Orientalismo alemão e a falácia da inexistência de filosofia na China

German Orientalism and the Fallacy of the Nonexistence of Philosophy in China

Authors

  • Antonio Florentino Neto Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)

Abstract

The text analyzes how German philosophers such as Herder, Hegel and Schelling constructed a negative and reductionist view of Chinese philosophy, based on stereotypes and Eurocentrism. Herder described China as an “embalmed mummy”, attributing its supposed stagnation to biological and geographical characteristics. Hegel denied philosophical status to Chinese thought, alleging a lack of individual freedom and linguistic deficiencies. Schelling associated China with a “generic humanity” without mythology, essential for historical progress. These interpretations, based on prejudices and limited sources, influenced and
still influence the predominant Western conception of philosophy, legitimizing colonialist discourses. The text criticizes these views, highlighting their arbitrariness and methodological flaws, and defends philosophical plurality, questioning supposedly universal Western criteria. It concludes with a call to decolonize the philosophical canon and promote more consistent intercultural dialogues.

Keywords: German idealism; Eurocentrism; philosophical colonialism; Chinese philosophy

Author Biography

Antonio Florentino Neto, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)

Pesquisador do Brasil-China - Unicamp e Professor Colaborador do Programa de Pós-Gradução em Ciências Sociais da Unicamp - área Brasil-China.

Published

2025-07-10

How to Cite

Florentino Neto, A. (2025). Orientalismo alemão e a falácia da inexistência de filosofia na China: German Orientalism and the Fallacy of the Nonexistence of Philosophy in China. Modernos & Contemporâneos - International Journal of Philosophy [issn 2595-1211], 9(20), 122–140. Retrieved from https://ojs.ifch.unicamp.br/index.php/modernoscontemporaneos/article/view/5400

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