does not prepare the state for its eventual historical demise that is required according the dialectic of historical materialism.
to appear in: "Русская политология - Russian Political Science" 4(5), 2017, 73-79
to appear in: "Русская политология - Russian Political Science" 4(5), 2017, 73-79
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Are there material and moral connections between wealth and moral values? Do people require a certain level of material well-being to be moral? Can people choose freely to abide by moral values when their physical or material well-being... more
Are there material and moral connections between wealth and moral values? Do people require a certain level of material well-being to be moral? Can people choose freely to abide by moral values when their physical or material well-being is in jeopardy? Can people be expected to follow moral values when their self-interests would be advanced by not adhering to moral values? Does technology create impersonal relationships that make immoral acts easier to perform? Can ethical problem solving be taught? This paper explores insights from ancient China, especially the Lüshi Chunqiu吕 氏 春 秋, to argue that moral education is an ongoing developmental process that people must constantly cultivate to value the appropriate moral action for the particular context at hand. Some contemporary approaches to the importance of teaching ethical problem solving will be reviewed.
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The Chamorros lived on the chain of islands known as the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean. The author argues that the ancient Chamorro religion and world view are based on a nondual cosmology of paired opposites that interact... more
The Chamorros lived on the chain of islands known as the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean. The author argues that the ancient Chamorro religion and world view are based on a nondual cosmology of paired opposites that interact to generate a living world. The nondual cosmology is found throughout Micronesia. Religious beliefs and practices give expression to the nondual world view. This is especially true of the ancient Chamorros use of their ancestral skulls in warfare. The skulls were taken into battle against the Spanish. From the nondual world view the ancestors’ power lives on through their descendants and is symbolically manifest in the skulls. After the Spanish Chamorro war, the survivors converted to Christianity and the ancient religion came to an end.
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In this paper I argue that ancient Chinese approaches to activate and achieve student learning can inform contemporary concerns and approaches toward student learning outcomes. I argue that imperial China had its own form of “liberal... more
In this paper I argue that ancient Chinese approaches to activate and achieve student learning can inform contemporary concerns and approaches toward student learning outcomes. I argue that imperial China had its own form of “liberal education,” and that contemporary American liberal education could enhance its global, multicultural, and world citizen concepts, ideals, values and beliefs by analyzing, integrating, and valuing other forms of learning and education. I review Bloom’s and Shulman’s respective learning Taxonomy, and then I show how ancient Chinese schools of philosophy provide their own Taxonomy for learning. Ultimately, one of the main lessons to be learned from any philosophy or process of education is to learn what is worth living for and what is worth dying for, and to ensure that we use good evidence in making the determination. In conclusion I propose that the best results are had by continuing to live for a cause rather than to die for a cause, that is, a form of Pacifism.
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https://www.uog.edu/_resources/files/schools-and-colleges/college-of-liberal-arts-and-social-Sciences/pai/v10/15_pai10_sellmann_review _ulithi.pdf Drs. Rebecca A. Stephenson and Mary L. Spencer have produced an outstanding piece of... more
https://www.uog.edu/_resources/files/schools-and-colleges/college-of-liberal-arts-and-social-Sciences/pai/v10/15_pai10_sellmann_review _ulithi.pdf
Drs. Rebecca A. Stephenson and Mary L. Spencer have produced an outstanding piece of scholarship with their latest book on UlithiAtoll, Micronesia: Recalling the Past, Reaffirming the Future. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Pacific Island Studies.The book Ulithi Atoll, Micronesia makes a lasting academic contribution to Micronesian and Pacific Island Studies by publishing unique and detailed scholarly work about Ulithi Atoll.The book can be used at all academic levels from high school through undergraduate to graduate level courses, will be of interest to tourists, and especially to the students of Ulithi and Yap. The book will also be of interest to other private and public institutions and employers who have immigrants from Ulithi or other islands in Micronesia.
Drs. Rebecca A. Stephenson and Mary L. Spencer have produced an outstanding piece of scholarship with their latest book on UlithiAtoll, Micronesia: Recalling the Past, Reaffirming the Future. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Pacific Island Studies.The book Ulithi Atoll, Micronesia makes a lasting academic contribution to Micronesian and Pacific Island Studies by publishing unique and detailed scholarly work about Ulithi Atoll.The book can be used at all academic levels from high school through undergraduate to graduate level courses, will be of interest to tourists, and especially to the students of Ulithi and Yap. The book will also be of interest to other private and public institutions and employers who have immigrants from Ulithi or other islands in Micronesia.
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book review.
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David Chai’s latest work delves into nothingness and becomes a groundbreaking rethinking of Zhuangzi’s worldview. In Zhuangzi and the Becoming of Nothingness, Chai carefully explicates the metaphysics and cosmology underlying the... more
David Chai’s latest work delves into nothingness and becomes a
groundbreaking rethinking of Zhuangzi’s worldview. In Zhuangzi and the
Becoming of Nothingness, Chai carefully explicates the metaphysics and
cosmology underlying the Zhuangzi’s philosophy. Chai breathes new life into Zhuangzi studies by showing modern scholars a way out of the
narrow-minded, well-frog-like proposals that the Zhuangzi advocates
nihilism or relativism, especially ethical relativism or epistemological
skepticism. The text is comprised of acknowledgments, an introduction, six chapters, a brief conclusion, copious notes, a bibliography, and a thorough index. It focuses on the cosmology, cosmogony, and meontological foundation or abyss that makes the world and universe possible. This work is the first of a trilogy; subsequent works will unravel the ethics and epistemology of the Zhuangzi.
groundbreaking rethinking of Zhuangzi’s worldview. In Zhuangzi and the
Becoming of Nothingness, Chai carefully explicates the metaphysics and
cosmology underlying the Zhuangzi’s philosophy. Chai breathes new life into Zhuangzi studies by showing modern scholars a way out of the
narrow-minded, well-frog-like proposals that the Zhuangzi advocates
nihilism or relativism, especially ethical relativism or epistemological
skepticism. The text is comprised of acknowledgments, an introduction, six chapters, a brief conclusion, copious notes, a bibliography, and a thorough index. It focuses on the cosmology, cosmogony, and meontological foundation or abyss that makes the world and universe possible. This work is the first of a trilogy; subsequent works will unravel the ethics and epistemology of the Zhuangzi.
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A review of the book.
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a book review
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This is a book review.
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A detailed review of Paul Fisher's study and translation of the Shizi.
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This is a book review of the Elaborations on Emptiness.
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This is a book review of S. Allan. the way of water and the sprouts of virtue.
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Book review of Jay Dobbin. 2011. Summoning the Powers Beyond: Traditional Religions of Micronesia
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Every culture has its understanding of reality. Philosophers call that metaphysics. The study of reality entails a logic, a way of reasoning, to develop a way of knowing who we are, what the world is, and their relationship. Logic is the... more
Every culture has its understanding of reality. Philosophers call that metaphysics. The study of reality entails a logic, a way of reasoning, to develop a way of knowing who we are, what the world is, and their relationship. Logic is the study of arguments or sets of propositions that provide evidence for accepting a claim or conclusion. From antiquity to modern Euro-America, the predominate form of reasoning is a two valued, true/false, dualistic logic, based on the three principles of reasoning. One of those principles is the Excluded Middle, namely statements are either true or false. There is no "maybe," no gray area between true and false. This thinking impacts social-political order and "justice" or passing judgment on others. Either a member of the community is a guilty criminal or innocent. The problem with the dualistic, two valued logic and its way of making judgments, is that it only provides a limited and incomplete understanding of reality because it does not account for change. In a temporal world of constant change, the self, the world and their interactions are rarely if ever this or that, true or false. Pacific island reasoning is based on nondual, correlative logic in which people, the world and their interrelationship are never merely this or that, true or false, good or bad, right or wrong, guilty or innocent. In Pacific nondual logic, there is a principle of the "Inclusive Middle;" things are gray, mixed and in constant flux. With the Inclusive Middle, there is no separation of the self from the world. Self and world are interdependent, cocreating and co-extensive. The dynamic relationship of all things overrides the notion that things are unchanging substances. I'm proposing that we must see ourselves as the wise parent and the colonizers as a misbehaving child who lacks a complete understanding of reality, themselves, the world and their relationships. As the colonizers imposed a task orientated incomplete view of reality, we need to be consciously aware of and bring with us our more complete view of reality that embraces the flux of change and the interdependence of all people and things, the coextensive self that is woven into the environment and an environment that creates who we are. Here is an example of a Pacific nondual approach to justice. A drunk driver is involved in an automobile accident in which a pedestrian is killed. From the two valued logic of American justice. The driver is guilty and owes a debt to society that is paid by a term in prison in which an abstract understanding of justice is served but no good comes of it. The alleged common good of paying the debt to the community is taken to be more important than the individuals involved. However, in the more complete view of reality of Pacific island philosophy, the perpetrator is adopted into the family who lost their adult child. The debt to society is paid-off not by appeal to an abstract view of justice that requires punishment but by integrating the perpetrator into the victim's family. The principle of the Inclusive Middle embraces the intermixing of this and that, right and wrong by bringing the perpetrator into the victim's family, replacing the victim with the perpetrator. This way of reasoning provides a more complete metaphysical view of reality that can be applied to political status.
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https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/2019/03/28/sellmann-incomplete-interpretation-guam-history/3137601002/
the article dis-spells four myths about Guahan (Guam) history
the article dis-spells four myths about Guahan (Guam) history
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Abstract: https://www.guampdn.com/story/opinion/2018/08/09/learn-history-change-political-status-letter/944135002/ Research Interests: Decolonization, International law, international relations, human rights law, international... more
Abstract: https://www.guampdn.com/story/opinion/2018/08/09/learn-history-change-political-status-letter/944135002/
Research Interests: Decolonization, International law, international relations, human rights law, international humanitarian law, international organisations, law and politics, and Indigenous Self-Determination
Research Interests: Decolonization, International law, international relations, human rights law, international humanitarian law, international organisations, law and politics, and Indigenous Self-Determination
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An Editorial published in the Pacific Daily News that criticizes the USA President for supporting violent protests in Iran while threatening to fire non-violent athlete protesters in the USA.
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In this brief essay I reflect on a conversation I had with a Thai monk while at a meditation retreat. The reflection led me to think about the Buddha's lack of metaphysical speculations and teaching by limiting ideas to verifiable facts... more
In this brief essay I reflect on a conversation I had with a Thai monk while at a meditation retreat. The reflection led me to think about the Buddha's lack of metaphysical speculations and teaching by limiting ideas to verifiable facts such as the three marks of existence and the four noble truths as a counterpoint to the post-truth phenomenon.
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In this paper I argue that the moral standards of both Utilitarianism and a modified Kantian deontological approach require nuclear disarmament. In the interest of maintaining a moral or ethical peace, it is both prudent, and a moral duty... more
In this paper I argue that the moral standards of both Utilitarianism and a modified Kantian deontological approach require nuclear disarmament. In the interest of maintaining a moral or ethical peace, it is both prudent, and a moral duty not to attempt to deter war via nuclear armament and it is immoral to use nuclear weapons in war because many innocent lives will be lost. First, I briefly state the Utilitarian, and deontological approaches. Then, I apply those respective approaches to the issues of nuclear deterrence and nuclear war. Granted that there are major problems with the theoretical foundations of both Utilitarianism and Kantian deontological approaches, and yet they remain the basis for most modern ethics. The growing tendency is to attempt to incorporate both approaches in arguing moral issues, and that is what I do here. Utilitarianism Utilitarianism offers a teleological, consequentialistic or forward looking approach to ethics-that is to say results count. The principle of Utility is: to promote the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of creatures. For, the founder of Utilitarianism, J. Bentham, "happiness" meant physical pleasure.1 That view was challenged and modified by the disciple, J.S. Mill, who defined "happiness" in terms of a number of "goods," psychological, social, economic, which might require sacrifice of mere physical pleasure to secure those goods.2 The Utilitarians were among the first people in the West to advocate a form of "animal liberation" in that their theory includes animal happiness, not just the human. Although Bentham and Mill did not draw the following distinction, nevertheless it is now common to separate Rule Utility from Act Utility. Rule Utility proposes that the principle of utility must be performed under the guidance of social practices or rules. Act Utility proposes that the principle of utility need only be performed with a concern for the amount of utility that particular action will create. For example, the Act Utilitarian will argue that lying is moral if that one act of utility promotes long term happiness, while the Rule Utilitarian would argue that if lying is instituted as a social practice, there cannot be long term happiness because people will not be able to trust each other; the social network would decay, and happiness could not be obtained. Kantian Deontology Deontology takes a non-consequentialistic or backward looking approach to ethics-that is, results do not count. Deontology literally means the "study of obligation" or the "science of duty." From the deontological approach the important issue is not the outcome or result of one's actions, but rather whether or not one's actions adhere to one's established duty. Immanuel Kant is one of the great champions of the deontological approach; the major Monotheistic religions are also deontological in nature. For Kant, the duty base of morality cannot be externally commanded to or upon the person performing a moral action, but must be determined by the actor's exercise of pure reason and what Kant calls the good will. Kant distinguished two types of reason: pure and practical. Practical reason is goal orientated, and operates according to a hypothetical imperative, namely, if result B is desired, then we must first fulfill the necessary conditions A. (For example, if you want a cake, then follow the directions for baking a cake.) Kant argued that morality, like logic and math, is under the domain of pure reason which is not 2 1
Research Interests:
https://www.postguam.com/forum/letter_to_the_editor/let-s-stop-promoting-the-haters-nationalists-and-racists/article_5e08d3fe-5059-11e9-bdcc-3b56bc777367.html This is a newspaper editorial proposing that we stop using the word "white" to... more
https://www.postguam.com/forum/letter_to_the_editor/let-s-stop-promoting-the-haters-nationalists-and-racists/article_5e08d3fe-5059-11e9-bdcc-3b56bc777367.html
This is a newspaper editorial proposing that we stop using the word "white" to describe racism and privilege among people who are beige. Those alleged "white' folks can't pass the tissue test. Calling them beige puts them on a spectrum and takes the "purity" focus out of their alleged "whiteness."
This is a newspaper editorial proposing that we stop using the word "white" to describe racism and privilege among people who are beige. Those alleged "white' folks can't pass the tissue test. Calling them beige puts them on a spectrum and takes the "purity" focus out of their alleged "whiteness."
Research Interests: Racism and Anti-Racism
by Paul Reps
First published in the 1930s; reprinted in the 1960 but no date is given.
Classic Chan'/Zen literature with a good pre-Chan piece.
First published in the 1930s; reprinted in the 1960 but no date is given.
Classic Chan'/Zen literature with a good pre-Chan piece.
Research Interests:
A newspaper editorial on it is time to abandon our legacy of racism
Research Interests:
This book rightly argues for greater inclusion of the natural and social sciences in the humanities, especially philosophy. The author draws from psychology, especially folk psychology, to show that a basic trait of universal human... more
This book rightly argues for greater inclusion of the natural and social sciences in the humanities, especially philosophy. The author draws from psychology, especially folk psychology, to show that a basic trait of
universal human cognition contains a form of weak dualism. It is a dualism based on the embodied awareness that one’s own thoughts are different from external objects, which generates the belief in a mind/body dualism. The book offers a great deal of evidence that the ancient Chinese embraced a weak mind/body dualism. The author criticizes most philosophers who have proposed a mind/body holism.
Because the author admits that correlative thinking is also a function of universal human cognition, I propose that what he refers to as weak mind/body dualism is actually a form of mind/body nondualism.
The book cites many examples of how cross-culturally people depict the disembodied spirit in a spiritual bodily or ghostly-apparition form. The author of this review argues that dualism is another form of the
Orientalism that the book wants to avoid, and one way to avoid Orientalism-dualism would be to embrace the correlative, nondual mind/body relationship.
universal human cognition contains a form of weak dualism. It is a dualism based on the embodied awareness that one’s own thoughts are different from external objects, which generates the belief in a mind/body dualism. The book offers a great deal of evidence that the ancient Chinese embraced a weak mind/body dualism. The author criticizes most philosophers who have proposed a mind/body holism.
Because the author admits that correlative thinking is also a function of universal human cognition, I propose that what he refers to as weak mind/body dualism is actually a form of mind/body nondualism.
The book cites many examples of how cross-culturally people depict the disembodied spirit in a spiritual bodily or ghostly-apparition form. The author of this review argues that dualism is another form of the
Orientalism that the book wants to avoid, and one way to avoid Orientalism-dualism would be to embrace the correlative, nondual mind/body relationship.
Research Interests:
Environmental philosophy provides a gateway to develop a heuristic model to understand Yapese philosophy. Because Yapese philosophy is contained in oral traditions and various practices expressed in cultural rituals, forms of life, mores,... more
Environmental philosophy provides a gateway to develop a heuristic model to understand Yapese philosophy. Because Yapese philosophy is contained in oral traditions and various practices expressed in cultural rituals, forms of life, mores, habits, attitudes, beliefs, and thoughts, we will attempt to explicate Yapese philosophical values from rituals, beliefs, and especially fishing techniques, regarding the environment as they relate to sustainable food practices. We present the use of fishing techniques especially the tidal stone-wall fish weirs, called aech, as a classic example of a traditional sustainable fishing practice that should be rejuvenated. To study Yapese environmental philosophy is in large part to examine Yapese sustainable food practices. The aim of this short paper is to illustrate how Yapese maintain balance and harmony in acquiring their major staple fish, in association with their traditional ecological knowledge, and the spiritual world.