Xunzi, one of the greatest geniuses in the history of Chinese philosophy, addressed typically Confucian problems such as the nature of human beings, civilization, and the role of the individual in relation to other human beings, to Heaven, and to the cosmos. The heart of his vision is the perfectibility of the human being. This is the first book-length study of Xunzi's entire philosophy in any Western language in the past 70 years. Goldin teaches Chinese thought at the University of Pennsylvania. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)