“Habermas and the Chinese discourse of modernity” (Publication, 2001)
Year
2001
Text
Tong, Shijun. Habermas and the Chinese discourse of modernity. In : A journal of comparative literature ; vol. 1, no 1 (2001). (Hab1)
Type
Publication
Mentioned People (1)
Habermas, Jürgen
(Düsseldorf 1929-) : Philosoph, Soziologe, Professor für Philosophie und Soziologie Universität Frankfurt, Direktor Max-Planck-Institut Starnberg
Subjects
Philosophy : Europe : Germany
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References / Sources
Chronology Entries (2)
| # | Year | Text | Linked Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1981 |
Habermas, Jürgen. Theorie des kommunikativen Handelns. (Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp, 1981). Tong Shijun : In his writings, Habermas has rarely mentioned devloping countries in general and China in particular, except in his discussion of Max Weber's conception of occidental rationalism. This essay tries to show, however, that his theory of modernity and modernization based on his theory of communicative action is, compared with other current social theories, more relevant to China. Habermas criticizes Max Weber for observing Chinese culture only from the perspective of ethical rationalization, and suggests that we also observe it from the perspective of cognitive rationalization, and compare it with the Greek tradition insead of the Judeo-Christian tradition. In doing so Habermas refers to Joseph Needham's study of the history of science and technology of ancient China. |
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| 2 | 2001 |
Tong, Shijun. Habermas and the Chinese discourse of modernity [ID D24556]. Habermas's conception of the relation between science and democracy is especially relevant to the Chinese dicourse of modernity. Both science and democracy are forms of discourse or communication in special fields. Science is a form of theoretical discours, while democracy is a form of practical discourse. An enlightened public shpere is a key element in Habermas's conception of socialism, or his version of 'socialist modernity'. In contemporary China, a socialist mode of modernity is not only the goal of the official program of modernization, but also a widely shared ideal among ordinary people and intellectuals who do not necessarily all agree with the official program. The situation in China is quite different from that in West Europe and North America, with reference to which Habermas elaborated his conception of political culture. Two points can be made with equal, if not stronger, validity. On the one hand, a political culture in this sense is not necessarily something culture-specific or culture-eccentric ; there is no 'a priori' reason to say that no political culture can be developed on the basis of non-Western cultures. On the other hand, in order to cultivate a political culture, a self-conscious and self-reflective effort, especially among intellectuals, is of crucial importance. These are perhaps the most pertinent aspecst in Habermas's critical theory as seen from a Chinese perspective. |
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Cited by (1)
| # | Year | Bibliographical Data | Type / Abbreviation | Linked Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000- | Asien-Orient-Institut Universität Zürich | Organisation / AOI |
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