Chapter Eight. A Reflection On The New School Of Principle And Thoughts On Modernity

Abstract

This chapter considers Feng Youlan's thoughts on modernisation. It is not enough to simply understand modernisation as industrialisation, because the idea of industrialisation is unable to include a rationalised market economy. On the other hand, it is also not enough to simply understand modernity as instrumental rationality. It should be emphasised that on the question of modernity, a distinction should be made between the analytical mode of particularism and a grasp of reality as a whole. Around the mid-1920s Feng Youlan realised that the western culture which was generally spoken of at May Fourth was simply contemporary western culture. The metaphysics inaugurated by the New School of Principle using a logical analysis centred on universality-particularity, is not itself able to evolve into the cultural standpoint that Feng Youlan wants to uphold. Keywords: Feng Youlan; industrialisation; instrumental rationality; May Fourth period; modernisation; New School of Principle