Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good

In comparative philosophy, the study of Fichte and Wang Yangming has been largely overlooked. This article compares their views on the highest good and their approaches to the human–world relationship. Fichte sees the highest good as the realization of practical reason, achievable through religious...

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Main Author: Jun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Religions
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1450
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author Jun Wang
author_facet Jun Wang
author_sort Jun Wang
collection DOAJ
description In comparative philosophy, the study of Fichte and Wang Yangming has been largely overlooked. This article compares their views on the highest good and their approaches to the human–world relationship. Fichte sees the highest good as the realization of practical reason, achievable through religious faith and love for God, enabling individuals to transcend sensual desires and unify with God. Religious faith connects individuals to a higher existence, fostering moral actions. Wang Yangming, however, defines the highest good as the manifestation of conscience within, emphasizing internal cultivation and moral practice to achieve the unity of knowledge and action. Fichte’s approach relies on religious faith, while Wang Yangming’s focuses on self-cultivation. This study reveals the complementarity between Chinese and Western perspectives on the highest good, offering a new lens for cross-cultural dialogue and insights into the complex relationship between humans and the world.
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spelling doaj-art-d60b0f5737fd494dbd6751fa7bf7af042024-12-27T14:50:19ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442024-11-011512145010.3390/rel15121450Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest GoodJun Wang0Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaIn comparative philosophy, the study of Fichte and Wang Yangming has been largely overlooked. This article compares their views on the highest good and their approaches to the human–world relationship. Fichte sees the highest good as the realization of practical reason, achievable through religious faith and love for God, enabling individuals to transcend sensual desires and unify with God. Religious faith connects individuals to a higher existence, fostering moral actions. Wang Yangming, however, defines the highest good as the manifestation of conscience within, emphasizing internal cultivation and moral practice to achieve the unity of knowledge and action. Fichte’s approach relies on religious faith, while Wang Yangming’s focuses on self-cultivation. This study reveals the complementarity between Chinese and Western perspectives on the highest good, offering a new lens for cross-cultural dialogue and insights into the complex relationship between humans and the world.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1450FichteWang Yangminghuman-world relationshiplovethe highest good
spellingShingle Jun Wang
Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good
Religions
Fichte
Wang Yangming
human-world relationship
love
the highest good
title Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good
title_full Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good
title_fullStr Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good
title_full_unstemmed Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good
title_short Human and World: Fichte and Wang Yangming on the Highest Good
title_sort human and world fichte and wang yangming on the highest good
topic Fichte
Wang Yangming
human-world relationship
love
the highest good
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1450
work_keys_str_mv AT junwang humanandworldfichteandwangyangmingonthehighestgood