Roger T. Ames: Human Becoming: Theorizing “Persons” For Confucian Role Ethics

Abstract

Ames’ new book confronts the controversies aroused by role ethics, and expounds various aspects of its core notion, namely, Confucian relationally constituted, narrative, focus-field conception of persons or human becomings, which Ames regards as “a good place to start” for what he calls a “gestalt shift” not only in moral philosophy but also in many other philosophical inquiries. Ames is adept at blending cross-cultural intellectual sources from different time periods in the creation of a strong argument. In the book, he also adequately addresses the concerns raised by his critics. Despite my overwhelmingly positive impression of the book, there are nonetheless several aspects of it that might evoke critical reflection or demand for further clarification.