• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.50
• /
• pp.305-331
• /
• 2016

This article is a reflective study on the 'modern' and 'modernity' in 'Modern Buddhism of Korea' research discourse. First, we raise the issue on how to define and describe the 'modern' in the recent 'Modern Buddhism of Korea' research. We raise some questions about whether there is the concept of "modernity" properly explained and agreed in Buddhist academia of Korea. And we will try to propose its solution. Next, we will briefly review the characteristics of 'modern' and 'modernity' in the flow of history of the West, which have never been discussed in the research discourse of "Modern Buddhist studies of Korea.' We will raise questions about whether it is possible to find a 'modernity' in itself what it is, and is further expected really 'modern' or 'modernity' in Korean conditions on the basis of this review. Finally, this article seeks to reveal what premises must be kept in mind in the 'Modern Buddhist studies of Korea', by critically reviewing researches of "Modern Buddhist studies of Korea".

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
• /
• v.126
• /
• pp.321-343
• /
• 2013

The Reformation seems to have nothing to do with modern philosophy, but in reality closely related to it. From a philosophical point of view, the Reformation had a profound effect on the formation of modern philosophy in two respects. Voluntarism, asserting the predominance of divine will over divine reason, which is the basic principle of the Reformation, allowed an arbitrary interpretation of the Bible by ignoring the tradition of the Church and emphasizing 'Sola Fide'. As a result, the severe religious disputes arose and the modern intellectuals sought a deism and natural religion as an universal religion which is expected to put an end to religious conflicts. Moreover, voluntarism changed the way of inquiring nature from the speculative to the experimental based on observation and experiment, and provided the clues of the birth of experimental philosophy (empiricism) which is the experimental inquiry of human nature. In short, the Reformation brings about the search for universal religion on the one hand, but on the other the advent of experimental philosophy. Universal religion is not a mystic religion on which the religious behaviors and practices are based but just a world view that is the basis for scientific inquiry, and it was nothing but a philosophy for science. And also the experimental philosophy was a philosophy by science in that it is a science of human nature through experiment and observation, After all, the Reformation expelled religion from the main living room of philosophy and placed science on the spot instead.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.52
• /
• pp.157-183
• /
• 2017

Korean Modernization is the period which Western Culture is settled as common sense, but modern introsepction of Confucianism acted as a sign to ask what is the basis of Korean modern subject. Park Eun-Sik transformed the basis of our thinking from Confucianism to the philosophy of Wang Yangming in the crash time of the Confucianism metaphysical structure. Park Eun-sik organized Definition of Real Me(眞我論) with the idealogical basis, that is, benevolence of the whole creation of the universe(萬物一體之仁) and the origin of the mind(良知) of Wang Yangming. He tried to realize the Basis of Confuciasism in the modern era with the origin of the mind(良知). And also he tried to figure out the origin of Confucianism by The public(民衆). He suggested the Public(民衆) as the unity to realize the Confucianism as equalitarianism. Park Eun-Sik declared the thought of great unity and peace of Korea(大同平和思想) with the idea of Real Me(眞我論) and benevolence of the whole creation of the universe(萬物一體之仁). Great unity and peace of Korea(大同平和思想) is based with the origin of the mind(良知) of Wang Yangming and is realized to be fulfilled as the thought of great unity and peace of Korea(大同平和思想).

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
• /
• v.126
• /
• pp.25-52
• /
• 2013

In this thesis, the author will examine how modern philosophical expression manifests in the field of ethics based on Kant's Ethics. The author will critically assess whether Kant's Ethics is an appropriate rational theoretical alternative to overcome today's ecological crisis. In the first section, the author lists the characteristics of modernity. The purpose of this section is to show why Kant's Ethics must be understood in the context of modern age and how his ethics expresses the ideology of the modernity(I). In the second section, the author will analyze the challenge Kant's Ethics face in relation to ecological crisis from the context of dualism between person and thing(II). In the last section, the author will inspect the flaw of Kant's Ethics based on his positive position regarding vicarious duties toward animals, and pose the basic direction of the theory of ecological publicness that can overcome the limits of Kant's Ethics in the context of a critical reconstruction of neo-confucian tradition(III).

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
• /
• v.126
• /
• pp.235-261
• /
• 2013

This paper aims to cast light upon the urgent problem philosophically the reason why local or locality can not help being raised as the problem of ontological 'between' in human life, in the post modern discourse trying to surmount the general modern system in modern times and it. Therefore, it is necessary that we should inspect the quality of human life, raising a basic question about the existence of human among many questions raised in the process of the discussion of modern and post modern(2). In addition, in the process, we should look into closely what relations local or locality has with the quality of human life, because only in the local, human can be the subject who is making meaning the time and the places, being tangled with the trace of various texture and wrinkles from life. Also, it is here, in the local that subjects can identify to live together through the intersubjective network(3). When these conditions are met, local or locality will emerge as the possibility of locality humanities, as ontological 'between' in human life, where true humane and social life is possible(4).

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
• /
• v.39
• /
• pp.69-97
• /
• 2021

'Déconstruction' is a system of thought that induces the emergent property that characterizes contemporary philosophy. The tradition of ancient Greek philosophy evolved over and over again, giving rise to the Renaissance and Enlightenment. It seemed to have reached its end under the historical perspective of modernity. However, contemporary philosophy wanted to see more possibilities through the deconstruction of modern philosophy. If modern philosophy dreams of a strange cohabitation between God and man with the humanistic completion of Plato's philosophy, modern philosophy rejects even that through deconstruction. Although Plato's classical metaphysics is a stable system centered around the absolute, it is ultimately based on God and religion. Under that system, human autonomy is only the autonomy bestowed by God. Contemporary philosophy is one of the results of efforts that try to begin philosophy from the original human voice through deconstruction. Instead of epistemology dependent on metaphysics, they wanted to establish epistemology from human existence and realize the best good that would set humans free through deconstruction. As such, it is no mistake to say that deconstruction is also an extension of the modern topic of human freedom. Deconstruction and human freedom act as one body in that the two cannot be separated from each other. Oddly enough, Daesoon Thought, which seems to have religious faith and traditional conservatism as main characteristics, has an emergent property that encompasses modern and contemporary times. The period of Korea, when Kang Jeungsan was active and founded Daesoon Thought, has an important meaning for those who have a keen view of history. Such individuals likely think that they have found a valuable treasure. This is because that period was a time when ideological activities were conducted due to an intense desire to discover the meaning of human freedom and envision a new world without copying the ways of the West. Instead they looked to face internal problems and raise people's awareness through subjectivity. In other words, the subtle ideas created by Korea's self-sustaining liberalism often take the form of what is commonly called new religions in modern times. Among these new religions, Daesoon Thought, as a Chamdonghak (true Eastern Learning), aims to spread a particular modern value beyond modern times through the concept of Haewon (the resolution of grievances) that was proclaimed by Jeungsan. The Haewon espoused in Daesoon Thought is in line with the disbandment of modern philosophy in that it contains modernity beyond modern times. First, Haewon means to resolve the fundamental resentment of human existence, which arose from Danju's grievance. Secondly, Haewon in Daesoon Thought encompasses the Haewon of the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity centers on a Haewon-esque style of existence called Injon (Human Nobility). Haewon in Daesoon Thought can be understood in the same context as Derrida's philosophy of Deconstruction. Modern deconstruction attempts to expose the invisible structures and bonds within human society and attempt to destroy them. In a similar way, Haewon endeavors to resolve the conflicts among the Three Realms by releasing the bonds of fundamental oppression that hinder the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.50
• /
• pp.171-200
• /
• 2016

The full-scaled study of Joseon conducted by Japan in the 1910s was part of its colonial policy, while the native Joseon studies against it contained political aspiration to recover the national rights and independence. Accordingly, the conceptual meaning of 'Joseon' varied according to its subject of speech. The establishment of modern nation-state failed along with the extinction of Korean Empire, but 'Joseon' was newly discovered within national ideology. It became a historical concept in which the experience of the past and the expectation toward the future could be united. The so-called 'Joseon Studies' was only limited to intellectuals in the academic circle, but 'Joseon' embraced the articulations from more various social agents. Furthermore, it is only natural that 'Joseon Studies' should be interpreted within the historical semantics of 'Joseon', considering the connection between concept and discourse. In his The History of Joseon Civilization, An Hwak encompassed the history from the times of ancient mythology to the contemporary times under the banner of 'Joseon'. Opposing Japanese distortion of history carried out in the name of historical positivism, he idealized Joseon history as comparable to that of the Western democracy. He extended the study of 'Joseon' into culture at large, foreshadowing a kind of Joseon philosophy. In his An Overview of Joseon Philosophical Ideas, the first description of 'Joseon philosophy' as an independent field, he proposed philosophy as one of three sources of pride in Joseon and asserted its uniqueness and originality compared to the West. It was an attempt to grasp the peculiarity of Joseon ideas from a perspective of the history of universal human civilization. He considered 'Jong'(倧) as an ideological foundation held from the ancient to the modern times, and the acceptance of Buddhism and Confucianism as beneficial to 'Joseon philosophy'. The birth of 'Joseon philosophy', the modern transformation of the traditional knowledge system, was an intellectual experiment to apply traditional knowledge to the modern disciplinary classification system.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.36
• /
• pp.319-352
• /
• 2013

This paper aims to compare Liang Shu-Ming and Lee Don-Hwa's perceptions of modernization and the philosophical grounds of their perceptions during the New Cultural Movement period in Korea and China. Although Liang and Lee had different levels of enthusiasm towards New Cultural Movement, they shared many commonalities in their attitudes to Western modernization and their philosophical justifications for such attitudes. Liang Shu-Ming not only held positive views of Western modernization, but also examined the spiritual dynamics contributing to the development in science and democracy in Western countries. By analyzing the three fundamental questions of life, three kinds of human attitudes toward life, three types of culture derived from human attitudes, and the recapitulation theory, Liang systematically reviewed the spiritual dimension of Western modernization. Liang defined the spirit of Western modernization as a calculative rationality based on egoism and the separation of Self and Other. Such a statement demonstrates Liang's keen insights towards Western modernization. Meanwhile, although Lee Don-Hwa basically held positive views of Western modernization, from the beginning, he pointed out the problems with Western modernization and attempted to overcome these problems by employing the "human is heaven" doctrine of Cheondogyo. While Lee embraced modern science and the theory of evolution, he also insisted on the legitimacy of mysticism and the compatibility of the creation theory of Cheondogyo and the theory of evolution. Although Lee employed the concepts in Western philosophy of life, he also emphasized the interdependence, reciprocal relationship, and connectedness between Self and Other from the perspective of Cheodogyo doctrine. From the fact that Lee Don-Hwa transcended the modernization theory when he was applying it to answer questions, it seemed that Lee preceded Liang Shu-Ming. Nevertheless, Lee did not demonstrate the keen insight into the spiritual dimension of Western modernization, and his criticism against Western modernization did not touch upon the problem of rationality as Liang did.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.30
• /
• pp.59-86
• /
• 2010

This paper tries to study theoretical transformation about modernity by analyzing changes of the concepts of Gaining Knowledge of the Study of Things(格物致知). Gaining Knowledge of the Study of Things(格物致知) was the main concept to explain the thought of Neo-Confucianism(性理學). But in the Modern era Gaining Knowledge of the Study of Things(格物致知) was understood as the meaning of Science. In Neo-Confucianism(性理學) Gaining Knowledge of the Study of Things(格物致知) was closely related to the side of human duty and the moral value judgement. But in the modern meaning Gaining Knowledge of the Study of Things(格物致知: Science) was focused to scientific study of the objective matter. So the Science on Gaining Knowledge of the Study of Things(格物致知學) effect to breakup the thinking of Neo-Confucianism(性理學).

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
• /
• no.36
• /
• pp.173-202
• /
• 2013

In Korea The understanding about physical body contains several cultural and historical experiences. In the modern times several discussions bring about changes from moral training to physical education. Physical education shows clearly modern physical human being by destructions of confusional human being. In confusional philosophy human body contains moral facts such as moral training. Moral training shows right mind, so every physical acts target mental and cultural training. So in this capitalism, it is needed o training right moral training and right physical education.