Reflections of the classes of prof.

Jana Rošker for the subject Chinese Philosophy

As a foreign student in Slovenia, being able to experience the level of multiculturalism in

a small space such as a classroom was completely new to me, and as such, being able to talk with
i.e. taiwanese or greek students, and all the students from other countries that participated in the
program, has filled me with nothing less than excitement as to what I can see and learn more
from this faculty. The student body was always ready to learn and propose ideas, discuss and
communicate thoughts which were mostly new to all of us, especially when it comes to such a
broad, and yet to many of us, an unknown spectrum of knowledge called Chinese Philosophy.
Prof. Jana Rošker, having many years of experience as a lecturer, writer and a sinologist,
successfully introduced us to these new ideas through numerous discussions, guest lectures and
presentations which led us to open up in ourselves a completely new way of viewing Chinese
Philosophy, as one of the first tasks of this class was to recognize what were these ‘ways’ of
viewing it exactly.
Eurocentric philosophers historically did not readily recognize Chinese philosophy as
"philosophy" in the same sense as their own tradition. This reluctance can be attributed to
cultural biases and a Eurocentric perspective that often assumed a linear progression of
philosophical thought originating from ancient Greece. Cultural and linguistic differences made
it difficult for the European philosophers to fully grasp and understand the texts and meanings of
all the original sources, as they were comprehending philosophy through the ‘lenses’ of ancient
Greek terminology and methodology. To them, Chinese texts seemed more like folktales and
myths, rather than comprehensible ideas of thought which were purely rational and logical in
their nature.
However, these arguments don’t hold ground when we try to delve deeper into all of the
aspects of Chinese ethics, human nature, governance and the nature of reality which are some of
the fundamental areas of philosophy. Furthermore, if we look into all the ways Western
philosophy changed throughout history, we can see that it far outgrew and evolved beyond the
spectrum of classical Greek philosophy, with the emergence of phenomenology, existentialism
and all the other non-traditional schools of thought. The Eurocentric reluctance to recognize
Chinese philosophy was based on bias, linguistic difference and a partial or limited
understanding of the cultural traditions. But through a more comparative and inclusive approach,
we can uncover the depths and vastness of all the other ways we interpret philosophy, giving us a
completely new ‘playing’ field. One of the solutions that we learned from prof. Jana Rosker was
definitely the concept of trans-cultural exchange which can be divided into three principles:
1. We are transcending cultural borders (culture isn’t static)
2. Transformation (objects of the processual change through the research)
3. Transit (looking through the lenses of the culture we are researching)
 After being introduced to these arguments and ways we can deal with them, it became a
lot easier and clearer to understand one of the following guest lectures about Buddhism.
Buddhism, rooted in ancient Indian philosophy and founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as
the Buddha, presents a unique worldview that challenges some traditional Western notions about
existence and the self. One fundamental aspect of Buddhist thought is the concept of
impermanence, suggesting that all things are in a constant state of flux and nothing remains
fixed. This stands in contrast to certain Western philosophical ideas that tend to emphasize
stability and unchanging entities.
The Buddhist path to enlightenment, or Nirvana, revolves around the Four Noble Truths.
First, life is characterized by suffering (dukkha). Second, suffering arises from craving and
attachment. Third, there is a way to end suffering by eliminating craving. Fourth, the Eightfold
Path provides a guide to overcoming craving and reaching a state of enlightenment. The
Eightfold Path includes principles such as right understanding, right intention, right speech, right
action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Each of these
elements contributes to a holistic approach to living a balanced and ethical life.
Buddhism also challenges the Western idea of a permanent and unchanging self. The
concept of anatta, or non-self, asserts that there is no permanent, eternal soul or self-entity.
Instead, individuals are seen as a collection of ever-changing physical and mental processes. This
perspective challenges the Western notion of a fixed and enduring identity. Understanding
Buddhism requires a shift in perspective, encouraging students to explore different ways of
thinking about the nature of reality and the human experience. Through this exploration, one can
appreciate the depth and complexity of Buddhist philosophy as a valuable contribution to the
broader landscape of philosophical thought.
The last lectures for this subject were also very striking to me, as we delved into the core
of Chinese philosophy itself, learning about Confucianism and Daoism, and how they evolved
from a school of thought passed down from teacher to student, to a state design of how a whole
country should be governed, what laws should exist and how people should interact with each
other.
Classical Confucianism and State Confucianism, while sharing the same philosophical
roots, diverged significantly in their emphasis and application. It associated with the teachings of
Confucius and Mencius, focused on individual moral cultivation, ethical behavior, and the idea
of a virtuous ruler setting a moral example for the people. It was more about personal virtue and
the cultivation of a harmonious society through ethical conduct at both the individual and
community levels. The classical Confucian tradition stressed the importance of moral
self-cultivation, empathy, and the practice of rituals to establish a well-ordered society based on
benevolence and righteousness.
On the other hand, State Confucianism emerged during the Han Dynasty and later
periods, evolving as an official state ideology that integrated Confucian principles into the
political structure. Unlike the more ethically centered classical Confucianism, State
Confucianism became closely tied to the ruling authority, with Confucian scholars often serving
as bureaucrats in the imperial government. State Confucianism prioritized social order,
centralized governance, and loyalty to the ruling authority. While it still retained some core
Confucian values, it shifted the focus from individual moral cultivation to the practical
application of Confucian principles in statecraft, using them as a tool for political stability and
control. This adaptation marked a departure from the original emphasis on personal virtue and
ethical conduct, reflecting a more instrumental use of Confucian ideas in the service of state
power.
Daoism, much like Confucianism, underwent a similar transformation, but during the
lectures we were more focused on its philosophical and religious forms. Classical Daoism,
originating from the philosophies of Laozi and Zhuangzi, focused on the Dao, an ineffable and
natural way that underlies and unites all existence. Classical Daoism emphasized spontaneity,
simplicity, and living in harmony with the natural flow of the Dao. The philosophical current
believed that death is peaceful after a fulfilled life and that truth can have many forms and
images (relativity). It also teaches us the concept of wu wei which in itself means non-action, but
not passivity, telling us that sometimes it is better not to act, rather than to act, but it doesn’t want
us to take it as an excuse to become passive and uninterested in things and people around us.
While for instance Confucianism focused mainly on human relationship, culture and education,
not giving too much thought to nature itself, Daosim focused more on the flow of nature. The
religious current, also known as popular current, was focused more on the rituals, deities and
how to avoid death (reach immortality).
Unfortunately, our semester stopped with this lecture, but I am very grateful to have been
a part of it. I certainly didn’t cover all the topics and things we have been learning for the past
three months, but I am more than able to say that I enjoyed the very time we spent during class,
through the examples already mentioned at the start of this paper, and can definitely say that
prof. Rosker has successfully put us all on the very first stepping stones when it comes to the
topic of Chinese philosophy.