比较哲学工作坊第二十四讲：现代化之前的现代性——作为早期现代性的中国“周秦”之变
Comparative Philosophy Workshop (24th)
Organizer
Department of Philosophy (Zhuhai)，Sun Yat-sen University
Topic
Modernity Before Its Time—China’s Zhou-Qin Transition as an Early Modernization
Speaker
Tongdong Bai, Professor, School of Philosophy, Fudan University
Moderator
Jun-Hyeok KWAK Professor, Department of Philosophy (Zhuhai), Sun Yat-sen University
Time
Mar.17. 2022 15:00
Place
Tencent（VOOV）ID: 690-378-891
ABSTRACT
It is commonly received that a key reason for China to be defeated by the West was that traditional China was pre-modern, while the West already entered modernity. In this paper, I will argue that China entered the early stage of modernity during the Zhou-Qin transition (770 B.C.E. to 221 B.C.E.). This claim depends on how we should understand modernity. I will argue that modernization is really the result of the collapse of nobility-based close-knit “feudal” societies, and the emergence of large, populous, well-connected, mobile, and plebeianized states of strangers. Other features that we like to associate with modernity can be explained by this underlying social and political change, such as equality, freedom, market economy, and secularization, all of which are shared by China’s and Europe’s transitions to early modernity. But this is not to deny the special features of European modernity, such as the Greco-Roman heritage, the existence of the office of the Pope, the “messier” nature of European feudal regimes and their transitions to modernity, and the Age of Discovery. However, some may still object to my thesis by arguing that what is unique in European modernity is the emergency of individualism, autonomy, and rights. I will address this challenge and offer my own view about what was lacking in China’s transition to early modernity.
比较哲学工作坊第二十四讲
主办
中山大学哲学系（珠海）
主题
现代化之前的现代性——作为早期现代性的中国“周秦”之变（线上）
主讲
白彤东 复旦大学哲学学院教授
主持
Jun-Hyeok KWAK （郭峻赫）
中山大学哲学系（珠海）教授
时间
2022年3月17日15:00开始
地点
腾讯会议号：690-378-891
摘要
人们普遍认为，（近代）中国被西方打败的一个关键原因是传统中国是前现代的，而西方已经进入了所谓的现代。本文将论证中国在周秦时期 (公元前770年至公元前221年)已经处于向早期现代性过渡的阶段。这一论断取决于我们应该这样理解现代性：现代性实际上是“封建”贵族社会崩溃，以及由陌生人组成的大规模、人口众多、联系紧密、流动性强的平民化国家出现的结果。与现代性联系起来的许多特征，如平等、自由、市场经济和世俗化等，都可以用这种潜在的社会和政治变化来解释，而这些都是中国和欧洲向早期现代性过渡时所共通的。需要澄清的是，希腊-罗马的传统、教皇职位的存在、欧洲封建政权的“混乱”性质及其向现代性的过渡、以及大航海时代等构成了欧洲现代性的独特性，本文无意否认这一点。然而，有些人可能仍然认为欧洲现代性的独特之处在于个人主义、自治和权利的出现，本文将回应这一挑战，并就中国周秦之变中所缺乏的因素等问题进行阐述。
文稿 | 褚致博
编辑 | 陈嘉丽
初审 | 黄丹萍
审核 | 卢 毅
审核发布 | 屈琼斐