Leibniz and Hegel on China: Episteme, World-System, and Disconnection in Modern Europe
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Abstract
This paper compares the views of Leibniz and Hegel on China with the aim of identifying the conceptual shifts that contributed to the formation of European modernity. The analysis draws on Michel Foucault’s concept of episteme and Immanuel Wallerstein’s world-system theory. The hypothesis is that the reflections of both philosophers express transformations in the epistemic order and the world-system, as well as a decisive operation of disconnection in the constitution of modern European identity and its ties with China in the nineteenth century. The methodological approach is qualitative, offering a critical interpretation of Leibniz’s and Hegel’s texts alongside specialized literature. The first section presents the concepts of episteme and world-system as an analytical framework for interpreting philosophical views on China. The second examines Leibniz’s proposal of a “commerce of light” aimed at the perfection of humanity. The third part studies Hegel’s perspective, centered on the supposed immobility of the Chinese people and their exclusion from history due to their lack of subjectivity. Finally, the paper reflects on the shifting representation of “China” between both philosophers and its implications for Sino-European relations.
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