A Treatise on Efficacy: Between Western and Chinese ThinkingIn this highly insightful analysis of Western and Chinese concepts of efficacy, François Jullien subtly delves into the metaphysical preconceptions of the two civilizations to account for diverging patterns of action in warfare, politics, and diplomacy. He shows how Western and Chinese strategies work in several domains (the battlefield, for example) and analyzes two resulting acts of war. The Chinese strategist manipulates his own troops and the enemy to win a battle without waging war and to bring about victory effortlessly. Efficacity in China is thus conceived of in terms of transformation (as opposed to action) and manipulation, making it closer to what is understood as efficacy in the West. Jullien’s brilliant interpretations of an array of recondite texts are key to understanding our own conceptions of action, time, and reality in this foray into the world of Chinese thought. In its clear and penetrating characterization of two contrasting views of reality from a heretofore unexplored perspective, A Treatise on Efficacy will be of central importance in the intellectual debate between East and West. |
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Table des matières
Fixing Ones Eyes on a Model | |
Relying on the Propensity of Things | 13 |
Goal or Consequence | 30 |
Action or Transformation | 44 |
The Structure of Opportunity | 59 |
Do Nothing with Nothing Left Undone | 82 |
Allow Effects to Come About | 102 |
From Efficacy to Efficiency | 118 |
The Logic of Manipulation | 135 |
Manipulation versus Persuasion | 151 |
Water Images | 168 |
In Praise of Facility | 182 |
Glossary of Chinese Expressions | 197 |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
A Treatise on Efficacy: Between Western and Chinese Thinking François Jullien Affichage d'extraits - 2004 |
A Treatise on Efficacy: Between Western and Chinese Thinking François Jullien Aucun aperçu disponible - 2004 |
Expressions et termes fréquents
able accord achieve action adapt allow already Aristotle attack basis battle becomes beginning carried chap China Chinese Chinese thought circumstances Clausewitz close comes conceived concept consequence constantly constitutes continuous contrary contrast course deliberately depends determined develop direction effect efficacy efficiency emptiness enemy engagement everything fact force given Greek hand happen human idea immanence initial kind knows Laozi lead logic longer manipulation matter means military moral nature never notion once one's operate opportunity opposition particular person position possible potential prince produced progressively purely reality relation remains resistance result reveal sage seek seems seen side simply situation speak speech stage stems strategy success thanks theory things thought tion transformation treatise troops turn upstream virtue warfare Western