CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2024
| Author | Han, Zhen |
|---|---|
| Title | The Concept of Nature: Eric Voegelin on Human Nature and Chinese Ecumene |
| Summary | The concept of nature, encompassing both human and physical nature, is a significant and well-explored area in intellectual history. However, the relationship between these diverse meanings remains underdeveloped. Austrian-American philosopher Eric Voegelin's comprehensive work provides an opportunity to delve into these aspects. In the first chapter, I examine Voegelin's correspondence with conservative theorist Leo Strauss regarding John Locke's theory of natural rights. I argue that Voegelin holds a more conservative view on human nature, centering on his belief in reality, which echoes his debate with Hannah Arendt. In the second chapter, I analyze Voegelin's historical philosophy of order and his linear historical view of normative nature, which was challenged by his reading of China's T'ien-hsia—a parallel historical process to the Western Ecumene, or inhabited world. I argue that Voegelin's solution relies on the even spatial nature of the Ecumene itself, applying this concept to both China and the West, though he did not elaborate on it. I propose an interpretation based on the spatial perspective, or physical nature, of the Chinese Ecumene. This perspective aligns with Voegelin's renovation of historiography for comparative civilization studies, influenced by Karl Jaspers. Voegelin's solution offers a promising approach to address the malleability of the concept of nature and the oscillation between human and physical nature. |
| Supervisor | Riedl, Matthias; Kontler, Laszlo |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2024/han_zhen.pdf |
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