Shadowlands of Objectivism and Comprehensiveness: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Zhang Shenfu’s Philosophical Thought (1919–1948)

Jan Vrhovski

doi:10.4312/as.2021.9.1.227-262

Authors

Jan Vrhovski Charles University, Prague, Czechia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2021.9.1.227-262

Keywords:

Zhang Shenfu, objectivism, comprehensiveness, modern Chinese philosophy, dialectical materialism, Western science, mathematical logic

Abstract

The article aims at presenting an overview of the main concepts in the philosophical thought of Zhang Shenfu, one of the leading intellectuals from Republican China (1912–1949). The study sets out from a brief summary of Zhang’s intellectual achievements, and proceeds by offering a more concise picture of the main influences, developmental stages and finally also central ideas of Zhang’s thought. By offering a general view on the concrete confluences and dissonances between the keystones of Zhang’s philosophy on one side, and its alleged sources in Western and Chinese philosophy on the other, this study further aims at presenting a new insight into the unique characteristics of Zhang’s philosophy. At the same time, by setting the discussion on Zhang’s philosophy in a broader context of contemporary intellectual discourse, the article also endeavours to establish a tentative basis for the future critical analyses and potential revaluations of Zhang Shenfu’s role in intellectual history of modern China.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bukharin, Nikolai I. [Buhalin 佈哈林]. 1930. Weiwu shiguan 唯物史觀 (Historical Materialism), 3 volumes. Shanghai: Taidong tushuju.

Daston, Lorraine, and Peter Galison. 2007. Objectivity. New York: Zone Books.

Cai, Shangsi 蔡尚思. 1936. “Sanian lai de Zhongguo sixiang 卅年來的中國思想界 (Chinese Intellectual Circles in the Last Thirty Years).” Tianlai jikan 25 (2): 1–38.

Findeisen, Raoul David. 1994. “Professor Luo: Reflections on Bertrand Russell in China.” Asian and African Studies 3 (1): 10–33.

Guo, Hua-qing 郭華清. 2000. “Jiayin shiqi Zhang Shizhao de zhexue sixiang – tiaohelun 甲寅時期章士釗的哲學思想 – 調和論 (Zhang Shizhao’s Philosophical Thought in the Period of Jiayin (The Tiger)—The Theory of Harmony).” Supplement to the Journal of Sun Yatsen University (Social Science Edition) 20 (3): 150–62.

Guo, Qiyong. 2018. Studies on Contemporary Chinese Philosophy (1949–2009). Translated by Paul J. D’Ambrosio, Robert Carleo III, Joanna Guzowska, Chad Meyers et al. Leiden, Boston: Brill.

Guo, Yiqu 郭一曲. 2001. “Jiexi de bianzheng weiwu zhuyi: Zhang Shenfu de zhexue sixiang 解析的辨證唯物論: 張申府的哲學思想 (Analytical Dialectical Materialism: Zhang Shenfu’s Philosophical Thought).” Zhongguo zhexueshi 4: 79–85.

——. 2002. Xiandai Zhongguo xin wenhua de tansuo: Zhang Shenfu sixiang yanjiu 現代中國新文化的探索：張申府思想的研究 (Exploring the New Culture of Modern China: A Study of Zhang Shenfu’s Thought). Guangzhou: Guangdong renmin chubanshe.

Guo, Zhanbo 郭湛波. 1965. Jin wushi nian Zhongguo sixiangshi 近五十年中國思想史 (Chinese Intellectual History in the Last Fifty Years). Hongkong: Longmeng shudian.

Guoli Beijing Daxue 國立北京大學. 1918. Guoli Beijing daxue nianzhounian jiniance 國立北京大學廿周年紀念冊 (Commemorative Publication for the Twentieth Anniversary of National Peking University). Beijing: Guoli Beijing daxue.

Huang, Chun-chieh 黃俊傑. 2017. Dongya Rujia renxue shilun 東亞儒家仁學史論 (A Historical Study the on Discourse on Humaneness in East Asian Confucianisms). Taipei: Guoli Taiwan daxue chuban zhongxin.

Jiang, Tao, and Philip J. Ivanhoe, eds. 2013. The Reception and Rendition of Freud in China: China’s Freudian Slip. New York: Routledge.

Jiang, Yi 江怡. 2009. “Weiyena xuepai zai Zhongguo de mingyun 維也納學派在中國的命運 (The Fate of Viennese School in China).” Shijie zhexue 6: 6–23.

Kurtz, Joachim. 2020. “Reasoning in Style: The Formation of ‘Logical Writing’ in Late Qing China.” In Powerful Arguments: Standards of Validity in Late Imperial China, edited by Martin Hofmann et al., 565–606. Leiden, Boston: Brill.

Li, Weiwu 李維武. 1998. Ershi shiji Zhongguo zhexue bentilun wenti 二十世紀中國哲學本體論問題 (Ontological Questions in Twentieth Century Chinese Philosophy). Changsha: Hunan Education Press.

Liang, Shuming 梁漱溟. 1920. Outline of Yogācāra (Weishi shuyi 唯識述義). Beijing: Beijing daxue chubanshe.

Lin, Xiashui 林夏水, and Zhang Shangshui 張尚水. 1983. “Shuli luoji zai Zhongguo 數理邏輯在中國 (Mathematical Logic in China).” Ziran kexueshi yanjiu 2 (2): 175–82.

Meng, Guangwu 孟廣武. 2014. “Zhang Shenfu: Bei yiwang de shuxuejia gemingjia zhexuejia 張申府：被遺忘的數學家革命家哲學家 (Zhang Shenfu: A Forgotten Mathematician, Revolutionary and Philosopher).” Journal of Liaocheng University (Natural Sciences Edition) 27 (3): 1–32.

Nelson, Eric S. 2020. “Zhang Junmai’s Early Political Philosophy and the Paradoxes of Chinese Modernity.” Asian Studies 8 (1): 183–208.

Schwarcz, Vera. 1986. The New Enlightenment: Intellectuals and the Legacy of the May Fourth Movement of 1919. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press.

——. 1991/2. “Between Russell and Confucius: China’s Russell Expert, Zhang Shenfu (Chang Sung-nian).” Russell: The Journal of the Bertrand Russell Archives 11: 117–46.

——. 1992. Time for Telling Truth is Running out: Conversations with Zhang Shenfu. New Heaven, London: Yale University Press.

Shi, Mingde 时明德, and Zeng Zhaoshi 曾昭式. 1998. “Shuli luoji zai Zhongguo fazhan zhihuan de yuanyin tanxi 數理邏輯在中國發展滯緩的原因探析 (An Exploration of Reasons of Slow Development of Mathematical Logic in China).” Xinyang shifanxueyuan xuebao 18 (2): 29–33.

Song, Wenjian 宋文堅. 2000. “Zhongguo shuliluoji bashi nian 中國數理邏輯八十年 (80 Years of Mathematical Logic in China).” Beijing hangkong hangtian daxue xuebao 13 (1): 12–17.

Su, Rina 蘇日娜, and Dai Qin 代欽. 2019. “Zhang Shenfu dui shuli luoji za Zhongguo zaoqi chuanbo de gongxian 張申府對數理邏輯在中國早期傳播的貢獻 (Zhang Shenfu’s Contribution to Early Dissemination of Mathematical Logic in China).” Shuxue tongbao 58 (10): 9–12, 19.

Sun, Dunheng 孫敦恆. 1988. “Zhang Shenfu jiaoshou zai Qinghua 張申府教授在清華 (Professor Zhang Shenfu’s Years at Qinghua).” Beijing wenshi ziliao, January: 30–31.

Tian, Chenshan. 2019. “Mao Zedong, Sinicization of Marxism, and Traditional Chinese Thought Culture.” Asian Studies 7 (1): 13–36.

Wen, G. 溫公頤, and Cui Q. 崔清田. 2001. Zhongguo luojishi jiaocheng 中國邏輯史教程 (A Course in the History of Logic in China). Tianjin: Nankai daxue chubanshe.

Wittgenstein, Ludwig (Weitegenshentan 維特根什坦). 1927. “Mingli lun (Luojizhexue lun) 名理論 (邏輯哲學論) (Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus).” Translated by Zhang Shenfu [申甫]. Xiandai pinglun 1 (5): 53–98.

Wittgenstein, Ludwig (Weitegenshentan 維特根什坦). 1928. “Weitegenshentan Mingli lun (xu)” 維特根什坦名理論（續） (Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Continued)).” Translated by Zhang Shenfu [申甫]. Xiandai pinglun 1 (6): 31–80.

Zhang, Dainian 張岱年. 1997. Wenhua de chongtu yu ronghe 文化的衝突與融合 (Culture Clash and Cultural Fusion). Beijing: Peking University Press.

Zhang, Dongsun 張東蓀. 1922. “Xin shizailun de lunlizhuyi 新實在論的論理主義 (On the Logicism of New Realism).” Dongfang zazhi 19 (17): 15–34.

——. 1923. “Xiangduilun de zhexue yu xin lunli zhuyi 相對論的哲學與新論理主義 (The Philosophy of Theory of Relativity and New Logicism).” Dongfang zazhi 20 (9): 58–81.

Zhang, Junmai 张君劢 et al. 1997. Kexue yu renshengguan 科學與人生觀 (Science and the View on Life). Jinan: Shandong renmin chubanshe.

Zhang, Shenfu 張申府 (Songnian 崧年). 1919. “Shu zhi zheli 數之哲理 (Philosophical Principles of Numbers).” Xinchao 1 (4): 90–92.

——. 1920a. “Luosu 羅素 (Russell).” Xin qingnian 8 (2): 4–9.

——. 1920b. “Kexue li de yi geming 科學里的一革命 (A Revolution in Science).” Shaonian shijie 1 (3): 1–6.

——. 1920c. “Jindai xinlixue 近代心理學 (Modern Psychology).” Xin qingnian 7 (3): 95–99.

—— (Chi 赤). 1922. “Shehui wenti 社會問題 (Social Questions).” Xin qingnian 9 (6): 28–29.

—— (Songnian 崧年). 1926. “Xiandai zhexue xiao lun 現代哲學校論 (A Comparative Discussion on Modern Philosophy).” Zhexue yuekan 1 (5): 1–3.

——. 1927a. “Chun keguanfa 純客觀法 (The Method of Pure Objectivism).” Chenbao fukan (January) 31: 57–58.

——. 1927b. “Lun fanyi 論翻譯 (On Translation).” Beixin 2 (1): 115–22.

Zhang, Shenfu 張申府. 1928a. “Kexue zhong de xin fajian 科學中的新發見 (A New Discovery in Science).” Shijie 5: 2–3.

——. 1928b. “Luosu xin yuanzishuo 羅素論新原子說 (Russell on New Theory of Atoms).” Dongfang zazhi 25 (6/8): s.d.

——. 1928c. “Xiandai wuli kexue de quxiang 現代物理科學的趨向 (Trends in Contemporary Physics).” Dongfang zazhi 25 (11): 73–78.

——. 1931. Suosi 所思 (Reflections). Shanghai: Shenzhou guoguang she.

——. 1933. “Keguan yu weiwu 客觀與唯物 (Objectivity and Materialism).” Dagong bao (l’Impartial), November 16: 11.

——. 1934. “Xiandai zhexue de zhuchao 現代哲學的主潮 (Main Currents in Contemporary Philosophy).” Qingua zhoukan 42 (8): 10–12.

——. 1939a. “Ren yu xianjuezhe 仁與先覺者 (Humaneness and the Visionary).” Zhanshi wenhua 2 (1): 51.

——. 1939b. “Guomin jingshen zongdongyuan shang de er yaodian 國民精神總動員上的二要點 (Two Main Points in Mobilisation of the National Essence).” Zhanshi wenhua 2 (3): 6–9.

——. 1943. “Juti xiangduilun 具體相對論 (Concrete Relativism).” In Zhang Shenfu wenji 张申府文集 (Collected Writings of Zhang Shenfu), Zhang Shenfu (2005) author, vol. 2, 320–22. Shijiazhuang: Hebei renmin chubanshe.

——. 1945a. “Wo ziji de zhexue 我自己的哲學 (My Own Philosophy).” Xinhua ribao 23 (June), s.d.

——. 1945b. “Wo zhexue de zhongxindian: juti xiangduilun 我哲學的中心點：具體相對論 (The Central Point of My Philosophy: Concrete Relativism).” Zhongxuesheng 91/92: 10–12.

——. 1985. Zhang Shenfu xueshu lunwenji 张申府學術論文集 (The Collected Scholarly Writings of Zhang Shenfu). Jinan: Qilu shushe.

——. 1993. Suoyi 所億 (Reminiscences). Beijing: Zhongguo wenshi chubanshe.

——. 2005. Zhang Shenfu wenji 张申府文集 (Collected Writings of Zhang Shenfu), 4 Volumes. Shijiazhuang: Hebei renmin chubanshe.

Zhang, Shizhao 章士釗. 1943. Luoji zhiyao 邏輯指要 (Essentials of Logic). Chongqing: Shidai jingshenshe.

Zhou, Yunzhi 周云之, and Zhou W. 周文英. 1989. Zhongguo luojishi 中國邏輯史 (The History of Chinese Logic), vol. 5: Xiandai juan. Lanzhou: Gansu renmin chubanshe.

Zhou, Yunzhi 周云之. 2004. Zhongguo luojishi 中國邏輯史 (The History of Chinese Logic). Taiyuan: Shanxi jiaoyu chubanshe.