
Human Rights and East Asian Philosophy
Traditional and Recent Approaches
Pallas Publications (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 22. April 2026
Book
Hardback
234 pages
978-90-485-7054-6 (ISBN)
Description
Human rights, viewed as universal moral rights since the 1948 Universal Declaration, are increasingly examined in relation to non-Western traditions. This edited volume explores the intersection of East Asian philosophies - Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism - with human rights discourse, examining whether these ancient traditions can accommodate universal values while preserving their core philosophical foundations.
The collection features scholarly analyses of how traditional East Asian thought engages with contemporary human rights, including privacy rights, environmental rights, and epistemic rights. The work demonstrates how these philosophical traditions offer unique interpretations that both challenge and enrich the Western paradigm of human rights. The volume provides critical insights into cross-cultural dialogue and the potential for more inclusive global human rights frameworks.
This book serves philosophers, political theorists, human rights scholars, and scholars of Asian intellectual traditions. It appeals to those researching multicultural approaches to human rights, comparative ethics, and the dialogue between tradition and modernity.
The collection features scholarly analyses of how traditional East Asian thought engages with contemporary human rights, including privacy rights, environmental rights, and epistemic rights. The work demonstrates how these philosophical traditions offer unique interpretations that both challenge and enrich the Western paradigm of human rights. The volume provides critical insights into cross-cultural dialogue and the potential for more inclusive global human rights frameworks.
This book serves philosophers, political theorists, human rights scholars, and scholars of Asian intellectual traditions. It appeals to those researching multicultural approaches to human rights, comparative ethics, and the dialogue between tradition and modernity.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Target group
College/higher education
Academic
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
610 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-485-7054-6 (9789048570546)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Benedict S. B. Chan | Baldwin Wong
Human Rights and East Asian Philosophy
Traditional and Recent Approaches
E-Book
04/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€60.49
Available for download

Benedict S. B. Chan | Baldwin Wong
Human Rights and East Asian Philosophy
Traditional and Recent Approaches
E-Book
04/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€60.49
Available for download
Persons
Benedict S. B. Chan is an associate dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the director of the Centre for Applied Ethics, and an associate professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University. He is a co-editor of the books Social and Ethical Considerations of AI in East Asia and Beyond (2025), Warfare Ethics in Comparative Perspective: China and the West (2024), Building Chinese Bioethics: Exploring the Prevailing Technologies [In Chinese] (2024), and Whole Person Education in East Asian Universities: Perspectives from Philosophy and Beyond (2022).
Baldwin Wong is an assistant professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy and a research fellow in the Centre for Applied Ethics at Hong Kong Baptist University. His academic interests lie mainly in public justification and Confucianism. His works have been published in American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Journal of Applied Philosophy, Economics & Philosophy, etc.
Baldwin Wong is an assistant professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy and a research fellow in the Centre for Applied Ethics at Hong Kong Baptist University. His academic interests lie mainly in public justification and Confucianism. His works have been published in American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Journal of Applied Philosophy, Economics & Philosophy, etc.
Content
Introduction for Human Rights and East Asian Philosophy: Traditional and Recent Approaches Section 1: Human Rights and Confucian Perspectives 1. Reconciling International Legal Human Rights and Confucianism: A Consequential Evaluation to Political Participation and Privacy 2. Confucian Strong Harmony and Human Rights 3. Confucian Conception of Human Rights 4. Confucianism on Liberty, Political Participation and the Foundation of Human Rights: the Hong Kong Perspective from Ho Kai and Hu Liyuan 5. Epistemic Rights: A Confucian Perspective 6. Epistemic Rights as Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Confucian Perspective Section 2: Human Rights: From the Buddhist and Daoist Perspectives 7. Buddhism and Human Rights: A Critical Survey 8. Buddhist Doctrine of No-Self and Human Rights: Compatible or Incompatible? 9. Group Identity and Group Right: A Reflection Through a Buddhist Lens 10. Zhuangzi, Freedom, and the Ability to Change Perspectives: A Daoist View of the Right to Education 11. A Daoist and Confucian Approach to the Environmental Right of Future Generations