“Being Muddled Is Difficult” Is Not Needed: An Analytic Discussion Starting from Aristotle

Abstract

Editor’s : Around the 300th anniversary of Zheng Banqiao (1993), many articles appeared dealing with the artist Zheng Banqiao and his works of art. Some of these dealt specifically with his calligraphy Nande hutu (“It’s difficult to be muddled”). Most of these articles address its philosophical meaning or socio-historical context. In this essay, author Wang Zisong elaborates on how the Chinese philosophy of muddled (hutu), synthetic thinking relates to Aristotelian, analytical thinking. The author first reflects on the origins of Western analytical, logical and categorical thinking, and argues that “all cultures, philosophies, and schools are both analytical and synthetic.” What follows is a discussion of the weaknesses and strengths of analytical and synthetic reasoning. Subjects that are critically approached in this respect are the popularity of Nande hutu as a slick and too easy-going philosophy of life. In his criticism he also addresses the leaders and officials of that period. Ultimately, he argues for a synthesis of the two types of thinking, by learning from the strengths of both systems, and by emphasizing practice as the ultimate criterion for deciding what is true.