Date:
- Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Online Platform:
- Zoom
Cooperation Partner:
- University of Saint Joseph
Video Record:
Time:
- 18:30 to 20:00
Cost:
- Free
Languages:
- English
Speaker
Edmond Eh
Edmond Eh is Head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Saint Joseph, Macau. He teaches systematic philosophy in the Bachelor of Christian Studies programme and comparative philosophy in the Master of Philosophy programme at the Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy. He obtained the doctorate in Philosophy and Religious Studies from the University of Macau. He researches in comparative philosophy, especially in the Aristotelian and Confucian traditions.
Hans-Georg Moeller
Hans-Georg Moeller is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Macau. He works on Daoism and contemporary society and culture. He is author of Profile Yourself: Identity after Authenticity; Genuine Pretending: On the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi (both with Paul D’Ambrosio), The Radical Luhmann, The Moral Fool: A Case for Amorality, and The Philosophy of the Daodejing (all with Columbia University Press).
Introduction
In the philosophical context, the term ‘holiness’ can refer to spiritual excellence or wholeness. In classical Confucianism, ‘holiness’ could be expressed using the virtue of cheng since it contains the meaning of integrity or wholeness. The process of spiritual transformation unfolds over three stages according to a traditional Christian understanding. Beginners go through the purgative stage, the proficient undergo the illuminative stage while the perfect pass through the unitive stage. Similarly, spiritual transformation is described in three stages in the Daxue (greater learning). Beginners manifest the brightness of virtue in themselves, the proficient restore the brightness of virtue in others and the perfect attain utmost goodness. The Daxue also presents a detailed outline of eight steps required for spiritual transformation. On this account, the purgative stage requires the first five steps while the illuminative stage requires the last three steps. The unitive stage involves a profound repetition of the entire eight steps.