Humane Liberality

Reviews / Votes

Advancing Confucian liberality on the basis of Mencius' concept of humaneness, Carleo demonstrates how rights and liberties can be grounded seamlessly on Confucian philosophy. Thoroughly researched, well organized, and clearly articulated, this book makes an important move in constructing contemporary Confucianism. -- Chenyang Li, author of <i>Reshaping Confucianism: A Progressive Inquiry</i> Humane Liberality powerfully illustrates the potential of modern Confucian theorizing. Carleo is broadly sympathetic to the means and ends of liberalism but not to its justification. His deep engagement with historical and contemporary Chinese philosophers enables him to articulate a fresh and compelling vision of "liberality" rooted in our caring humanity. -- Stephen C. Angle, Wesleyan University In Humane Liberality: A Confucian Proposal, philosopher Robert Carleo advocates for a compatibilist, practicable, and meliorative "humane liberality" by tempering the abstract, foundationalist, and universalistic tendencies of much liberal theorizing with the concrete, empirical, and compassionate values advocated by the Confucian avatars, Mencius, Dai Zhen, and Li Zehou. For Carleo, it is a Confucian and liberal hybridity rather than choosing between them that allows for an empathetic negotiation of the moral and political consensus necessary for an inclusive pluralism. -- Roger T. Ames, Peking University One reason for liberal democracy being under attack is the poverty of its discourse. Robert A. Carleo III's Humane Liberality: A Confucian Proposal is a critical and constructive engagement with the liberal part of liberal democracy that will enrich the language of liberalism. Carleo shows the contemporary relevance of Confucianism by teasing out the hidden messages in the Confucian classic, the Mencius. -- Tongdong Bai, Fudan University