logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2025
31m 4s

Confucius: On Name & Actuality

Untimely Reflections
About this episode

The Rectification of Names is a Confucian reinterpretation of the function of language. Confucius is usually portrayed as a stuffy moralist, but there is an intriguing notion implicit in his use of language that borders on the postmodern. Confucius does not merely give definitions of things, but seizes for the philosopher the power to redefine names according to a moral end. Michael Puett, The Path (Talks at Google): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfnSTr6-1g4Hans Georg Moeller's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@carefreewandering

Up next
Yesterday
The Gay Science #23 (V.356-363)
In this chapter of our readthrough, we confront "the problem of the actor". Nietzsche predicts that things shall become ever more "artistic" in Europe, as the actor's talent self-falsification becomes developed in all members of society. Whereas in the Middle Ages, the individual ... Show More
2h 21m
Jul 14
The Gay Science #22 (V.348-355)
The grand experiment continues with a series of naturalistic explanations for the origins of ideas or modes of life. The scholar's intellectual habits are inherited "in blood and instinct"; Spinoza's philosophy is sourced to his sickliness; Darwinian theories of evolution are a p ... Show More
1h 54m
Jul 7
The Gay Science #21 (V.343-347)
"You tremble, carcass?" After a long hiatus, we shall now fearlessly embark upon book V of The Gay Science, added to the text in 1887. In this final division of the text, we'll see Nietzsche's attempt to incorporate his late philosophy, as the conclusion of his middle period medi ... Show More
2h 5m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2001
Confucius
Melvyn Bragg examines the philosophy of Confucius. In the 5th century BC a wise man called Kung Fu Tzu said, 'study the past if you would divine the future'. This powerful maxim helped form the body of ideas, which more than Buddhism, more than Daoism, more even than Communism ha ... Show More
28m 16s
Dec 2017
Confucius
Confucius was an ancient Chinese philosopher, teacher and politician whose wisdom and teachings are still followed to this day. Despite chaos and war during his life more than 2500 years ago, Confucius promoted harmonious ideals that resonated with people for centuries to come. C ... Show More
49m 7s
Oct 2018
Learning Confucius
How's your Confucianism? If the answer is "a little rusty", then you're not alone. Confucianism and Chinese philosophy are niche subjects in Australia, even among students of Chinese background. 
25m 7s
Mar 2014
#14 - E. Zhou 3: Confucius Says...
This episode we chronicle the life of Master Kong A.K.A. Confucius, as well as detail his socio-political philosophies which would shape the future of China, as well as those of much of the rest of East Asia.Less fighting, more thinking, in the first of two interim episodes befor ... Show More
37m 33s
Apr 2023
Ep. 314: Mengzi (Mencius) on Moral Psychology (Part One)
On the greatest early philosopher interpreting and expanding on Confucius, from ca. 350 BCE. with guest Krishnan Venkatesh of the St. John's College Eastern Classics program. We talk about the challenges of connecting ancient Chinese and Greek philosophies and explore Mencius' di ... Show More
40m 52s
Apr 2023
PREMIUM-Ep. 315: Mengzi (Mencius) on Virtuous Leaders (Part Two)
To conclude our treatment of this seminal Confucian text, we consider a particularly puzzling passage about ethics and then move to politics and economics. If you're not hearing the full version of this part of the discussion, sign up via one of the options described at partially ... Show More
10m 12s
Oct 2013
Episode #008 ... Confucianism
On this episode of the podcast, we learn about Confucius, a man whose ideas impacted China and eastern philosophy for thousands of years after his death. We find out how Confucius went from being the poor, friendless son of an ancient Chinese 'Teen Mom' to becoming one of the mos ... Show More
40m 24s
Mar 2025
#243 - The Authentic Confucius by Annping Chin
Most of the sayings of Confucius consist of three parts:* The Saying* The Person* The Time/LocationIf you just read The Analects, you get all of the sayings and if you’re very diligent (or use a commentary), you can get to know the people Confucius addresses in his responses. Wha ... Show More
31m 36s
Mar 2025
#242 - The Analects by Confucius
The life of Confucius (551 - 479 BC) overlaps the life of Greek playwright Aeschylus (525 - 455 BC). Confucius makes it clear that he is a transmitter, not an originator. He’s transmitting wisdom from the past, specifically from an ancient era of perfect rulers. The Analects is a ... Show More
43m 39s