Funder
The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.
Conflict of Interest
The author(s) have no conflict of interest to declare for this work.
Abstract
Aimed at promoting cross-cultural dialogue and exchange of ideas in the humanities, this article provides a Confucian response to the Stoic viewpoints expounded by Kutch in this journal. Two arguments are made in this paper: first, Confucius shares the Stoics’ emphasis on being mindful. Secondly, a significant difference between Confucius and the Stoics is that the former replaces the Stoics’ fate with Heaven (tian), which is a central Confucian spiritual ideal. Applying Confucian and Stoic insights to burnout, medical professionals are encouraged to (re)gain strength by reflecting on and embracing spiritual ideals, whether it is fate or Heaven. Burnout can be alleviated when medical providers are motivated by a sense of purpose through practicing memento mori and/or remembering to “leave a name behind after one’s death.”
DOI
10.55504/2578-9333.1279
Recommended Citation
Tan, Charlene and Neo, Ruth
(2025)
"A Confucian Response to Stoic Perspectives on Physician Burnout,"
Journal of Wellness: Vol. 6
:
Iss.
1
, Article 7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55504/2578-9333.1279
Available at:
https://ir.library.louisville.edu/jwellness/vol6/iss1/7