Suixuan

标签：tradition

The Greatest Root of Nihilism

Culture & Public Commentary2005.12.30
The Greatest Root of Nihilism
Nihilism, especially moral nihilism, is a conspicuous predicament of the present age. But what is the source of nihilism? In China, we say that from the May Fourth era to the Cultural Revolution, traditional values were comprehensively overthrown; in the West, we say that science shattered the authority of Christianity and plunged us into the predicament of God is dead. Yet these are only concrete manifestations of the problem; they do not strike at its root. Why are we unable to persuade nihilists? In fact, once the original authoritative value system has been toppled, we might be able to build a society of value pluralism, where different people can believe…
culture science tradition Confucianism
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2005年12月30日
Philosophy’s Critical Spirit and the “Critical” Spirit of Folk Philosophy

History of Science & Scholarship2005.12.28
Philosophy’s Critical Spirit and the “Critical” Spirit of Folk Philosophy
Philosophy is the most meticulous about criticism and questioning. Every great thinker possesses a strong sense of skepticism and a critical spirit. Marx said, “doubt everything,” and Kant also carried out a comprehensive critique of traditional metaphysics in three massive volumes; Mr. Lu Xun, meanwhile, thoroughly exposed the inferiority of the Chinese national character… Many people find this immensely satisfying and gratifying; criticism, exposure, nitpicking—these became a kind of fashion, and “cursing and swearing at every turn” became trendy… Someone says: criticism is always a good thing, isn’t critique the most important philosophical spirit of all? Little do they know that this critique is not that critique; the so-called “critique”…
philosophy China scholarship tradition
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2005年12月28日
On the Attitude Toward “Chinese Traditional Values” and “Western Modern Values”

Culture & Public Commentary2005.12.22
On the Attitude Toward “Chinese Traditional Values” and “Western Modern Values”
Modern society, especially contemporary Chinese society, is marked by one outstanding predicament: a crisis of faith, that is, a loss of values. To say that values have been lost is entirely different from saying that values have become “pluralized.” The pluralization of values is a good thing, but the problem is that people’s values today are not richer or more varied; rather, they are confused, depleted, and full of blank spaces. In modern times, in the industrial era and even the information age, the earth has become smaller and smaller, yet the distance between people has become greater and greater; the number of species humans recognize is greater than at…
philosophy culture China tradition
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2005年12月22日
The Shortcomings of “Eradicating Feudal Superstition”

Culture & Public Commentary2005.12.04
The Shortcomings of “Eradicating Feudal Superstition”
Nowadays, when Chinese people with a bit of culture mention “feudal superstition,” they mostly grind their teeth and radiate murderous intent, striking an attitude of not stopping until every last trace has been eradicated. Yet on closer reflection, this hides certain shortcomings. In modern civilization, science and technology have attained supreme and unquestioned dominance, but this has also given rise to the predicament of “value” finding no place to stand. Why should people speak of morality? Why does society need ethical norms? — these were originally such self-evident questions, yet they have become a conspicuous source of perplexity in modern civilization. Science can only tell us what “is,” but it…
philosophy culture China tradition
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2005年12月4日
Remove the dross, keep the essence?

Culture & Public Commentary2005.09.16
Remove the dross, keep the essence?
I often hear the line “remove the dross, retain the essence,” and it always makes me feel uncomfortable. Now I’ve finally realized that this attitude itself is profoundly problematic! Follow the logic of that sentence, and on the surface you seem to be looking for “essence,” but in reality you are always picking out “dross.” People take such delight in pointing out faults that they forget what they ought to be doing instead! A whole pile of fruit, some sweet and some rotten—are you “removing the dross, retaining the essence”? First, there are so many rotten ones that you’ll never finish sorting them out; second, if you keep digging and…
culture tradition value
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2005年9月16日