摘要
This paper is an attempt to investigate the relationship between John Dewey＇s philosophy and Hu Shi＇s thought. It is argued that the reason for Flu Shi to be attracted by Dewey＇s philosophy lies in his special version of evolutionism, namely, it-is-up-to-us-ism. However, it is then argued clearly that their understandings of evolutionism are very different from each other and that it is just because of this difference that later Hu Shi＇s thought had to give way to Marxism in China. The first two parts tell us that John Dewey＇s philosophy, influenced by Hegel＇s philosophy and inspired by Darwin＇s evolutionary theory, is a critique of the traditional contemplative philosophy. It is about how to sustain our commitment to experience in the situation where the given End of life has been shattered, that is, it is the philosophy about democracy. The last two parts argue that Hu Shi did not derive this problem consciousness fi-om Dewey. He tried to insert Dewey＇s theory of intelligent inquiry into the special, Chinese version of evolutionism, it-is-up-to-us- ism. In this way, he did not see the key issue in Dewey＇s philosophy of democracy. This finally led to his inability to solve the problem of how to unify and motivate the Chinese people.
