Neo-Essentialism: Regulation and Commonality in Subjective World
来源:Lecture Notes in Economics, Management and Social Sciences, Vol.60 (July 15-16,2023), pp.385-392. | 作者:Yong Duan | 发布时间: 2023-08-18 | 7093 次浏览 | 分享到:
Abstract: What we call national character is not an abstract thing that exists in the objective world, but understanding that is abstractly summarized after we observe the thoughts and behaviors of one by one specific person. Abstract things can transcend particular time and space and apply to a very large scale, so abstract things have great value. Regulation and commonality are abstract things. There are two kinds of regulation and commonality: one is in the objective world and one in the subjective world. Regulation and commonality in the objective world are not the source of knowledge, nor are they the criteria for testing truth. Theories about the regulation and commonality of the objective world are dogmatic. Essence offen refers to abstract regulation and commonality. Dialectical Dualism holds that the essence in the objective world has no value, while the essence in the subjective world has high value and is the main contents of human civilization and culture. The main task of philosophical Ontology is to establish the essence in the subjective world, including the Origin, Noumenon, regulations, concepts, commonalities, world views and so on. This is the Neo-essentialism.
Key words: Ontology; Essentialism; Essence; Anti-essentialism; Abstract

The Dao Li of the objective world have no value. So the Subjective Idealists and Anti-essentialists say that there is no Dao Li in the objective world. Wang Yangming said,"There is no Li outside the heart, there is no Wu outside the heart." G.Berkeley said, Existence is to be perceived. Berkeley's Existence is only the existence of concrete substance, he only said that there is no Wu outside the heart, but did not say that there is no Li outside the heart. Wang Yangming was not only more than 200 years earlier than Berkeley, more than 100 years earlier than Descartes, but also more comprehensive than Berkeley and Descartes. In fact, we can admit the existence of the Dao Li of objective world, because we have no hard evidence for their existence or non-existence. Objective Idealism says they exist, which is dogmatic. And the question of whether they exist is not important. The important thing is that the Dao Li of the objective world have no value.

3.3 Dogmatism

According to the Buddhist sutras, the foot of Mount Xumi is divided into four continents -- East Shengshen continent, West Niuhe continent, South Shanbu continent and North Julu continent. Three thousand Xumi Mountains are called a Small Thousand Worlds, three thousand Small Thousand Worlds are called one Medium Thousand World, and three thousand Medium Thousand Worlds are called one Large Thousand World. The world we live in now is within the three thousand Large Thousand Worlds ruled by the Sakyamuni Buddha.

Each religion has its own interpretation of the world, and these interpretations are dogmatic. The Objective Idealist philosophers have also put forward many explanations of the world, most of which are dogmatic. For example, Laozi said that Tao gave birth to heaven and earth, ancient Greek philosophers said that water, fire, ideas, etc. are the origin of the world, and so on. Religious dogmatism cannot be doubted, philosophical dogmatism can be doubted. So the dogmatism of philosophy has been criticized.

I.Kant said, "In Metaphysics, reason is constantly in trouble. Here, people have to retrace their steps countless times. This field seems to have been set up solely for the exercise of its various forces in the game of battle. Never before has any combatant been able to win so much as an inch of ground, and establish some secure occupation on the basis of his victory." Kant was frustrated: "What, then, is the reason for the failure to discover reliable way of a science in this respect? Is this path impossible? By what means does nature indulge reason in this indefatigable effort to trace this path as one of her most important business? What is more, if reason, in one of the most important parts of our intellectual curiosity, not only abandons us, but confuses and ultimately deceives us, why do we have to trust our reason? Either that path has not yet been reached , and by what omen can we hope for our next quest, that we shall be luckier than others before us?" [3]

The solution to this problem is simple. Dogmatic theories has no foundation, so they are denied, and had been going back countless times. Dogmatism can not be discussed. The objective Dao Li is not the truth that we use to guide practice. The Dao Li that we use to guide practice is the logical structure of the subjective world. Reason in the past was addicted to looking for objective Dao Li, so it was deceived. Only by finding out the essence as consciousness and the value standard of Metaphysics can we put an end to dogmatism and finally establish solid Metaphysics and Essentialism fortunately.