Knowledge Evolution and Social Control: A Comparative Sociological Analysis of the History of Educational Knowledge in China

Author: Wu Gang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: This book offers a fresh interpretation of the Needham Problem and the history of Chinese knowledge from a social constructivist perspective, drawing on methods such as genetic structuralism, institutional economics, and game theory. By discussing the differences between Tao and Logos, Eastern and Western discourse styles, nominalism and logic, knowledge classification methods, and knowledge production principles, the book analyzes the distinct paths of knowledge development in Eastern and Western civilizations. Furthermore, it explores the functional differences between Eastern and Western education as cultural transmission and preservation activities, particularly the profound impact of the social processes of knowledge selection and distribution brought about by the imperial examination system on education. This book serves as a reference for professionals, graduate students, and undergraduates in the fields of sociology, history, and education. Starting from a social constructivist perspective, the book analyzes the distinct paths of knowledge development in Eastern and Western civilizations and further examines the functional differences between Eastern and Western education as cultural transmission and preservation activities, especially the far-reaching effects of the social processes of knowledge selection and distribution resulting from the imperial examination system on education.