New Trends in Western Academic Circles: Seeking New Humanitarianism

Author: Lu Xianggan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The humanitarianism of yesterday, originating solely from religious or secular revelations, is fading away—so it is said. Or is it the very archetype of humanity itself that is dying out? This question is at least worth raising. Are the voices coming from all directions today not urging us to understand that everything is "constructed" and "fabricated"? Does any inherited moral norm seem acceptable anymore? Does mentioning any form of human nature or natural essence still hold ground? Today, only the notion of human infinite malleability is acceptable—that is, allowing every free individual to shape themselves according to their own way, free from all collectively accepted norms. Or more precisely, it is the opposition to all norms, for only by resisting norms can freedom be a source and proof of itself. The World on the Verge of Impersonality? The discourse of modernization, in its own way, integrates the themes of rupture and revolutionary reckoning. Transformations are constantly described as "radical" and "revolutionary": "the radical transformation of labor," "the radical restructuring of the labor system," "technological revolution," "information revolution," "intelligence revolution," and so on. If we borrow from both Trotsky and Mao to elaborate on this, one could say that the revolution that management so proudly trumpets is both enduring and global and cultural. Adaptation absurdly becomes revolutionary, because all forms of evolution in every field are seen as inherently new ways of life, action, and thinking. The concepts of rupture and "reckoning," which produce new people adapted to new circumstances, are part of this discourse. But such revolutions differ from revolutionary ideology; one cannot imagine a prototype of a glorious future. Modernization and Polite Savagery This book introduces the perspectives of Western scholars through five thematic sections:
1. Man, Non-Man, Impersonal Man, Superman
2. Humanitarianism and Democracy
3. Democracy Between Nature and Transcendence
4. Can There Be Ethics and Democracy Without Transcendence?
5. Bioethics and Social Darwinism
This is an open-access academic journal that advocates interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, primarily introducing new ideas and viewpoints. Each issue focuses on a specific theme, dynamically presenting and analyzing the latest trends in international academic circles.