I. Some Reflections on the Conference Theme: "Chinese Philosophy as World Philosophy"

At first sight, one may justly look askance at the conference theme itself and wonder: In precisely what sense can one claim Chinese philosophy as world philosophy? In the following discussion we wish to discuss this very issue.

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The Kipling statement over a century ago that "the East is East, the West is West, never shall the twain meet" is found, and is bound to be a fallacy-the fallacy of labelism, especially when applied to the compara-tive studies of Chinese and world philosophies. The expressions "China" or "things Chinese," as Russell pointed out in the early 20s, indicate less a political entity than a civilization. They signify more than a geogra-phical division. Expressions like "Chinese" or "Non-Chinese," "East" or "West" as labels of geographical divisions, are inherently misleading as labels of intellectual divisions..

Needless to say, Chinese philosophy forms a part of world philo-sophy as any other cultural philosophical heritages do, such as Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Persian, Islamic, European (German, French, English, Italian, Spanish), African, American (North American, Latin American). Obviously, the conference theme of "Chinese Philosophy as World Philosophy" is not to be taken in the geographical or segregational sense; otherwise, this conference itself should have been adjourned long before we meet-here and now. Essentially, it should be taken in the contribu-tional-participational-integrational sense. .

Attention should focus on those aspects of classical Chinese philosophy that abound in perennial interest, universal appeal and modern global significance. Viewing the case sub species eternitatis, one is at a vantage point to appreciate A. N. Whitehead's statement: "The more we know of Chinese art, of Chinese literature, and of the Chinese philosophy of life, the more we admire the heights to which that civilization attained. Having regard to the span of time, and to the population concerned. China forms the largest volume of civilization which the world has seen."1

II. How to Epitomize the Essentials of Chinese Philosophy

Professor Wing-tsit Chan, distinguished senior scholar in the field, opens chapter one in A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy: "If one word could characterize the entire history of Chinese philosophical thought, that word would be humanism ...". 2 We are afraid that that one word is not enough; for as it stands, it is a description in terms of genus without species. Naturally one wonders: what then makes it different from humanism in ancient Greece (Heraclitus, Protagoras, Socrates, etc.) involving the tension of "Man vs. Nature" on the one hand and humanism in modern Europe since the Renaissance involving the tension of "Man vs. God" on the other? Fully aware of the importance of due qualification, Professor Chan continues, "not the humanism that denies or slights a Supreme Power, but one that professes the unity of man, [Nature] and Heaven.

In this sense, humanism has dominated Chinese thought from the dawn of its history."3 In 1971 co-author Suncrates coined the term "creative humanism" in his dissertation (SIUC) as an alternative, which was also suggested to the 5th Centennial Symposium on Wang Yang-ming, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1972. Now, if one word is still to be preferred we suggest "creativism" instead. Charles Hartshorne has a book titled Beyond Humanism; but never has he or any one else chosen "beyond creativism." The ground-concept for Chinese philosophy is that of creativity, or more precisely, perpetual creativity.(This article was written with Dr. James W. Kidd. To be continued)