Chinese philosophy provides inspiration for new humanism
July 03, 2024 09:37 Source: "China Social Sciences Journal" Issue 2925, July 3, 2024 Author: Our reporter Chen Mirong

Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy are two important schools in the history of world philosophy,Each represents the development of Chinese and Western philosophy。Comparative analysis of Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy,It may provide a deeper basis for cross-cultural communication and dialogue。About the similarities, differences and significance of Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy,Recently, a reporter from a Japanese newspaper interviewed the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the China-Greece Center for Mutual Learning among Civilizations、Stelios Virvidakis, Professor of Philosophy, University of Athens, Greece,Ioannis Kalogerakos, Professor at the Department of Philosophy, University of Athens,Executive Director of the Center for Greek Sinology, Ionian University, Greece、Elena Avramidou, member of the UNESCO Chair Steering Committee and Wang Keping, researcher at the Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences。

  Bet365 lotto review

《China Social Sciences Journal》: In your opinion,What are the main similarities and differences between Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy?

Wang Keping:In the comparative analysis of Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy,It is necessary to limit the two to the "Axial Period",The focus was established around the 5th century BC。If you look at the main schools of thought that can be compared,In China, there are mainly Confucians represented by Confucius and Mencius、Taoism represented by Lao and Zhuang、The Mohist school represented by Mo Zhai、Legalism represented by Han Fei。On the Greek side, there is mainly the Milesian school represented by Thales、Pythagoreans、The Ionian school represented by Heraclitus、The Eleatic school represented by Parmenides and Socrates、The School of Athens represented by Plato and Aristotle。

It is worth mentioning,Military strategists represented by Sun Wu and Sun Bin,Famous at home and abroad,Influence to this day,But so far no corresponding independent school of thought has been seen in ancient Greece。Also,Judging from existing classics and influence,China’s Confucianism, Taoism, and Mohism,Both have classics handed down from generation to generation,For example, the Analects, Mencius, Tao Te Ching, Zhuangzi, Mozi, Han Feizi, etc.。And in the ancient Greek philosophy school,There are only fragments left,But the fruits of the Athenian school still exist,Such as "Plato's Dialogues" and "The Complete Works of Aristotle"。Plato is considered the master of ancient Greek philosophy,He expounds his philosophical thoughts in a conversational manner,Among its many dialogue characters,Socrates is the most famous,His speech and behavior are a fusion of the historical Socrates and Plato's Socrates。Aristotle, who was also a teacher and friend of Plato,Also regarded as the master of ancient Greek philosophy,He writes in prose,Argument based on subject classification,Believe that theoretical disciplines mainly study the roots and causes of things;Practical subjects mainly study human behavior and actions,Aiming to achieve a better life;Creative subjects mainly involve the creation of literature and art。

At that time,Main issues concerned and discussed by Chinese and Greek philosophers,can be summarized into several comparable areas,For example, the origin and principles of everything in the world (Tao and Logos)、Knowledge and its Limits (Knowledge and bet365 Play online games Epistemology)、How do people live (Morality and Ethics)、How to govern a country or city-state (Government and Political Science)、How to educate the people (humanistic education and pedagogy)。As for issues such as "how things happen" and "what is existence (or what is)",Involving physics and metaphysics,Greek philosophers talked more about this,Accustomed to divide and conquer,Highlight the difference between ontology and phenomenon;Chinese thinkers talk less about this,And we are used to combining things together,Pay more attention to the relationship between metaphysics and metaphysics (Tao and utensils)。

  Eflamido:About the differences between Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy,First of all, I would like to mention the different geographical environments in which they developed。China’s geographical environment is conducive to agricultural development and centralized management of society。And in Greece,The ocean affects society、Economic and political development,cultivated a culture of navigation and trade。Greeks either live near the coast or travel,You will encounter other races during the process、Religion and Lifestyle People,This gives them different outfits、Traditions and ideas are more open and understanding。Even if we do not agree with strict geographical determinism,It is undeniable,The environment does affect economic and social development,Thereby affecting culture、Thoughts、People’s life,Ultimate influence on philosophy。For example,Greek philosophers traveled around。Solon、Thales and Plato visited Egypt、Lydia (an ancient country in central and western Asia Minor)、Cyrene (famous ancient city in Libya)、Sicily and other places。Herodotus, known as the "Father of History", went to most parts of the Persian Empire。Obviously,These travel experiences have had a great impact on their thinking。In addition,Greek philosophy is closely related to city-states。City-state、The development of democratic systems and philosophy are closely linked。Greek philosophers lived in a world where freedom of thought was encouraged、Exchange ideas through face-to-face dialogue and compete in a competitive environment。From the Court、Parliaments and Assemblies to Drama、Athletics (Olympic Games)、War (the contest between Achilles and Hector in Homer’s Iliad) and philosophy (Plato’s dialogues),Debate is everywhere。Greek people like to use confrontational language,Aggressive and good at using critical thinking skills。

Debate strengthened the personal initiative of the Greeks,They are in control of their lives,Free to act as you wish,This gives them a strong sense of personal identity。In comparison,Chinese people are first and foremost members of a collective,Belonging to the family、Clan or village。Filial piety ensures that personal interests are subordinated to the broader needs of family and community。

The rise of philosophy in Greece in this context。At the same time,The Greeks also developed reason (logos) through dialogue with others。Opposite,In China,People avoid direct comparison with others,Or get into tense relationship。Their lives are interdependent,So we are more committed to harmony。For the Greeks,Harmony is also an important cosmological and ethical concept,For example, Harmonia is the goddess of harmony and coordination in Greek mythology,Plato’s “Phaedo” also advocates that “the soul is harmony”。

For Chinese thinkers,The world is constantly changing,Endless loop。The Greeks also recognized the reciprocal motion of the world—the motion of the universe and its bet365 best casino games celestial bodies—but they wanted to know what kept the universe in eternal motion。Therefore,Aristotle proposed the "unmoved mover",Also known as the "first mover" or "first mover"。This concept refers to an eternal and immovable entity,It is the decisive basis of all the dynamic forces in nature。Aristotle believes,Motion must start somewhere,Rather than caused by something moving,Therefore there must be an eternal first mover。Before him,Plato also realized that the world is constantly changing,Trying to find the eternal things。Epistemology developed from this,It is based on knowledge、Critical thinking and pursuit of truth are the premise。Therefore,Plato formed his theory of ideas or forms,Focus on the material world beyond time and space、An entity with eternal immutability。In this regard,The contribution of Greek is huge,Because of its abstract flexibility。Ancient philosophers took advantage of this feature,Nominalize a verb or convert the properties of an object into an abstract category by adding a neutral article to the infinitive。In other words,By adding a suffix similar to "ness" in English,Nominalize an adjective or add a neuter article to the neuter form of an adjective。Opposite,Chinese people pay more attention to the practicality of knowledge,Rather than abstract theorizing for the sake of knowledge itself。Chinese thinkers focused on interpersonal relationships and moral behavior,To epistemology、Weak interest in ontology and logic。"What is"?) is the essence of Plato’s dialogues,As in "What is justice",The Chinese prefer to ask "How",For example, "How does someone become just", etc.。Therefore,Language itself has two tendencies: existence and becoming。

Plato made a strict distinction between "opinion" and "knowledge",The purpose is to seek the truth,He believes that this can allow people to realize moral goodness and inner goodness。Same,In the poem of Parmenides,In front of the gate leading to the sacred church,A goddess reveals the truth;In Christianity,Jesus said: “I am the way、Truth and Life。”Therefore,In Greek or Western tradition,This road leads to truth。In comparison,Chinese people are committed to Tao。

There are other differences between the Greek and Chinese worldviews。Democritus believes,Everything is made of atoms。And for the Chinese,The world is made of matter。The Greeks had a strong interest in classification,They depend on their nature、Quantity、Quality、Relationship、Location、Time、Situation、Conditions etc. to divide everything。This helps them generate rules that apply to related objects,And formal logic plays an important role in solving problems。Chinese people don’t rely on classification,They think about the relationship between things,As for formal logic,It plays a very small role in solving the problem。

Philosophy was born in Athens together with Socrates and Plato。It starts with surprise,As Plato said in Theaetetus: "Surprise,This is especially a sentiment among philosophers。In addition,Philosophy has no other beginning。”According to the philosophers of the School of Athens,surprise or amazement,Very important for the emergence of inspiration,People can thus gain a higher level of knowledge and deepen their understanding of the world。Socrates believes,As his dialogue reveals,Philosophical thinking means confusion;Confused about something,So I want to clear up the confusion。The situation in China is different。

As for the common points between Greek philosophy and Chinese philosophy,bet365 live casino games We must mention our firm belief in the power of morality and education,And the pursuit of wisdom。Confucius and Socrates/Plato both believed,Rulers should combine knowledge and morality,They all emphasize wisdom、The unity of personal morality and political power。For Confucius,A gentleman, especially a saint,Is the most ideal political leader,The word Plato used is "philosopher-kings"。The educational systems of Confucius and Plato are also similar,Both emphasize virtue and self-improvement。For this,Music and poetry are the most important,So they will carefully select the cultivation they think is good for young people、Melodies and poems of spiritual and moral benefit,Abandon certain tones that they consider detrimental to the cultivation of virtue。In addition,There are striking similarities between Heraclitus’ thoughts and Chinese philosophy。Heraclitus also emphasized the unity of opposites and constant change of things。He believes: "Everything flows,Nothing is permanent。”That is to say,Everything is in motion,The world is always changing。He is the only Greek philosopher whose way of thinking is close to that of the Chinese,But the development of Greek philosophy and later Western philosophy mainly followed the methods of Parmenides and Plato,Not the Heraclitean way。

  Vilvidakis:Both Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy emphasize self-knowledge and moral cultivation,Focus on virtue cultivation,And kindness、The importance of moderation and the pursuit of well-being,The purpose is to work together to create a cohesive society。At the same time,Although all ancient thinkers believed that philosophy "is a way of life",Not just abstract reasoning about concepts,But the Chinese pay more attention to practice,Emphasis on the harmony between man and nature and between members of society,The Greeks, on the other hand, were more interested in a critical examination of faith,They pursue truth and abstract metaphysical speculation,To build system theory。Although the Greeks also had a communitarian concept of living together in cities,But they pursue personal freedom more,And tend to respect the opposition between diverse viewpoints within a democratic framework。

 As far as Chinese philosophy is concerned,Things such as filial piety emphasized by Confucianism,Respect elders、Teachers and leaders,Follow values ​​and virtues such as ritual procedures,Reminding us of the importance of etiquette in culture,And its great significance to social balance and harmony。Today’s social and political structures are changing due to the rapid changes in the world,Due to the impact of continued economic growth and scientific and technological development,The experiences and lessons of Confucius and his disciples can help us deal with new challenges。Especially climate change、Environmental pollution、Excessive consumerism and problems caused by the widespread use of artificial intelligence,Making us aware of the need to maintain a harmonious relationship with nature,And promote peaceful cooperation on a global scale。With Chinese Philosophers、Scholar、Writers and artists are communicating,I appreciate their efforts to cultivate "benevolence" and defend "righteousness",This is critical to unlocking humanity’s shared potential。Their attitude convinced me,Chinese philosophy can make a significant contribution to the pursuit of a new humanism at the international level。

 Carogo Lagos:Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy originated from almost the same historical period,Have a decisive influence on the formation and progress of Eastern and Western philosophy and civilization respectively。In the formation process of Chinese philosophy,Ethics and politics are the beginning,But other branches like epistemology and metaphysics,And other areas of philosophy such as logic and linguistics,Join this system soon。The origin path of Greek philosophy is similar to it,It was also ethics and politics that first took center stage,Metaphysics、Cosmology and Epistemology,And other subsequent branches gradually formed,Answers to key questions in each knowledge area。

In terms of a series of basic issues in philosophy,Greek philosophy and Chinese philosophy share conceptual similarities and common concerns。Of course,Due to many factors,There are differences between the two in every area of ​​philosophy。In Comparative Study,Scholars need to be careful not to oversimplify differences、Contrast too much or blur the intersection of the two。Learning from each other、Constructive dialogue and exchange,In the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding,Both Chinese philosophy and Greek philosophy can contribute to the cause of philosophy。

  China’s initiative embodies the “world” view

"Chinese Social Sciences Journal": In the context of the world's major changes unseen in a century,General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the “One Belt, One Road” initiative、Global Development Initiative、Global Security Initiative、Global Civilization Initiative、The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind,Contributed unique Chinese wisdom to mankind to solve the problems of the times。What kind of philosophical thoughts do you think these initiatives or concepts embody?

Wilvidakis:Chinese and Greek philosophers advocated self-knowledge and the cultivation of virtue,To enhance well-being and enhance happiness,It’s not just about meeting basic needs,Also involves how to give full play to our abilities。Since the Hellenistic period,Starting from Alexander the Great,Philosophy gradually shows a cosmopolitan tendency,Thinkers such as the Stoics reflected on the common humanity that determines humanity’s destiny and future。In the era of globalization of economic activities and contemporary scientific and technological resources,We must think globally,Or rather, both global and national focus,Combining global vision with national positions。From Plato、Aristotle、Epicurus、Epictetus、Laozi、Confucius、Zhuangzi to Descartes、Spinoza、Kant、Hegel and Marx,Philosophers both ancient and modern have taught us how to conceive and realize human material and spiritual prosperity。

 Eflamido:I think all these initiatives are related to China’s way of thinking and China’s goals。They can ensure China’s participation in global affairs,Promote world peace、Stable、Working together for security and development,Encourage peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue,and drive through sustainability and stronger、Greener、Healthier global development to achieve the goal of a better life。Poverty reduction、Food security、Improving industrial production、Digital Economy、Multilateralism and providing more development resources to developing countries,Can promote the realization of these goals。In addition,Respect the diversity of civilizations and the common values ​​of all mankind,Learn from each other、Dialogue、Tolerance,People-to-people exchanges and cooperation will also help achieve these goals。

The international community is facing conflicts、Terrorism、Multiple risks and challenges Bet365 app download such as pollution and epidemics,These initiatives reflect China’s concern for the future of mankind。They are related to China’s self-definition as a responsible great power。In my opinion,These initiatives are also related to Chinese philosophy,Especially related to the ancient concept of "tianxia" and the promotion of a holistic approach。

In addition,Among these initiatives,We can see the social harmony advocated in Chinese traditional cultural thought、Avoid going to extremes、Interdependence、Pragmatism、Safety and Stability、Reduce friction as much as possible、The relationship between man and nature, etc. and the traditional view of Confucian humanism that emphasizes well-being and education。These traditional thoughts closely connected with Chinese philosophy,Reflects the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind。

We live in the same global village,All members of the international community should work together to deal with today's complex situation。We are in the same boat,Therefore we should get rid of the zero-sum game mentality。Countries that only care about their own economic and geopolitical interests should abandon selfish policies,Working together to build a peace、Open、Tolerance、Prosperous World。The building of a community with a shared future for mankind that China calls for reflects this kind of thinking for all mankind。

  Wang Keping:This series of major initiatives,Forward-looking、Global and referential。Without a doubt,These initiatives constitute core elements of modern Chinese discourse,Provides important momentum to promote international cooperation,Establishing a possible path for common development of the world。For example,In terms of the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind",The English expression is “build a human community with a shared future”,Literally translated into Chinese is "Building a human community with a shared future"。Based on my current understanding,“Human community” has broad universality and inclusiveness,Obviously beyond the past "communities" based on ideology and geographical organization (such as the "European Community")。As for "Shared Future",It’s really about the “destiny of mankind”,That is, it is about the future existence of mankind、The "destiny" of continuity and development。Of course,“Shared future” represents a concept of common development,Also reflects a vision of international cooperation。To realize this vision,There is no doubt that a peaceful environment is needed,Need mutual cooperation,It takes a long time to achieve success,Need to make solid progress。Chinese leaders have always upheld the principle of “Be true to their word”,The moral tradition of "action must be resolute",Actively advocate and organize relevant parties to do more practical things、Strive for practical results,Therefore visible、Tangible demonstration and leadership。This is fundamentally different from the habitual practice of some Western heads of state to "pay lip service but not deliver the goods"。A Greek word to describe this practice,That is philologos but not philopraxis (love talking but not doing);In my words,That is "a light promise will lead to a low faith"。There are countless examples of this。The resulting result,Nature cannot solve the practical problems faced by mankind,Nature is not in line with mankind’s true desire to love peace and seek development,Nature cannot ensure the overall optimization and common development of human destiny。

From the perspective of Chinese philosophy,bet365 live casino games These initiatives at least reflect the concept of "tianxia" in traditional thinking、Advocating the consciousness of "harmony" and the principle of "harmony without difference"。The ancient Chinese concept of "the world",Dates to around 11th century BC。From a historical perspective,The concept of "tianxia" includes the following meanings。In a political sense,It refers to the governance or political power of a country;In a cultural sense,It refers to a moral or ethical belief。People often say "the world is at peace", "the world is for the common good", "the world is common", etc.,Contains the above meanings respectively。Today,The traditional view of "tianxia" has been re-examined in the context of globalization,A fashionable idea in political culture again,And break through the limitations of regional culture while advancing with the times,Expand to global culture。Therefore,The view of "the world" after modern transformation,Also contains a world meaning,Can be used to specifically refer to the interaction and cooperation of all nations around the world、The dynamic relationship of seeking common development and the ideal sentiment of “sharing beauty and beauty”。

It is worth mentioning,Ancient Greece also had the concept of "the world",That’s oikoumenē。In historical evolution,The first meaning of the word refers to the "Greek settlement" relative to the "barbarian land",The second meaning refers to "the entire world where people live",The third level means "the world of the Roman Empire",The fourth level means "the world to come" (Christendom)。The Latinized form of this word is ecumene,Construct the word ecumenism on this basis。Modern scholars based on the original Greek meaning,Literally translated as "Tianxiaism"。The Austrian-American historical philosopher Eric Voegelin wrote the book The Ecumenical Age in 1974,Some scholars translated it as "The Age of Heaven"。

Actually,Discussion on China’s view of “Tianxia” in Western historical circles,Blooming in the 1960s and 1970s,The most representative figure is undoubtedly the British historical philosopher Arnold Toynbee。Tianxiaism aims to pursue peaceful cooperation among all countries and regions and coexistence and common prosperity of all mankind。In its most important teleological sense,It is roughly similar to the meaning of the Chinese concept of "all under heaven"。Today,Some historians and thinkers also take a positive perspective,Re-exploring the possible dimensions of Tianxiaism in the context of globalization。

Editor: Zhang Jing
QR code icon 2.jpg
Highly recommended
Latest article
bet365 live casino games

Friendly links:

Website registration number: Beijing Public Network Security No. 11010502030146 Ministry of Industry and Information Technology:

All rights reserved by China Social Sciences Magazine. No reproduction or use without permission is allowed

Chief editor’s email: zzszbj@126.com Contact information of this website: 010-85886809 Address: Floor 11-12, Building 1, No. 15 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing Postal Code: 100026