Van Norden, Confucius on Language: How NOT to Rectify Names

In this lecture, Prof Van Norden explains the Confucian doctrine of "correcting names" or "rectifying terms" (正名), which is often taken to express the Confucian philosophy of language. Along the way, Van Norden discusses the origin and authenticity of the Analects of Confucius as a text, and the surprising roles of Hu Shih, Fung Yu-lan, and Bertrand Russell in making "correcting names" central to interpretations of Confucianism. Recorded 30 May 2022.

Previous Lecture in this Series: "Who Was Confucius? And What Did He Really Say?"    • Who Was Confucius? And What Did He Really ...  
Following Lecture in this Series: "The Confucian Mengzi and His Context"    • The Confucian Mengzi and His Context  

I. Contemporary Interpretation of Analects 13.3
1:11 The Text of Analects 13.3
2:38 What Is Rectifying Names: Mengzi 1B8, Analects 6.23 and 12.11
9:24 What Is Rectifying Names: Contemporary Illustrations
11:40 Why Is Rectifying Names Important: Xunzi and Jerry Springer
15:10 How Important is Rectifying Names in Confucianism?

17:36 II. Dramatic Context of 13.3
18:00 The Political Situation in Wei
19:32 Context Sensitivity of Sayings: Analects 11.22

23:48 III. Date of Composition of 13.3
24:25 Theories of Composition of the Analects
33:17 Evidence the Analects Is a Fifth-Century BCE Text
36:52 Evidence Analects 13.3 Is a Late Interpolation

43:28 IV. History of Interpretations of 13.3
43:40 Hu Shih
47:03 Fung Yu-lan
52:01 Bertrand Russell and the Present King of France
55:05 Interpreting Analects 6.23 and 12.11 with "Semantic Ascent"
58:12 Interpreting Analects 6.23 and 12.11 WITHOUT "Semantic Ascent"
1:00:21 Summary of My Claims

V. Lessons Learned
1:01:28 Gadamerian Hermeneutics
1:04:37 Suggestions for Further Reading
1:05:30 Closing Slide