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Abstract

The first Jesuit missionaries who entered China, landing first in Macao, adopted Chinese attire, learned the Chinese language, and adapted the Christian message to Chinese culture. This is often understood as a successful hermeneutic practice that facilitated intellectual exchange between China and Europe. The Jesuit reception of Chinese thought may be viewed as one of the founding moments of comparative philosophy. It is also a fascinating case study for observing the process of intellectual transmission between two distinct cultures. By examining how ideas change and interact in different conceptual environments, we can grasp the formation of new philosophical concepts, discursive spaces, and intercultural identities. In this lecture, we will examine the philosophical assumptions and challenges inherent in the accommodationist strategy and consider its impact on the perception of Chinese philosophy in early modern Europe.

Bio

Mateusz Janik (1983) is a historian of ideas, working in the field of global history of philosophy and  comparative political studies. He is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Political Studies (Polish Academy of Sciences). His latest research is focused on the genealogy of Sino-Spinozism and monist interpretations of Neo-Confucian philosophy in early modern Europe.