The Chinese study of medieval philosophy has undergone an extraordinary historical process, and it has made great advances in the last 40 years. This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the pioneering Chinese s...The Chinese study of medieval philosophy has undergone an extraordinary historical process, and it has made great advances in the last 40 years. This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the pioneering Chinese scholars, both traditional and modern, who have played significant roles in the establishment and development of this historical field of inquiry. It pays particular attention to the important scholars, their works, methodologies, and findings over the course of the last forty years, and it also looks to the challenges currently facing this area of study and addresses the current state of the field and its future prospects. Although Chinese scholarship on medieval philosophy has already achieved great accomplishments, compared with the level of international research in the field abroad, there is still a huge gap to be remedied and therefore, we must recognize that there are great opportunities for Chinese scholars who will undertake the study of medieval philosophy with all due seriousness.展开更多
In this paper, the author refers to the Latin translation of the Kitab Ihsa ＇al＇ Ulum of Al-Frabi made by Dominicus Gundissalinus in the Xllth Century in Toledo, Spain. This text under the Latin title De scientiis w...In this paper, the author refers to the Latin translation of the Kitab Ihsa ＇al＇ Ulum of Al-Frabi made by Dominicus Gundissalinus in the Xllth Century in Toledo, Spain. This text under the Latin title De scientiis was one of the most influential texts of the Arab and Persian world in the western Latin Europe. It is an introductory text into all until known sciences written for students and laymen （illiterate） who want to study one of these sciences. The text of Al-Farabi discusses the seven liberal arts, all of the works on physics of Aristotle and includes some reflexions on metaphysics, political philosophy and theology. There are two important points： （1） All sciences have a theoretical and practical aspect. All sciences are sciences of principles and causes and their application to the practical world. （2） The so called prima philosophia is the political philosophy and not metaphysics. In this respect, Al-Farabi subordinates theology as a science of the religious laws to politics as a science of civil laws. In the same respect, he combines, under the famous sentence of Plato that philosophers are the governors and the very well companions of mankind, politics with theology展开更多
To put the ongoing debate in the philosophy of emotions in a wider context, access to medieval philosophy could turn out to be useful. Huxley＇s ＂Brave New World＂ is a world without history and without strong emotio...To put the ongoing debate in the philosophy of emotions in a wider context, access to medieval philosophy could turn out to be useful. Huxley＇s ＂Brave New World＂ is a world without history and without strong emotions--so let＇s plea for both. The medieval complementarity of intellectus and affectus is an example of the central role of the emotive powers in medieval anthropology. It could be worth discussing even today, as well as the notion ofscientia affectiva. By the way, a Franciscan thinker of the 13th century, Olivi, seems to explain better than Descartes the depths of subjectivity： I think, therefore I am--but I feel, therefore I am I.展开更多
文摘The Chinese study of medieval philosophy has undergone an extraordinary historical process, and it has made great advances in the last 40 years. This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the pioneering Chinese scholars, both traditional and modern, who have played significant roles in the establishment and development of this historical field of inquiry. It pays particular attention to the important scholars, their works, methodologies, and findings over the course of the last forty years, and it also looks to the challenges currently facing this area of study and addresses the current state of the field and its future prospects. Although Chinese scholarship on medieval philosophy has already achieved great accomplishments, compared with the level of international research in the field abroad, there is still a huge gap to be remedied and therefore, we must recognize that there are great opportunities for Chinese scholars who will undertake the study of medieval philosophy with all due seriousness.
文摘In this paper, the author refers to the Latin translation of the Kitab Ihsa ＇al＇ Ulum of Al-Frabi made by Dominicus Gundissalinus in the Xllth Century in Toledo, Spain. This text under the Latin title De scientiis was one of the most influential texts of the Arab and Persian world in the western Latin Europe. It is an introductory text into all until known sciences written for students and laymen （illiterate） who want to study one of these sciences. The text of Al-Farabi discusses the seven liberal arts, all of the works on physics of Aristotle and includes some reflexions on metaphysics, political philosophy and theology. There are two important points： （1） All sciences have a theoretical and practical aspect. All sciences are sciences of principles and causes and their application to the practical world. （2） The so called prima philosophia is the political philosophy and not metaphysics. In this respect, Al-Farabi subordinates theology as a science of the religious laws to politics as a science of civil laws. In the same respect, he combines, under the famous sentence of Plato that philosophers are the governors and the very well companions of mankind, politics with theology
文摘To put the ongoing debate in the philosophy of emotions in a wider context, access to medieval philosophy could turn out to be useful. Huxley＇s ＂Brave New World＂ is a world without history and without strong emotions--so let＇s plea for both. The medieval complementarity of intellectus and affectus is an example of the central role of the emotive powers in medieval anthropology. It could be worth discussing even today, as well as the notion ofscientia affectiva. By the way, a Franciscan thinker of the 13th century, Olivi, seems to explain better than Descartes the depths of subjectivity： I think, therefore I am--but I feel, therefore I am I.
