life and inquiry into philosophy_风闻

Today at the beginning of winter, from the yellow leaves falling on the ground one after another, you can feel the chill of nature’s destruction.

It is November 2023, and for those who love wisdom and philosophy, they may know that the third Thursday of November each year is the International Philosophy Day designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. A few days ago, I also saw the news that the 25th World Congress of Philosophy will be held in Italy in August 2024.

After nearly two years of fighting in the Russo Ukrainian War, a new round of war has begun between Palestine and Israel. This world is bleeding every day. From this, I naturally recall the great philosopher Mr. Wittgenstein of Germany, who, in the trenches of World War II and amidst the sound of gunfire, was still holding a book to write and analyze philosophical papers.

Philosophy was originally a very niche thing, but Mr. Wittgenstein’s name was written into one of his songs by Chinese pop singer Mr. Dao Lang, and now his name is already widely known. Because this song ‘Luochahai Temple’ is being sung worldwide.

As for me, I became interested in philosophy when I was young, inspired by Mao Zedong’s philosophical masterpieces “On Contradictions”, “On Practice”, “Where Do People’s Correct Thoughts Come from”, and reading Aisiqi’s “Popular Philosophy”. After the reform and opening up, I eagerly and systematically studied Western philosophy in my spare time. From philosophy to Taoism in the future, this is a later statement.

When Nixon visited China for the first time, Mao Zedong met with him and discussed philosophical issues. China and the United States abandoned their past grievances, opening the door to friendly cooperation. When Nixon came, he was accompanied by a famous figure, our friend Dr. Kissinger. Half a century later, there was a rift in Sino US relations. Dr. Kissinger, regardless of his age, represented the United States in China multiple times and held talks with Chinese leaders, but failed to reach a consensus. He angrily said, “Their philosophy is different from ours. Why is the philosophy of harmony and division difficult for ordinary people to understand and dare not speak falsely.

Chinese folk philosopher Mr. Wang Dongyue once said in a large philosophical lecture that philosophy is useless. More people say that it is precisely because philosophy is useless that it has great use as a discipline for studying life’s wisdom or ultimate problems. I can only admire this metaphysical statement.

But I seem to be increasingly skeptical that philosophy, as the study of human wisdom or ultimate problems, does not solve specific problems such as war and peace, cooperation or confrontation. But if the Russo Ukrainian War or the Palestinian-Israeli War were to escalate into the Third World War, then the philosophy Wittgenstein studied in the trenches would still not help explain the significant security concerns faced by the community with a shared future for mankind.

If the Third World War drags humanity into a devastating nuclear war. So, what is the significance of philosophy as human wisdom in solving the ultimate problem of a community with a shared future for mankind?

It is obvious that Mr. Wittgenstein’s philosophy has encountered a crisis. In fact, the great physicist Mr. Hawking had long discovered this crisis in philosophy. He announced at the beginning of his work “The Grand Design” that philosophy is dead! When philosophy hands over the discourse power to explain the world to scientists, it is already dead.

However, even in today’s world where households and birds are rampant, people still need an explanation. When science cannot depict a beautiful new world for humanity after the nuclear war, the spiritual world that humanity hopes for will inevitably slide towards the brink of collapse step by step.

I walked under the shade of the early winter trees, with the mottled yellow green leaves above my head shining brightly. The fallen dead leaves had already been swept by the roadside. I picked up a fallen leaf casually, which was already covered in brown and withered yellow.

As humans with a shared future, do we really have a common philosophy? Is there a philosophical science that both Russians and Ukrainians, Israelis and Palestinians agree on?

For the future Third World War, we have no choice but to let the situation spiral out of control until the day it collapses?

For those who still hold onto philosophy and are unwilling to let go, I would like to ask a rhetorical question:

Is there any hope of revival in philosophy to save the spiritual world of humanity?

Where is the way out?

Reflect on life and inquiry into philosophy. I would like to use the above questions to teach philosophers of all things through the cold season of philosophy.

Panda’s Doctrine

November 8, 2023

For more information on the future, please listen to the following article ‘From Taoism to Philosophy’ for a breakd