Living in Harmony with the Cosmos: A Comparative Study between Confucianism and John Dewey

Abstract

The concept of living in harmony with the cosmos is difficult to grasp and has become misunderstood and misinterpreted in the Western tradition. However, it offers fruitful contributions to contemporary discourse by establishing a dialogue with Dewey’s notion of aesthetic experience. For Dewey, as for Confucius, the world does not have an established order but must be achieved through the creation of new patterns or modes of interaction. Using a comparative methodology, this article analyzes the Deweyan and Confucian conceptions of nature and the relationship between human beings and the environment defended by both authors. This approach, which combines Dewey’s philosophy and Confucius’ thought, can contribute to our current world, a time of spiritual and natural crisis.

Keywords

• aesthetic experience
• immediate empiricism
• nature
• harmony
• continuity