Return to the origin of thought - A dialogue between Eastern and Western philosophy and Marxist philosophy (Zhao Dunhua volume)

Author: Zhao Dunhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: "Return to the thing itself" is the slogan of phenomenology. For phenomenology, "the thing itself" refers to the object that appears in consciousness, and "returning to the thing itself" means seeking the essence of things within consciousness. This is not wrong, but some major phenomenologists equate "consciousness" with the "self-consciousness" of the individual. They did not see that human consciousness is a world of thought. The study of human consciousness cannot be self-enclosed within the realm of individual consciousness but must be open to the world of human thought. Therefore, I have modified the phenomenological slogan to "Return to the origin of thought." The "origin" I refer to is a compound word, including the meanings of "foundation" and "source." The foundation of the world of thought is its constituent elements—texts. Texts both contain the essence of thought and serve as its carrier. They are passed down through history, appearing before people of each generation for understanding, appreciation, and critique. Texts are both the manifestation of the individual subject and objective objects of history and the public. In the world of thought, we must first confront texts, especially classic texts. "Return to the origin of thought" means continuously interpreting, discussing, and disseminating classics.
Although texts are important, they are not everything in the world. The origin of texts lies outside the real world. But the real world is the world of humans. Human nature and the environment in which humans live and the culture they create are the endless and inexhaustible sources of texts created by individuals in history. "Return to the origin of thought" means returning to the evolutionary process of the origin and development of human nature, reflecting on the "origin" of the current world of thought we inhabit, and starting from there to trace the roots of cultural traditions and the source of self-consciousness.
"Return to the thing itself" is the slogan of phenomenology. For phenomenology, "the thing itself" refers to the object that appears in consciousness, and "returning to the thing itself" means seeking the essence of things within consciousness. This is not wrong, but some major phenomenologists equate "consciousness" with the "self-consciousness" of the individual. They did not see that human consciousness is a world of thought. The study of human consciousness cannot be self-enclosed within the realm of individual consciousness but must be open to the world of human thought. Therefore, I have modified the phenomenological slogan to "Return to the origin of thought." The "origin" I refer to is a compound word, including the meanings of "foundation" and "source." The foundation of the world of thought is its constituent elements—texts. Texts both contain the essence of thought and serve as its carrier. They are passed down through history, appearing before people of each generation for understanding, appreciation, and critique. Texts are both the manifestation of the individual subject and objective objects of history and the public. In the world of thought, we must first confront texts, especially classic texts. "Return to the origin of thought" means continuously interpreting, discussing, and disseminating classics.
Although texts are important, they are not everything in the world. The origin of texts lies outside the real world. But the real world is the world of humans. Human nature and the environment in which humans live and the culture they create are the endless and inexhaustible sources of texts created by individuals in history. "Return to the origin of thought" means returning to the evolutionary process of the origin and development of human nature, reflecting on the "origin" of the current world of thought we inhabit, and starting from there to trace the roots of cultural traditions and the source of self-consciousness.