A Global Enlightenment: Western Progress and Chinese Science

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 23 June 2023
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

A fresh perspective on the concept of progress unveils an untold tale of European interaction with Chinese science. The Enlightenment not only brought forth novel notions of progress but also sparked significant discussions surrounding them. Did ancient times and distant lands hold any lessons for the present? Voltaire held the belief that they did, while Hegel was firmly convinced otherwise. Early philosophers hailed Chinese philosophy as a timeless exemplar of reason. Subsequently, some philosophers dismissed it as outdated. In an effort to defend ancient knowledge, a group of French statesmen and intellectuals initiated a dialogue with the final great scholar of the Jesuit mission in China. Together, they drew upon Chinese learning to challenge the emerging notion of Western advancement.

A Global Enlightenment: Unveiling the Forgotten Exchange between China and the West explores this overlooked interaction between China and the West, offering compelling insights into the history of progress, notions of European exceptionalism, and European engagement with Chinese science. To unravel this story, Alexander Statman delves into a group of thinkers known as "orphans of the Enlightenment," individuals who embraced many of their contemporaries' ideals but valued ancient wisdom. These scholars engaged in extensive studies of astronomical records, gas balloons, electrical machines, yin-yang cosmology, animal magnetism, and Daoist medicine. Their inquiries played a pivotal role in establishing a new approach to the global history of science.

Packed with fresh archival research and captivating anecdotes, A Global Enlightenment dismantles two prevailing assumptions about the early to late modern period. While historians have traditionally maintained that the idea of a mysterious and enigmatic East was inherent in Enlightenment progress theory, Statman contends that it was the orphans of the Enlightenment who introduced this notion: by identifying China as a source of knowledge and wisdom.

Through their intellectual pursuits, these scholars challenged prevailing European beliefs and helped shape a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of the world. Their engagement with Chinese science not only enriched their understanding of the natural world but also contributed to the broader global intellectual discourse. A Global Enlightenment offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex and multifaceted history of science and culture.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226825762