Journal of East China Normal University (Philosoph ›› 2019, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (3): 51-58.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2019.03.005

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Different Solutions to the Problems of “Narrow Epistemology”

LIU Jing-fang   

  • Online:2019-05-15 Published:2019-05-22

Abstract: Stimulated by the view that the consciousness of logic and epistemology was underdeveloped in traditional Chinese philosophy, some Chinese philosophers in the 20th century such as ZHANG Dong-sun, JIN Yue-lin and FENG Qi paid much attention to the study of epistemology. Their contribution lies not only in exploring a "metaphysical approach" to epistemology, but also in finding new solutions to the problems of "the narrow epistemology", which has been the main concern of modern Western philosophy. They acknowledge the limitations of sensation but try to find other ways of connecting nature and man, subject and object; they acknowledge the importance of category but try to expound different category systems; they acknowledge the importance of logic but try to expand the "logical foundation" of epistemology. These new solutions to the problems of "narrow epistemology" have been important accomplishments of Chinese epistemology in the 20th century.

Key words: modern Chinese epistemology, the expansion of “the realm of nature”, the category system of Chinese philosophy, the logical foundation of epistemology