Kongzi as Therapeutic Philosopher

Abstract This chapter argues that Kongzi’s concerns, teachings, and activities in the Analects suggest he is a particular kind of philosopher—a therapeutic philosopher—and clarifying this reveals why philosophers should study the Analects as philosophy. Understanding Kongzi in this way can deepen appreciation for and understanding of the Analects and therapeutic philosophy generally. The category of therapeutic philosophy highlights some features of Kongzi’s view that are valuable for philosophers because they are distinctive when compared with views of Western therapeutic philosophers, including what it means to live a good life and how to do so. They prescribe forms of therapeutic practice that focus on cultivating many different aspects of the self, including human desires and emotions, and how to deal with some the most basic, yet most challenging, aspects of everyday life, from how to improve relationships with family and friends, to how to process and grapple with the deaths of loved ones. The kind of explicitness, comprehensiveness, and rigor associated with the work of philosophers characterizes Kongzi’s teachings as presented in the Analects and interpreted in traditional commentaries, seen, for example, in his objection to following traditional practices without proper feelings and motives, and without adequate reflection on one’s character, beliefs, and values. In exploring these dimensions, this chapter demonstrates that therapeutic philosophy is not just found in Hellenistic philosophical schools and in the work of particular modern Western philosophers but also in other parts of the world—including some of the most influential texts and thinkers in history.