Alfred North Whitehead and Yi Yulgok
Book Description
This scholarly exploration unveils remarkable parallels between two profound philosophical traditions separated by centuries and continents. Chung Soon Lee presents a fascinating comparative study that bridges the wisdom of Yi Yulgok, a towering figure in Korean Neo-Confucianism from the 16th century, with Alfred North Whitehead's revolutionary process philosophy from the 20th century.
Despite emerging from vastly different cultural contexts, these two thinkers developed surprisingly similar understandings of cosmic reality. The book demonstrates how Yulgok's principle-material force theory resonates deeply with Whitehead's eternal object-actual entity framework. Both philosophers conceived the universe as a dynamic process of continuous becoming, where all elements exist in reciprocal, dialectical relationships.
The study reveals how Whitehead's panentheistic vision of divine-world interaction mirrors Yulgok's Neo-Confucian understanding of the Great Ultimate's relationship with material force. These parallel insights suggest a balanced cosmic structure that transcends traditional religious boundaries.
For readers interested in interfaith dialogue and comparative spirituality, this work offers valuable perspectives on how Eastern and Western philosophical traditions can illuminate each other. The book particularly addresses the potential for fostering interreligious understanding in Korea, where Confucian and Christian worldviews continue to interact.
Through careful analysis of these two cosmological systems, Lee opens pathways for deeper spiritual dialogue between seemingly disparate traditions, revealing universal patterns in humanity's quest to understand existence itself.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~5 hours)
📄 Length: 192 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Confucianism
- ✓ Explore Philosophie comparée
- ✓ Explore Philosophy
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Strengthen your faith journey
- ✓ Explore Relations
