International projects
Taiwanese Modern Confucians and Their Philosophical Contribution to Asian Modernization
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.10.00 |
Humanities |
Philosophy |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H130 |
Humanities |
History of philosophy |
Modern Confucianism, modernization, post-colonial studies, Chinese philosophy, comparative philosophy, preservation of tradition
Researchers (4)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
The last decades witnessed a number of important reversals of what we previously thought to be basic trends in history. The so-called Confucian revival (Contemporary Modern Confucianism) doubtless belongs to such reversals. For almost a century, Confucianism has been condemned to the “dustbin” of history as an ideology rendered defunct by Chinese progress toward modernity. During the 20th Century, the philosophical development in the current of Modern Confucianism was mainly limited to Taiwan (and partly Hong Kong). This current still forms the most influential and important stream of thought in contemporary Chinese theory. It is distinguished by a comprehensive attempt to revitalize traditional (particularly Confucian and Neo-Confucian) thought by means of new influences borrowed or derived from Western systems. It is defined by a search for synthesis between Western and Chinese traditional thought, aiming to elaborate a new system of ideas and values, suitable to resolve social and political problems of the modern, globalized world. However, inspite of the fact that there has been a magnificent amount of books and articles on this topic published in Chinese, there is still a considerable lack of respective academic work results in Western languages. Especially in Europe, the Confucian revival and the consolidation of the so-called “New Asian Values” are gaining more and more interest - not only among sinologists, but also among representatives of various other disciplines in the social studies and humanities.
Significance for science
The transcultural aglobal perspective is of great importance for the development of all scientific disciplines in our time. This is especially true of the humanities, which have hitherto developed in a fragmentary manner, within individual discourses, isolated from one another, and often within the framework of the particular histories of specific ideas and languages. The new methodology underlying the project's research will foster the transcultural exchange of knowledge and ideas, which is more important than ever in today's globalized world and in a time of widespread crises. As the central crises and problems of our time manifest themselves on a global scale, a globalization of epistemology and theory of science is also necessary, as such crises and problems can only be resolved through informed and up-to-date scholarship that takes into account the issues of equality and justice of all cultures and peoples while responding to the demands of our time. Importantly, such a globalization of scientific discourse is not based on a standardization grounded on the economic-political supremacy of those regions that have established the current centers of global power and dominance, but on a cultural, linguistic, and axiological diversity that allows for transcultural dialogues. The research results can provide a systematic method to illuminate and resolve inconsistencies in culturally homogeneous interpretations of specific philosophical questions. The research questions are highly topical, not only because of the worsening global crises, but also because they focus on the identification, critical presentation, and development of alternative models of transcultural exchange of ideas and knowledge. A science based on such an exchange will also be better able to face the problems of criteria and formulation of democratic strategies for technological development, the use of digitalization, and other challenges occurring in today’s globalized world.
Significance for the country
The project’s central distinguishing feature lies in the inclusion of analyses of the material in the native languages they were written in, and in the involvement of partners from the East Asian regions. The interdisciplinary approach of the proposed project, bringing together different disciplines within the broader field of Asian studies, particularly East Asian ideational paradigms, is also important for the development of Slovenian scholarship. Such an approach is at the same time extremely productive for the development of the basic methodological concepts of contemporary transcultural theory, as it offers a way to bridge the discursive divides that still prevail in Slovenian mainstream humanities research through a contrastive analysis of different ethical discourses, while at the same time mastering the native languages of the regions under study, and thus enriching and developing these kinds of knowlege in Slovenia.
Audiovisual sources (1)
| no. |
Title (with video link) |
Event |
Source |
| 1. |
Confucius in jeans |
Confucius in jeans |
ecris.link.video_fwp
|
