In early China and ancient Greece, self-cultivation was considered crucial for leading a flourishing, fulfilled life. In this cross-cultural study, David Machek presents and interprets six influential Greek and Chinese self-cultivation theories advocated by Mengzi, Zhuangzi and Xunzi, as well as Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics, in order to put forward the overarching narrative that self-cultivation amounts to strengthening the best part of the human self – the heart in the Chinese context, and the mind in the Greek context.
Advancing new readings of classic texts, Machek shows that Greek approaches to self-cultivation privilege intellectual pursuits, while Chinese approaches give more weight to non-intellectual activities, such as learning manual crafts and performing rituals. He also demonstrates how both ancient traditions understand the self as a heterogeneous community of organic entities, each needing different provisions to flourish, which aligns the ancient Greek view closer to the early Chinese view. As such, this book reinforces the underlying structural and conceptual similarities between the two traditions and makes an important contribution to diversifying philosophical conversations.
By:
David Machek (University of Bern Switzerland) Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic Country of Publication: United Kingdom Dimensions:
Height: 238mm,
Width: 158mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 540g ISBN:9781350267145 ISBN 10: 1350267147 Pages: 256 Publication Date:12 June 2025 Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Part One: Nourishing the Heart in Early China 1. Mengzi on Nourishing the Heart by Curbing the Desires of the Senses 2. Zhuangzi on Nourishing the Heart by “Heart Fasting” 3. Xunzi on Nourishing the Heart by Clear Distinctions Part Two: Nurturing the Mind in Ancient Greece 4. Plato: Nurturing the Mind by Turning the Soul Around 5. Aristotle: Nurturing the Mind by Pleasure and Pain 6. Stoics: Nurturing the Mind by Resisting Bad Thoughts Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index
David Machek is Senior Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, University of Bern, Switzerland.
