Open AccessModernization of Chinese Philosophical Methodology
Author(s) -
Jana S. Rošker
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
asian studies/asian studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2350-4226
pISSN - 2232-5131
DOI - 10.4312/as.2021.9.2.121-141
Subject(s) - marxist philosophy , historical materialism , zhàng , epistemology , philosophical methodology , modernization theory , materialism , philosophical theory , sociology , chinese philosophy , process (computing) , china , social science , philosophy , political science , computer science , law , politics , operating system
The present paper aims to shed light on certain methodological challenges that Chinese intellectuals faced in the process of coming to terms with Marxist thought. Even at the beginning of these processes, i.e., in the first decades of the 20th century, Chinese theorists faced several difficulties regarding the issue of cross-cultural philosophical syntheses. Thus, in their endeavours to adapt Marxism to the specifically Chinese worldview, they sought suitable adaptations of traditional philosophical methodologies that would enable them to fruitfully integrate classical Chinese and modern Marxist discourses. Zhang Dainian 張岱年 (1909–2004) has played a particularly prominent role in this process. Therefore, this paper aims to shed light on his contribution to the establishment of new Chinese and cross-cultural philosophical methodologies. In terms of exploring general philosophical issues, Zhang established a unique philosophical system known as “neo-materialism” in which he attempted to integrate Marxist materialism with some basic approaches of traditional Chinese philosophy. The crucial features that defined this philosophical system were based on his innovative methodology, which is critically presented in this paper.