Swarthmore College
I went to the Friends Meeting in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, this last First Day (Sunday). It was a glorious experience for me. The meeting was located on the campus of Swarthmore College.
I think there could only be one word with which I could possibly define Swarthmore and her College, and that is "otherworldliness." Spending one's Sunday morning there is like having a good dream in a paradise.
The Meeting for Worship was also an enormously fruitful one. Many of us spoke. The focus of the meeting was on perfection and the sacramental life. I will post the vocal ministries some time later, after next weekend.
Neo-Confucianism
Although I do consider myself a practicing Christian, I have always felt that I have not lived up to what a Christian ought to be. In some sense, I am almost hypocritical, who profess the faith that he does not possess. It is through my studies in neo-Confucian philosophy that I realize the means to realize that of God in my heart, and become what Christ would call the true Israelite who has nothing but truthfulness in his heart.
I have almost finished reading the first book of
Chuan Xi Lu
, written by Wang Shouren (1472-1529), a.k.a. Wang Yangming. Wang was one of the foremost neo-Confucian scholar, and his school of thought is known as
Xin Xue
, the "study of the heart" in medieval China. I will elaborate more about his thoughts before mid-October. It suffices to say now that his thoughts had immense influence on both the Chinese and Japanese culture, and that it lays down one of the philosophical foundations for the
Meiji
Reformation in 19th century Japan.
School
Just got back to Philadelphia yesterday. This is going to be an interesting semester for me, for I will be taking the LSAT on October 2. I'm going to take another course with my friend Professor Dennis DeTurck, and this time it's going to be partial differential equations, Dr. D's personal favorite. I'm also going to be in another fairly interesting class, a course on physical geography, taught by Professor Bob Giegengack, known to be a grandfatherly teacher.
I have already finished reading Bob Heilbroner's
The Nature and Logic of Capitalism
(1985), and hopefully I'll be able to post a book review of it together with some other stuff after Oct 2.
