Life and knowledge: Perspectives from ancient Chinese philosophies to ancient Near East cultures

This paper evaluates philosophies from Ancient Chinese philosophies and Ancient Near East cultures to consider their potential for applying second-wave positive psychology, also known as positive psychology 2.0 (hereafter “PP 2.0”). This book chapter offers alternative insights into alternative psychological perspectives related to knowledge and life. Rather than adopting the popular aphorism of scientia potential est (knowledge is power), we posit that dialectical philosophical thoughts in ancient China, based on Confucian and Daoist perspectives, suggest that lifelong learning and knowledge acquisition may have both positive and negative effects on life. Likewise, similar dialectical attitude towards knowledge and life is prevalent in the Ancient Near East cultures in the Book of Proverbs and Book of Ecclesiastes. These philosophies/cultures are compared and contrasted and critically discussed to unravel the nuance whereby knowledge may be viewed as a source of power or strength vis-à-vis a burden or source of grief at the same time. The book chapter concludes with a synthesis based on PP 2.0 that seeks to achieve a mid-point balance, where the pursuit of knowledge should be contextual and circumstantial, allowing for nourishment and flourishing in life while avoiding the burdensome quest for knowledge for its own sake.