Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2008, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

MA, Kent State University, 2021, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Philosophy

Benevolent government is the central theme of Jeong Do-jeon's political philosophy, which in turn is primarily inspired by the Mencian view of human morality. Mengzi believed that all humans equally possess the capacity to become virtuous, and the role of the state will resemble that of a benevolent father, in that its primary function is to nurture and educate the people so they can adequately develop their moral capacities. Jeong's idea of benevolent government and the politics of peace of Sara Ruddick share certain similarities. In this thesis, I will argue that maternal thinking – as proposed by Sara Ruddick – is the underlying mode of thought behind Jeong's political theory. Such a connection can be established through a close reading of Mengzi and identifying the theme of maternal thinking apparent in the classical Confucian text, as interpreted by the contemporary scholar Joanne Birdwhistell. Some common aspects of both Jeong and Ruddick's philosophy is their stern opposition to blind obedience to hierarchy, and defense of respectful communications. I will reveal these common aspects by mainly focusing on the idea of remonstrance promoted by Jeong, and its resemblance to the emphasis on Ruddick's view of maternal thinking and politics.

Committee: Jung-Yeup Kim (Advisor); Michael Byron (Committee Member); Andreea Smaranda Aldea (Committee Member) Subjects: Philosophy

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2016, Theology

The principal goal of this dissertation is to demonstrate that the Confucian interpretation of xiao (“filial piety”) provides a fruitful hermeneutical lens for Christology in two respects. Most immediately, I argue the early Confucian xiao is a salutary resource for understanding, appreciating, clarifying, and amending the Christology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, who gave profound importance to Christ's obedience in his thought. More generally, I argue the Confucian reading of xiao can help theologians enter into the mysteries of the Church's Christological dogmas and doctrines in new and expansive ways. Consequently, the main argument of the dissertation is that through Balthasar and the early Confucian tradition, we arrive at a rich and compelling orthodox account of Christ's filial love and obedience. After situating the dissertation's theological approach to incorporating Confucian philosophy in chapter 1, the dissertation develops two sets of studies. The first is devoted to examining and exploring Balthasar's Christology on its own terms. The second is similarly devoted to analyzing themes in the Confucian treatment of xiao on its own terms. The final chapter of the dissertation undertakes a theological synthesis of these two studies, showing how the combination of Balthasar's theological vision and the Confucian philosophical distinctions produce fruitful reflections on how Christ's filial obedience functions within and expresses his life as eternal Son.

Committee: William Portier Ph.D. (Advisor); G. Alexus McLeod Ph.D. (Committee Member); Peter Casarella Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jana Bennett Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dennis Doyle Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Comparative; Philosophy; Theology

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2000, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Architecture

This thesis gives an overall interpretation of feng shui theory and its embodiments in Chinese traditional domestic architecture. Feng shui, combining the primeval cosmology and natural philosophy of ancient China, is the science and art of coordinating human settlements and burial places with the environment. The fundamental feng shui principles in relation to cosmic wholeness, power balance, and change are interpreted through examples of Chinese courtyard houses, in the aspects of siting, spatial organization, access design, and landscape aesthetics. In theory, feng shui manipulates the relation of living spaces and the environment through optimizing the circulation of the abstract being of qi, which has the collective influence of natural energy and human-behavioral effects. The learning of feng shui is both a comprehensive environmental study of architecture and a paranormal set of theories about it. A historical account of the evolution of feng shui is woven into the theoretical interpretation of this thesis. Study on the two main schools of feng shui and their development through different historical periods until contemporary times gives clues to the multi-faceted manifestation of feng shui in forms of science, art, philosophy, and superstition. A critical review is given on certain valuable factors and superficial approaches within the learning of feng shui and its practice.

Committee: Patrick Snadon (Advisor) Subjects:

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2008, Leadership and Change

This theoretical dissertation documents a personal transforming leadership experience; during which, I explored my Leadership as Energy-Flow model by having a virtual dialogue with the polymathic works of theorists and thinkers to corroborate and refine it. The model consists of a theory and a conceptual scheme. The energy-flow theory, based on the laws of physics and Chinese philosophy and cosmological science, fashions the energy-flow conceptual scheme. Using the conceptual scheme, I delve into the Premise of the Dialogue, “In what ways and to what extent would using the energy-flow frame of reference describe and stimulate new meanings in Transforming Leadership: A New Pursuit of Happiness?” I venture forth in this exploration, sparked by Bertrand Russell's (1938) and James MacGregor Burns' (1979) on leadership power, to discover how one might use energy-flow abstractions to represent leadership phenomena. Energy-flow abstractions are images of events captured in thought, within which one unfolds and enfolds new meanings and deepens understanding of transforming leadership. The dialogue with six different traditions includes the works of: Alfred North Whitehead on philosophy and science, Ilya Prigogine on physics, Abraham H. Maslow on human potentials, need hierarchy, and management, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on psychological energy-flow, Richard Gerber on physiological energy-flow and vibrational medicine, and Ralph H.G. Siu on quantum and the Tao of science of leadership. The dialogue then continues into the work of Burns (2003). Many of my epiphanies, using the energy-flow conceptual scheme to fathom transforming leadership theory, induce some propitious ideas for further exploration in viewing leadership as energy-flow and using energy-flow as a basis for deciphering human affairs. The electronic version of this dissertation is available at the Ohiolink ETD Center : http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/.

Committee: Peter Vaill DBA (Committee Chair); Alan Guskin PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Laurien Alexandre PhD (Committee Member); Ruth Axelrod PhD (Other) Subjects: Energy; Philosophy; Physics; Physiological Psychology; Psychology