Vanishing into Things

What makes his book particularly valuable in my opinion is that [Allen] argues well that we must now go beyond merely learning about the Chinese, to accepting that we can learn much from them, especially, but not confined to the relation between knowledge and its uses or misuses… After reading this book, it will, I believe, be difficult for anyone to not see epistemology in a somewhat different light, perhaps to review their ontological assumptions, and to not want to rethink the field of ethics as well if hoping to achieve a global reach… Readers will not only learn much about Chinese thought from this book, but will see important elements of their own intellectual heritage in a different way. Allen hopes this will lead to making philosophy as truly global in the future as it has mistakenly been thought to be in the past. In sum, a splendid book, a pleasure to read. Philosophy as a discipline is better for having it.
-- Henry Rosemont, Jr. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

Philosophically there is much to be learned from the work… There are also fresh readings of Chinese philosophical concepts and problems that should make us review some of the commonly accepted interpretations.
-- Alan K. L. Chan Journal of Chinese Studies

Allen provides us with an interpretation of Western and Chinese modes of knowing. But he does more. He provides us with another voice in the emerging world of global philosophy, taking the history of Chinese epistemology, knowledge, and wisdom into account. I welcomed Allen’s style, which translates very complicated Western and Chinese philosophical epistemological discourse into a form that is readily accessible to an intelligent reader. I think that it will be of interest to both professional students of Chinese philosophy and intellectual history as well as a larger general public.
-- John Berthrong, Boston University

The book makes a fine contribution to the continuing dialogue between Western and Chinese philosophy. It shows the Chinese tradition’s contribution to the broader debates in epistemology, while also dispelling certain misconceptions that might otherwise prevail among non-specialists.
-- Brook Ziporyn, University of Chicago