The success of the Chinese path is not an accidental “miracle,” but an inevitable result that conforms to the historical law. In practice, it is inseparable from the diligent and creative work of the Chinese people, the timely formulation of policies by the Communist Party of China and governments at all levels seeking truth from facts, and the change and improvement of policies according to the changes of the situation. In addition to these practical reasons, the success of the Chinese path has very farreaching historical and cultural reasons, which are the metaphysical basis of the Chinese path in a more philosophical sense. Unlike Western culture, which is in a sense a culture of ultimate entities, deep Chinese culture is based on a metaphysical reflection of the existence of a relational system, whereas European culture and Middle Eastern Muslim culture are based on the “origin” and “source” of a single entity or a single “God.” In the West, “God” is the creator of mankind; in China, “heaven” or “emperor” is actually binga symbol of a ruling relationship and has an interactive relationship with the people, which is a very subtle interdependent relationship. It is this concept of “relationship” about the world that endows the Chinese spiritual world with a special resilience on concept of time and historical behavior, because “relationship” can be adjusted and is constantly changing.
How to apply an analytic approach to Chinese philosophy has been a controversial issue in the field of the modern Chinese philosophy. The key to such an application is using an analytical approach. Various forms of analysis are used in modern philosophy. The term “analytic approach” refers to both conceptual and semantic analyses by which to analyze meaning and apply philosophical concepts, so as to interpret a different significance of these philosophical concepts. Beginning with the challenge of the analytic approach as applied to Chinese philosophy, it is necessary to address the line of holism and transcendental argument in terms of philosophical methodology. The former provides us with a framework of analysis of particular problems, while the latter helps us clarify the major difference between a philosophical argument and other arguments for knowledge. Chinese philosophy must greatly emphasize the importance of philosophical methodology, so as to reconstruct the framework of Chinese philosophy as it stands today.
Philosophy can be divided into two systems, i.e. the vertical and the horizontal. Characterized with the creation of spirit and the logical evolution of concepts, the vertical system expresses historical reflections on the achievements of human culture. Meanwhile, the horizontal system focuses on the analysis of cognitive activities to explore the nature of subject and object, the elements of knowledge, and the basis of its certainty. Chinese philosophers, such as Hu Shih, Fung Yulan, Zhang Dainian, Mou Zongsan and Zhang Shiying, have previously explored the various definitions of philosophy. Their explorations manifest the internationalization of Chinese philosophy during different eras. This paper defines philosophy as human beings’ awareness of their environment and systematical reflections on their activities and ensuing consequences. As part of world philosophy, Chinese philosophy encapsulates the essence of Chinese culture, as the thinking method of Chinese people, and as a set of thought systems possessing a unique style.
William James is one of the first philosophers with significant international influence in the history of American philosophy. James played an extremely important role in the emergence and development of American pragmatism, striving to show cultural self-confidence and pursuing the localization as well as independence of philosophy in the development of America. It is of great importance to further study James’s philosophy in the context of contemporary academics. Academia should value the collection, editing, translation and research of the philosophical classics of James and important literatures, pay attention to the clues of development and academic trends of the important concepts and ideas of James’s pragmatism philosophy, and rethink the status and influence of James’s philosophy in modern Western philosophy, trying to carry out comparative studies between James’s philosophy and traditional Chinese philosophy.
Globalization has been going on for a long process, although controversial, never stopping the pace of development. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 which profoundly changed human society and human life, globalization has been facing unprecedented resistance and challenges. Returning to various debates on globalization ethics, analyzing various problems that occur in the process of globalization development, this article starts from relational ethics, aiming to demonstrate the rationality of the sustainable development of globalization in the post-pandemic era. It will argue that although globalization will have new forms and contents under the new situation, the overall trend will not be reversed. It stresses the significance and urgency to explore the discourse construction of the human community with a shared future and the relational ethics of globalization in the post-pandemic era from the perspectives of history, reality, and methodology.
Contemporary Chinese ethics faces two theoretical tasks: expansion in breadth and exploration in depth. The former refers to the opening of the problem area, and the latter refers to the deepening of ethics itself. To get out of the dilemma that academic results in the area are abundant in quantity but low in quality, contemporary Chinese ethics should expand and deepen in the three dimensions, namely, “no longer,” “being” and “not yet.” Within the framework of “no longer,” efforts should be made to deepen the studies of the history of moral concept and practice, and the ethics of culture from the perspective of genetics; with regard to the perspective of “being,” the ethical reflection on public crisis, system and Lnstitutional ethics, the dilemma of virtue theory and normative theory, and the conflicts and generalization between different moral paradigms will become the difficulties that require in-depth analysis and demonstration. As for the contemporary Chinese ethics towards “not yet,” attention must be paid to the duality of modern technology, the origin of human ethics based on building a community with a shared future for mankind and the moral philosophy that goes deep into people’s minds. To complete the above theoretical tasks, one must have judgment, thinking, and willingness, which can only be cultivated in the experience and thinking of “practical” life.
A review of the decades of research shows that Chinese philosophy of science and technology, on the strength of carrying forward traditions and blazing new trails, has made progress in the construction of discipline system and development of institutions, teaching materials and periodicals, with deepening the discussion on discipline orientation. In academic system construction, driven by efforts to update the academic framework and deepen research on the philosophy of nature, philosophy of science, philosophy of technology, science, technology and society, as well as other traditional fields, achievements have been made in ethical reflections on high technology, engineering ethics, big data and artificial intelligence philosophy, responsible innovation and other emerging, frontier and crosscutting fields. In the construction of discourse system, work has been done to make China’s voice heard on the international stage, excavate and elucidate the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and build disciplines with Chinese characteristics. In short, the achievements of the Chinese philosophy of science and technology have not come easily. Though a diverse and dynamic academic pattern has been formed, and wonderful and unique Chinese discourse has been created, we still face some problems. To accelerate the construction of “Three Systems” of the philosophy of science and technology with Chinese characteristics by building on existing achievements, we should carry forward the tradition of dialectics of nature and strengthen the guidance of Marxism, consolidate the foundation of philosophy and support interdisciplinary interaction and cooperation, track the frontiers of science and technology, and pay attention to the social operation of science and technology.