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Bateson

sykuo@sinica.edu.tw

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The Values of Confucius’s Thoughts

Based on Bateson’s Views of Ecological

Intelligence

Shih-yu Kuo

Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica

sykuo@sinica.edu.tw

Abstract

Based on Bateson’s ideas of ecological intelligence that can be learned through the

third level of learning, I will argue that Confucius’s teaching falls in this category. When

one goes through the third level of learning, the “Learning III” called by Bateson, one

would obtain abilities to understand and act on ecological knowledge that one learns and

forms ecological knowledge which shows different characteristics. These include recursive

understanding, recognizing abstract forms of modern knowledge, and acknowledging

information without touching people’s daily grounds.

Although Confucius was not a theorist, he did have some thoughts on nature and

ethical actions toward nature. I maintain that the concept of ecological intelligence has

been anticipated and carried out by Chinese philosophers such as Lao-Tzu and Confucius.

Their thoughts are based on the teachings of I-Ching (The Book of Change(s). All those

thoughts make up parts of the teaching practice of the Great Teacher Confucius; they can

be found in writings of his disciples and his commentaries of I-Ching. Thus, based on

Bateson’s ideas of ecological intelligence, it is necessary for today’s educational

philosophy to promote Confucius’ teaching thoughts.

Keywords: Confucius’ educational thoughts, ecological intelligence, G. Bateson.

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