13 IMAGES OF REASON

13. Read the essay, “Images of Reason in Chinese Culture.”

a. In one paragraph, describe the general characteristics of Chinese philosophy according to the Ames article. Paraphrase Ames and summarize the main features of Chinese philosophical discourse using the key technical terms that Ames uses in his description. In this description, be sure to explain the significance of “spontaneity” and “immanent source of order” in Chinese philosophy.

b. In a second paragraph, analyze and define the concept of “creative matter” or “material energy” suggested in Ames’s description of classical Chinese philosophy. What is the Chinese term for “matter” in this context? Would you say that this concept is an ontological concept? Why or why not? In the context of traditional Chinese philosophy, does the world have an external cause source? What is the source of order and creativity in the context of traditional Chinese philosophy?