Comparison and Integration of “Assisting the Transforming and Nourishing Powers of Heaven and Earth” and “Man Is Objective Activity”: The Constructive Outline of “Ontology of Shi (Human Affairs)” in Chinese Marxist Philosophy

Abstract

The basic way of Marxist philosophy to develop in contemporary China is its thorough adaption to the Chinese context, especially deep integration of the fine traditional Chinese philosophy. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to have the coherence point that makes this integration possible, and then the two core propositions of “man being objective activity” in Marxist philosophy and human ability of “assisting the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth” in traditional Chinese philosophy are of a high degree of similarity, which reveals that there is such a coherence point among them. By analyzing the similarities and differences between these two propositions, it is possible to investigate the possibility of their integration and mutual absorption so as to develop a Chinese Marxist answer to the fundamental question in modern philosophy: “What is the human being?”. The Chinese Marxist answer to this fundamental question can thereby initially construct a Chinese Marxist ontological framework of shi (human affairs). Although what is presented at this point of coherence is only an outline framework, it contains the virtue of sheng-sheng (creating and recreating), which possesses with infinite possibilities to further develop and enrich itself

Keywords

Chinese Marxist philosophy / ontology of shi / objective activity / “assisting the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth”

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press