In The Contemplative Foundations of Classical Daoism, Harold D. Roth explores the origins and nature of the Daoist tradition, arguing that its creators and innovators were not abstract philosophers but, rather, mystics engaged in self-exploration and self-cultivation, which in turn provided the insights embodied in such famed works as the Daodejing and Zhuangzi. In this compilation of essays and chapters representing nearly thirty years of scholarship, Roth examines the historical and intellectual origins of Daoism and demonstrates how this distinctive (...) philosophy emerged directly from practices that were essentially contemplative in nature. In the first part of the book, Roth applies text-critical methods to derive the hidden contemplative dimensions of classical Daoism. In the second part, he applies a "contemplative hermeneutic" to explore the relationship between contemplative practices and classical Daoist philosophy and, in so doing, brings early Daoist writings into conversation with contemporary contemplative studies. To this he adds an introduction in which he reflects on the arc and influence on the field of early Chinese thought of this rich vein of scholarship and an afterword in which he applies both interpretive methods to the vexing question of the authorship of the Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi. The Contemplative Foundations of Classical Daoism brings to fruition the cumulative investigations and observations of a leading figure in the emerging field of contemplative studies as they pertain to a core component of early Chinese thought. (shrink)

In the past decade, philosopher Bernard Rollin points out, we have "witnessed a major revolution in social concern with animal welfare and the moral status of animals." Adopting the stance of a moderate, Harold Guither attempts to provide an unbiased examination of the paths and goals of the members of the animal rights movement and of its detractors. Given the level of confusion, suspicion, misunderstanding, and mistrust between the two sides, Guither admits the difficulty in locating, much less staying (...) in, the middle of the road. The philosophical conflict, however, is fairly clear: those who resist reform, fearing that radical change in the treatment of animals will infringe on their business and property rights, versus the new activists who espouse a different set of moral and ethical obligations toward animals. From his position as a moderate, Guither presents a brief history of animal protection and the emergence of animal rights, describes the scope of the movement, and identifies major players such as Paul and Linda McCartney and organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that are actively involved in the movement. He concentrates on what is actually happening in the 1990s, discussing in detail the possible consequences of the current debate for those who own, use, or enjoy animals in entertainment and leisure pursuits. A reference work for students in animal sciences and veterinary medicine, the book also poses questions for philosophers, sociologists, and public policymakers as well as animal owners, animal and biomedical researchers, and manufacturers and distributors of animal equipment and supplies. (shrink)

Der Aufsatz behandelt das Problem der sozialpsychologischen Folgen, wenn der Zusammenstoss zweier Kulturen eine Verarmung der einen Kultur mit sich bringt. Die nordamerikanischen Indianer bieten ein gutes Beispiel zum Studium dieses Problems und unter ihnen besonders die Taosin- dianer, die trotz der Berührung mit fremden Kulturen verhältnismässig wenig Mischehen auf weisen. Der Verfasser sieht als die Hauptmöglichkeiten der Reaktion auf eine kulturelle Verarmung an : neue Objektbeziehungen, Anpassung des Denkens, autistische und körperliche Reaktionen. Der Peyote-Kult der ungefähr 1909-10 in Taos (...) eingeführt wurde, wird als eine typisch autistische Reaktion aufgefasst und erklärt. Während im allgemeinen die Kultur der Pueblo-Indianer auf Mässigung und Sachlichkeit aufgebaut ist, ruft der berauschende Genuss des mexikanischen Kaktus, der im Mittelpunkt des Peyote-Kults steht, Visionen hervor, die einen Widerspruch zur traditionellen psychischen Haltung der Pueblo-Indianer bilden. Verfasser schildert die wichtigsten Züge der Glan-Organisation und der religiösen Erziehung, wie sie sich aus seinen Erfahrungen und Beobachtungen in Taos ergeben haben. Die individualistischen Strebungen werden in der Pueblo-Erziehung unterdrückt, beziehungsweise auf die Gemeinschaft projiziert. Der Zusammenstoss mit individualistischen Kulturen, wie die der Nomaden-Indianer, der Mexikaner und Amerikaner, bedeutet deshalb eine schwer zu bewältigende Aufgabe für die Mitglieder des Pueblo. Der Peyote-Kult mildert den intensiven Kollektivismus der Pueblo-Kultur und erleichtert damit dem Individuum die Auseinandersetzung mit den fremden Kulturen. Er kann diese Aufgabe besonders gut erfüllen, weil er als indianische Religion gilt und so keinen Widerspruch mit indianischen Gebräuchen darstellt. Der Verfasser kommt zu dem Schluss, dass in einer Situation, in der eine apollinisch-kollektivistische Kultur auf eine dionysisch-individualistische auftrifft und durch sie eingeschränkt wird, die erstere durch eine Verstärkung des kollektiven Autismus reagiert. L’article étudie le problème des conséquences psychologiques et sociales du choc de deux cultures, lorsque ce choc amène un appauvrissement de l’une d’elles. Les Indiens de l’Amérique du nord offrent un exemple favorable à l’étude de ce problème et, parmi eux particulièrement les Indiens du Taos qui, en dépit du contact avec les cultures étrangères, ont peu connu de mariages „mixtes“. L’auteur considère comme principales réactions possibles à un appauvrissement culturel les réactions suivantes : nouveaux rapports d’objets, adaptation de la pensée, réaction autistique et corporelle. Le culte du peyote qui a été introduit dans le Taos vers 1909-10 est conçu et expliqué comme une réaction typiquement autistique. Alors que, en général, la culture des Indiens pueblos est fondée sur la mesure et l’objectivité, dans le culte du peyote on utilise avant tout le cactus mexicain qui enivre et amène des visions qui sont en opposition avec l’attitude psychique traditionnelle des Indiens pueblos. L’auteur décrit les traits les plus importants de l’organisation de clans et de l’éducation religieuse telles qu’elles lui sont apparues au cours de ses expériences et observations dans le Taos. Les tendances individualistes sont réprimées dans l’éducation pueblo ou projetées sur la communauté. Aussi le choc avec une culture individualiste comme celle des Indiens nomades, des Mexicains et des Américains, impose au membre de la communauté pueblo une tâche difficile à accomplir. Le culte du peyote facilite à l’individu une explication avec les cultures étrangères. Il joue ce rôle tout particulièrement parce qu’il passe pour une religion indienne et ne présente pas de contradiction avec les coutumes indiennes. L’auteur arrive à la conclusion que, dam le cas où une culture apollinienne-collective se heurte à une culture dyoni- sienne-individualiste et se trouve refoulée par elle, la première réagit par un renforcement de l’autisme collectif. Les transformations dans le Taos sont un exemple des relations entre culture collective et culture individualiste et les échanges se terminent en ce cas par l’adaptation de traits individualistes par la culture collectiviste dominée. (shrink)

Daoist Identity is an exploration of the various means by which Daoists over the centuries have created an identity for themselves. Using modern sociological studies of identity formation as its foundation, it brings together a representative sample of in-depth analyses by eminent American and Japanese scholars in the field. The discussion begins with critical examinations of the ways identity was found among the early movements of the Way of Great Peace and the Celestial Masters. The role of sacred texts and (...) literary culture in Daoist identity formation is discussed. The volume then focuses on lineage formation and the increasing role of popular religious practices, such as spirit-writing, in modern Daoism since the Song dynasty. Finally it discusses the Daoist adaptation and reinterpretation of Buddhist rites, such as the feeding of souls in hell and the use of ritual gestures, and the changes made in contemporary Daoism in relation to traditional rites and popular practices. Contributors: Asano Haruji, Suzanne Cahill, M. Csikszentmihalyi, Edward L. Davis, Terry F. Kleeman, Livia Kohn, Mabuchi Masaya, Maruyama Hiroshi, Mitamura Keiko, Mori Yuria, Peter Nickerson, Charles D. Orzech, Harold D. Roth, Shiga Ichiko, Tsuchiya Masaaki. (shrink)

Byrne & Russon argue that the action and program levels of imitation form two discrete categories, with no intermediate steps. A Piagetian view enlarges our understanding of human and ape imitation by showing the developmental paths that imitation takes in the sensory-motor period of intelligence. It is clear from Piaget's (1945/1962) analysis that the action level of imitation is richly varied and that intermediate steps do occur between the action and program levels.

Introduction: The language of power, by H. D. Lasswell. Style in the language of politics, by H. D. Lasswell. Why be quantitative? By H. D. Lasswell.--Technique: The problem of validating content analysis, by I. L. Janis. The reliability of content analysis categories, by Abraham Kaplan and J. M. Goldsen. Recording and context units, four ways of coding editorial content, by Alan Grey, David Kaplan and H. D. Lasswell. The feasibility of the use of samples in content analysis, by Alexander Mintz. (...) The coefficient of imbalance, by I. L. Janis and Raymond Fadner.--Applications: Detection; propaganda detection and the courts, by H. D. Lasswell. Trend; May Day slogans in Soviet Russia, 1918-1943, by Sergius Yakobson and H. D. Lasswell. Interaction; the Third International on its change of policy, by Nathan Leites. Interaction; the response of communist propaganda to frustration, by Nathan Leites and I. de Sola Pool. (shrink)

Most of the work produced by these scholars together and in collaboration with their students represent applications of their basic theory to a wide assortment ...

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Reviewed by:Osip Mandelstam and the Modernist Creation of TraditionHarold D. BakerOsip Mandelstam and the Modernist Creation of Tradition, by Clare Cavanagh; xii & 365 pp. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995, $39.50.The great, enigmatic poet of twentieth-century Russia, Osip Mandelstam (1891–1938), employed a poetics based on recollection. The word-soul or psyche is not contained within a linguistic body but hovers amorously over it, [End Page 257] fleeing any too crude (...) attempt at capture. The reader must trace out Mandelstam’s personal networks of association, both inside and outside the text, before a kernel of thought and emotion can be recognized (“only the moment of recognition is sweet to us,” goes a famous line from his “Tristia”). Although Clare Cavanagh’s book does not emphasize this theme, her tactics could hardly be better suited to Mandelstam’s peculiar poetic sensibility.Osip Mandelstam and the Modernist Creation of Tradition is an exhaustive exploration of historical and cultural context. It opposes itself explicitly to the traditional structuralist and semiotic approaches to Mandelstam, and takes his works in their “secular” rather than their “hermetic” aspect (to borrow terms from Robert Scholes). In that sense it seeks to recollect and bring to mind everything that might affect our understanding of Mandelstam’s oeuvre. This turns out to be a varied field: Pound and Eliot (coeval modernists whose ideas resonate significantly with his), François Villon, Byzantine and Gothic church architecture, the marginalized yet culturally dynamic position of the Russian Jew, Pindar (an exemplar of the social-economic relation of poet to state), Dante, the psychology of literary play, and even Charlie Chaplin. Although it does not use extensive biographical framing, the book proceeds through Mandelstam’s poetry and prose in chronological order, alternately pursuing aspects of context and concentrating on selected works by Mandelstam for sustained analysis.What results is perhaps the most serious comprehensive work on the poet produced so far. Cavanagh’s approach may appear diffuse at first, but it enables her to capture a great deal of this elusive genius without confining Mandelstam within a narrow critical purview. The book’s argument is that Mandelstam qualifies as a central modernist poet through his agonistic relation to an ideal of “world culture.” He attempts to recreate an authoritative literary and cultural tradition that his own innovative work would both continue and transform. And it is from this point of view that Mandelstam’s Jewishness appears so significant to Cavanagh (a chief issue in three out of eight chapters): it gives a precise formula for that position both inside and outside of the dominant culture. Cavanagh even contends quite suggestively that, for Mandelstam, both Dante and Chaplin function as avatars of Jewishness.All this is well-founded and important, but perhaps the best thing about her book is that its central argument doesn’t do justice to the richness of Cavanagh’s own materials. Her discussion does not weaken, for instance, as it leaves Mandelstam’s early period, when the notion of “world culture” was indeed an obsessive one for him. The book is equally effective on the brilliant late poems of the Voronezh cycle, by which time not only a place in world culture but even a secure place in human society seemed futile dreams to Mandelstam. Cavanagh’s readings of the prose and especially the poetry are flexible and sensitive; she gives beautiful accounts of the poetic wordplay and follows closely the ebb and flow of musicality in the verse from one period and [End Page 258] collection to another. More than a milestone in Mandelstam studies, this book brings the poet closer to realizing his fondest dream: a responsive, understanding readership or “interlocutor.”Harold D. BakerUniversity of California, IrvineCopyright © 1996 The Johns Hopkins University Press... (shrink)