Was hat die Wissenschaft mit dem Leben zu tun? – Konkurrierende Wissenschaftsauffassungen am Beispiel der Rezeption der Lebensphilosophie im China der 1920er-Jahre

What Does Science Have to Do with Life? – Competing Conceptions of Science Through the Reception of Philosophy of Life in 1920s China

by Shan Diao
Doctoral thesis
Date of Examination:2024-11-11
Date of issue:2024-11-14
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Axel Schneider
Referee:Prof. Dr. Axel Schneider
Referee:Prof. Dr. Xuetao Li
Persistent Address: http://dx.doi.org/10.53846/goediss-10870

 

 

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Abstract

English

This dissertation examines how Chinese intellectuals in the 1920s reflected on the relationship between science and life through the reception of Lebensphilosophie (particularly the philosophies of Rudolf Eucken and Hans Driesch). During a period of profound upheavals, the scientific worldview initially emerged as an alternative to the Confucian worldview. However, the adoption of science was neither taken for granted nor smooth. Rising suicide rates, the destructive force of World War I, and imperialistic expansion cast doubt on this model of technological-scientific modernity. Against this backdrop, this dissertation addresses the following questions: How was the role of science for life received? How was life scientifically explained? What potentials and limitations of science were revealed through the emphasis on life? These questions extended beyond purely ontological and epistemological considerations to encompass practical concerns as well. Intellectuals of the time pondered what kind of new culture should be pursued in a changing world and how a good life could be realized. The aim of this work therefore, is to elucidate the discourses on the relationship between science and life within an epistemological, ethical, and political framework and to shed light on the complexity of China’s modernization. Within the intellectual history of modern China, the controversy between science and philosophy (or metaphysics) is placed in a global context to depict a multifaceted and dynamic image of the New Culture Movement. The analysis explores the mutual construction of science and Lebensphilosophie and includes the spiritual, psychological, biological, and cultural dimensions of life. Through both praise and critique of science, intellectuals sought to understand and shape concrete forms of modern life, reflecting their perceptions of modernity and the endeavor to overcome its crises. The dialogic and conflict-laden negotiations not only revealed competing conceptions of science but also opened new perspectives on the controversies at that time. Ultimately, proponents of Lebensphilosophie developed a modified version of technological-scientific modernity, characterized by a synthetic and holistic worldview and an empathetic approach to humanity and nature.
Keywords: science; philosophy of life, new culture movement, China; philosophy of life; new culture movement; China
 
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