Xinxue

Howard

In this post，I am going to talk about Xinxue 心学（The philosophy of Mind） by Wang YangMing 王阳明. He is a 12th century philosopher in China during the Ming Dynasty. During that period, the most popular philosophical idea of exploring the truth is 格物致知，which means that understand the truth of the world by observing the material world. For example, when Wang YangMing was young, He observed the bamboo for many years hoping to understand the truth. However, he barely learned anything from the bamboo. In 1506, Wang Yangming proposed his main idea of Xinxue: Mind ( Soul) is the “Dao”, and there is nothing that exists other than that.

I really like Wang YangMing and his book 《教条示龙场诸生》. I would like to propose my argument to support his claim above.

1. If objective physics exists as science discovered, then physics cannot continue to develop.
2. According to the history of mankind, the science of mankind has been progressing.
3. Objective physics does not exist exactly as it is studied by science.
4. the existence of something that does not exist objectively depends on the human’s mind.
5. Everything depends on the human heart in order to exist.

Wang YangMing also explains in detail in his writing to prove that Xinxue is right. I tried to use a contemporary thing ( the objective physics) to support his claim. People might have objections on premise 1 and 2. What if people have already reached the highest level of physics and there is no way to improve? It might be the reason why science is not developing as fast as the last couple centuries. However, I think that there are still many things and problems that science cannot perfectly explain, and society is always progressing. Thus, I think the argument is sound.

javi2541997

He observed the bamboo for many years hoping to understand the truth. However, he barely learned anything from the bamboo. — Howard

Don't you think that probably he did not learn anything about the bamboo but from himself?
I guess this is what Xinxue 心学 could be about. I liked how you explained the art of see physical objects previously. Nevertheless, I think Asian (specially Chinese culture and philosophy) tends to go further than this.
Observe a bamboo until their growth is something so popular in China, Japan, South Korea, etc...
According to their culture, it is related to spring (春). For us, it could be just another period of the year, but for them there is a lot meaning. This is why the example is about bamboo growing. I guess he was waiting for something related to spring lifetime. It is known that here is when all the flowers bloom. Probably our lives too.

However, I think that there are still many things and problems that science cannot perfectly explain, and society is always progressing — Howard

Yes, you are right. I guess this happens because humans tend to care for something further than numbers. Trying to put meanings through philosophy or poetry

Agent Smith

So, scientific (physics) progress $\rightarrow$ mind.

Undiscovered science is simply unthought thoughts!

:chin:

Cuthbert

Doesn't it amount to saying that our knowledge develops but (some of) the stuff we know about does not change? So knowledge changes, whereas (some) facts do not change. Once we know everything then there will be nothing left to find out.

It's 3 and 4 that bother me.

3. Objective physics does not exist exactly as it is studied by science.
4. the existence of something that does not exist objectively depends on the human’s mind — Howard

For something objective not to exist as studied by science is different from something's not existing objectively. The Sun exists objectively. The Sun, which exists objectively, does not exist exactly as it is studied by science. There is no contradiction in that.

T Clark

In 1506, Wang Yangming proposed his main idea of Xinxue: Mind ( Soul) is the “Dao”, and there is nothing that exists other than that. — Howard

The idea of the Dao, or Tao, was around for a long time before that. Have you read the Tao Te Ching from about 2,000 years earlier. I'm not sure how Wang Yangming's use of the word differs from Lao Tzu's, if at all.

I really like Wang YangMing and his book 《教条示龙场诸生》. I would like to propose my argument to support his claim above.

1. If objective physics exists as science discovered, then physics cannot continue to develop.
2. According to the history of mankind, the science of mankind has been progressing.
3. Objective physics does not exist exactly as it is studied by science.
4. the existence of something that does not exist objectively depends on the human’s mind.
5. Everything depends on the human heart in order to exist. — Howard

I don't understand this argument.

What if people have already reached the highest level of physics and there is no way to improve? It might be the reason why science is not developing as fast as the last couple centuries. — Howard

I don't think this is true. Physics has run up against some walls in the past few decades, but that usually means some rethinking is necessary. We'll see. On the other hand, biology, genetics, cognitive science, computer science are progressing at an amazing rate.

Agent Smith

He observed the bamboo for many years hoping to understand the truth. However, he barely learned anything from the bamboo. — Howard

:rofl: The fractal nature of the universe would suggest that a bamboo contains a miniature version of the universe. Theoretically (Dalai Lama style), Xinxue should've cracked the problem in no time.

Cuthbert

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower — Blake

Daemon

1. If objective physics exists as science discovered, then physics cannot continue to develop. — Howard

This isn't terribly clear. Can you explain?

SkyLeach

I'm tagging this to see if it goes anywhere but at this point it sounds a bit pretentious and borderline nuts to me. It doesn't appear that OP has a clear definition for science or objectivity and his premises seem more like dogmatic declarations than previously established reasonable conclusions.

Wayfarer

Was Xinxue Buddhist? It seems a form of Yogācāra (mind-only) Buddhism, which was influential in East Asian Buddhism.

alan1000

Philosophically we have much to learn from the bamboo. The bamboo bends before the breeze, but survives the typhoon.

Xinxue

Welcome to The Philosophy Forum!

Categories