Confucian ethics of the axial age : a reconstruction under the aspect of the breakthrough toward postconventional thinking /

The strong points of this erudite and well-written work are detailed appreciation of the development of Chinese thought in the "axial age," sensitive employment of comparisons, and ample, stimulating footnotes. In contrast to predecessors viewed as holding a heteronomy or stagnation view, Roetz proposes a systematic interpretation of ancient Chinese moral philosophy as a breakthrough toward enlightenment in the sense of freedom from tradition, convention, and institutions. In Roetz's view, early Confucians were not just obedient subjects; and "benevolence" supports "principle" without being tantamount to it, so that Confucianism opposes blind conformity. Difficulties lie with Roetz's use of Lawrence Kohlberg's schematic theory of moral development, which will make this work of special interest to those in philosophy of education but less so to other philosophers. (Roetz equates the "axial age" breakthrough with Kohlberg's stage 6.) Another difficulty is Roetz's opposition to cosmological interpretations of Confucianism, which shows that he is aware of but does not solve the problem of giving religion its due in treatments of Confucian thought. Very advanced undergraduates; graduate students; faculty. F. J. Hoffman; West Chester University of Pennsylvania