Abstraction Vol.48, No.3

1. The Triumvirate in Late Imperial China: A Discussion on the Abbreviation “Zeng-Zuo-Li”
Ronald Chung-Yam Po Doctoral graduate, Department of History, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

2. Change and Institutionalization of Anatomic Amphitheater: A Study Focused on French Anatomic Amphitheaters in 18th Centur
Yueh-Yuan Chen Assistant Professor, Department of History, National Chung Hsing University

3. On Nagel’s Views of Consciousnes
Chien-Chih Chi Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Huafan University

4. A Survey of the Characteristics of Dialectic and Ontology in Paul Tillich’s Theology of Culture
Che-Ming Chang Doctoral candidate, Department of Religious Studies, Fu Jen Catholic University

5. Viewing Schooling from Bourdieu’s Reproduction Perspective
Chia-Hui Chen Doctoral candidate, Department of Education, National Hsinchu University of Education

Book Review
Carolyn Korsmeyer, Gender and Aesthetics: An Intorduction
Ya-Lan Liu



The Triumvirate in Late Imperial China: A Discussion on the Abbreviation “Zeng-Zuo-Li”

Ronald Chung-Yam Po
Doctoral graduate, Department of History, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

Abstract

“Zeng-Zuo-Li” is an abbreviation frequently employed to categorize three significant late Qing (1644-1912) officials, Zeng Guofan (1811-1872), Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885) and Li Hongzhang (1823-1901). This paper attempts to trace the provenance  of the abbreviation in a variety of historical sources. Apart from presenting a documentary survey, this study also discusses the ideologies of using the abbreviation across scholars in different eras and the value-judgment embodied.

Simply put, after the Taiping Rebellion was wiped out by the Qing force in 1872, “Zeng-Zuo-Li” emerged as a positive and extolling expression, which symbolized “a galaxy of extraordinarily able officials” bailing the Manchu ruling house out of crisis. Not only did they put down the
rebellions, but also attempted to advance the bureaucracy and restore order. Their lives, achievements, and careers were recognized as an integral part of the late Qing self- strengthening experience.

However, when the Qing Empire was invaded by both Euro-American and Japanese imperialism, the meaning of the abbreviation was interpreted and construed in contradicting ways by cultural elites holding diverse, or even polarized, political biases. Contrary to the situation in the midnineteenth century, “Zeng-Zuo-Li,” in the last two decades of the Qing rule, became the metonym of a weak, corrupted and backward China. Hence, this paper argues that the evolution of the attributes and functions of “Zeng-ZuoLi” is closely related to the study of contextualization in late imperial China.

Keywords: Zeng-Zuo-Li, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang



Change and Institutionalization of Anatomic Amphitheater: A Study Focused on French Anatomic Amphitheaters in 18th Century

Yueh-Yuan Chen
Assistant Professor, Department of History, National Chung Hsing University

Abstract
From the renaissance of the anatomy in the end of the Middle Ages to the mid-eighteenth century, there were two types of anatomic amphitheater. One focused on the visual truth and the other focused on the tactile truth. The organization of anatomic teaching would vary substantially across different transmission media (visual/tactile) of anatomic knowledge. In the second half of the eighteenth century, a new type of anatomic amphitheater appeared. Besides integrating the existing visual or tactile types of anatomic amphitheaters, in this new amphitheater more emphasis was placed on the continuity of the anatomic teaching and the adequate supply mechanism of the anatomic raw materials (i.e. the body), which would inevitably lead to a new type of organization of anatomic teaching.

Therefore, starting from the study of different types of the anatomic amphitheater, this article proceeds to address the relationship between the anatomic teaching and the administrative power. The types of organization of anatomic teaching should depend on the corresponding structures of
anatomic amphitheaters. If the anatomic amphitheater is merely a place as the other ordinary lecturing theaters, the main managerial issue is only on the accommodation of large audience. However, if the anatomic amphitheater is a place in which intensively anatomic practice would be performed, then it also serves as a mechanism that supplies, consumes and preserves a large number of humans bodies. Therefore, the related managerial issues are more than the security problems confronted by the society. These issues involve the broader problem of the state’s use of human body resources.

Keywords:  amphitheater of anatomy, anatomic teaching, cadaver,   administration



On Nagel’s Views of Consciousness

Chien-Chih Chi
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Huafan University

Abstract
The problem of consciousness is also called the problem of the irreducibility of the mind, which means that we encounter a problem when we try to use physical concepts to explain consciousness. In other words, mental concepts are not reducible to physical concepts. For explaining this problem, Nagel argues that no matter how much we understand a bat’s brain, it is impossible for us to know what it is like to be a bat.

In addition, Nagel argues that the problem is generated by the inconsistence between the first-person point of view and the third-person point of view. Mental concepts are understood through the first-person point of view and physical concepts are understood through the third-person point of view. These points of views form two different conceptual frameworks which cannot completely communicate with each other.

In order to find a way to solve the problem of consciousness, Nagel presents expansionism, which suggests that, our understanding of the mental and the physical is basically correct, but not complete. We have to improve our understanding by finding the necessary connection between the metal and the physical. According to the connection, we will produce a new conceptual framework to solve this problem. In this paper, I will analyze and discuss these views.

Keywords: consciousness, reduction, Nagel, expansionism


A Survey of the Characteristics of Dialectic and Ontology in Paul Tillich’s Theology of Culture

Che-Ming Chang
Doctoral candidate, Department of Religious Studies, Fu Jen Catholic University

Abstract
To make a survey of the methodology in Paul Tillich’s theology of culture, we find that his method of correlation was the application and transformation of dialectical method, which originated from ancient Greece. However, the development of dialectic in classical German philosophy, particularly the attitude towards history and reality, was different from the
Hellenism. For instance, in late Schelling’s philosophy, especially in the analysis of the relation between the evil existence and the human freedom, idealism shifted to realism. Martin Heidegger affirmed Schelling’s analysis of free, and the positive attitude of the acceptance of finite reality. Tillich’s theology of culture was deeply influenced by Schelling and Heidegger.
In short, the feature of Tillich’s philosophy of religion was dialectical synthesis. He devoted to integrate human reason and revelation in the dialectical way, and his accomplishment was that he turned his method of philosophy of religion to the concrete reality and the vital process of seeking unconditional meaning in the interpretation of history.

Keywords:  Tillich, theology of culture, method of correlation, dialectic,   ontology.



Viewing Schooling from Bourdieu’s Reproduction Perspective

Chia-Hui Chen
Doctoral candidate, Department of Education, National Hsinchu University of Education

Abstract
Children’s school life reflects the location of their families on the bimodal distribution of economic status. With individually different cultural capitals, children exchange educational resources at school field, little by little completing the process of reproduction. The language system chosen by schools tunes to the language system owned by the level rich of cultural capital, which makes low level can’t become the subject to whom knowledge been distributed. School comes to be the money laundering center of cultural capital devoted to high level.

This article started from Bourdieu’s formula of pratique, went through the reproduction phenomenon of schooling, and reflected on relating studies as well as the theory. This article was to inquire how different students with different habitus and cultural capitals cope with their surroundings and survive at the specific field of school, where this phenomenon of reproduction comes from, and most important of all, how to transcend it?

Keywords: Bourdieu, reproduction, cultural capital