In Search of a Universal Ethics

Albert Schweitzer's Reception and Transformation of Chinese Thought

Yuan, Weishi

• Publisher: Cuvillier Verlag
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9783736977150
• eBook ISBN: 9783736967151
• Edition: 1

This book investigates Albert Schweitzer's research on China, which first emerged in the 1910s and ended in 1939/40. Schweitzer's China research evolved alongside the development of his "Kulturphilosophie" research for over a quarter of a century. In "Part I: In Preparation, " this book will mainly focus on the historical background against which Schweitzer formulated his Reverence for Life and established his networks with the China experts. In "Part II: In Progress, " Schweitzer's periodic research outcomes, which were presented in several of his publications and manuscripts, will be studied. Subsequently, in "Part III: In Completion, " Richard Wilhelm's translation of the Yi Jing, which lay down the fundamental principles for Chinese thought, Schweitzer's final manuscript from 1939/40 under the title Geschichte des indischen und chinesischen Denkens, and his final depiction of Chinese thought will be given special attention.The starting point for Schweitzer's China research was his ideal ethical philosophy of Reverence for Life, which he formulated in the context of the decline of the Western civilization and was heavily shaped by his religious and philosophical convictions. Reverence for Life underscored humanistic concerns, and its ideals eventually became Schweitzer's interpretative principles in his investigation of Chinese thought. Schweitzer was never a specialist in Chinese thought and Chinese civilization. Dependent on the research of European sinologists, his China research served to justify the necessity for Reverence for Life as well as of the methods for applying this new ethical philosophy. During his entire China research, Schweitzer made great efforts to critically interpret and transform the knowledge that had been conveyed by European sinologists such as Richard Wilhelm. Although in his final research Schweitzer had already seen great resemblance between classical Confucianism in China and his Reverence for Life, he did not ultimately manage to verify his assumptions. His final manuscript on Chinese thought from 1939/40 remained unpublished when he passed away in 1965.

Table of contents

• Illustrations
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1. Introduction
• 1.1 Weltphilosophie
• 1.2 China Research
• 1.3 Categories and Grid Lines
• 1.4 Knowledge of Chinese Thought
• 1.5 Research Questions
• 1.6 Structure
• 1.7 Theory and Method
• 1.8 State of Research
• 1.9 Formality
• Chapter 2. Albert Schweitzer: A Short Biography
• 2.1 Youth
• 2.2 Scholar
• 2.3 Humanist
• 2.4 Africa
• 2.5 Nuclear Disarmament
• Chapter 3. Albert Schweitzer: Intellectual Background
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Fin de Siècle
• 3.3 Modernity in Question: Rationalism and Historicism
• 3.4 The Rise of Lebensphilosophie
• 3.5 Strasbourg Legacy
• 3.6 New Renaissance
• Chapter 4. The Emergence of Reverence for Life
• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Religion and Philosophy in Albert Schweitzer’s Thought
• 4.3 On Christianity
• 4.4 On Philosophy of Civilization
• 4.5 Conclusion
• Chapter 5. The Philosophy of Reverence for Life
• 5.1 The European Spiritual Legacy
• 5.2 Ideal Philosophy in the Name of Goethe
• 5.3 Theological and Philosophical Transformation of the Willensphilosophie
• 5.4 The Ethics of Reverence for Life
• Chapter 6. Albert Schweitzer’s Access to the Chinese Spiritual World
• 6.1 Overview
• 6.2 Early Encounters with China: The Strasbourg Period
• 6.3 Knowledge of China Enriched: 1914–1930
• 6.4 Last Engagement with China: 1930–1957
• Chapter 7. The History of Albert Schweitzer’s China Research
• 7.1 Overview
• 7.2 Albert Schweitzer and Das chinesische Denken
• 7.3 State of Research on Chinese Thought
• Chapter 8. First Round of China Research: 1914–1920/21
• 8.1 Albert Schweitzer’s China Research
• 8.2 First China Research: 1914–1921
• 8.3 Reference Books on Chinese Thought
• 8.4 Chinese Thought in Albert Schweitzer’s Manuscript (1920/21)
• Chapter 9. Chinese Thought in Albert Schweitzer’s Publications
• 9.1 Christianity and Philosophy of Civilization
• 9.2 Das Christentum und die Weltreligionen (1923)
• 9.3 Kulturphilosophie II: Kultur und Ethik (1923)
• Chapter 10. Second China Research: Phase One: 1931–1933
• 10.1 Second Round of China Research: Phase One: 1931–1933
• 10.2 Taoism
• 10.3 Confucianism
• 10.4 Gan Ying Pian
• Chapter 11. Richard Wilhelm: The Yi Jing and Chinese Thought
• 11.1 Overview
• 11.2 The Yi Jing: A Short History of Reception in Europe
• 11.3 The Yi Jing: The Fundamental Principles
• 11.4 Richard Wilhelm and the Yi Jing
• 11.5 Hellmut Wilhelm and the Yi Jing
• 11.6 Taoism and Confucianism
• Chapter 12. Origin of Chinese Thought
• 12.1 Overview of Albert Schweitzer’s Final China Research
• 12.2 Mysticism in China
• 12.3 Elementary Natural Philosophy
• Chapter 13. Kong Zi and The Taoists
• 13.1 Common Conviction Shared
• 13.2 Kong Zi
• 13.3 The Taoists
• 13.4 Albert Schweitzer’s Adaptation of Reference Works
• Chapter 14. Later Development
• 14.1 Overview
• 14.2 Classical Epoch
• 14.3 Chinese Thought: Unfinished Project
• Chapter 15. Conclusion
• 15.1 Interpretative Categories
• 15.2 Unique Approach, Reception, and Transformation
• 15.3 Interweaving Portrait of Chinese Thought
• 15.4 Albert Schweitzer’s Final Critical Assessment
• 15.5 Final Remarks
• Bibliography