Understanding Philosophy through Languages and Philology

This is Simone Mao's reflective summary of her academic career prior to transitioning into the realm of public engagement. It outlines her approach to understanding philosophy and the methodology of studying history of philosophy through a philological lens. It highlights scholars' qualities, for example, the pursuit of truth and intellectual honesty, questioning dogma and authority, pursuing what Michel Foucault termed "the courage of truth". In the face of the chaotic contemporary thought landscape ("where myriad voices mixed, hundreds of schools contend, and various gods assert their own truth"), Simone Mao further emphasizes the autonomy of thought and theory, asserting their real-world impact beyond theoretical realms, invoking Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the "will to power" (Wille zur Macht).

This marks Simone's shift in perspective from metaphysics towards more concrete issues of social governance, such as political philosophy, ethics, and law, transitioning from abstract concepts to practicality.

In my past stages of research, the core of my study has revolved around the mastery of Latin, Ancient Greek, and philological training as tools for understanding philosophy.

Why is it insufficient to only grasp modern languages like German, French, English, and Italian when delving into philosophy? The demand stems from the inherently high threshold for understanding metaphysical knowledge. Philosophy, at its core, involves understanding and creating concepts—unraveling the nuances of myriad paths within the hub of understanding concepts in philosophical history. Philosophers, as anatomists and architects of the world of thoughts, meticulously dissect, clarify, and abolish (as well as preserve and transcend), bringing forth the essence of philosophy through the recreation of concepts. This begins with the intrinsic demands of metaphysics.

The foundation of concepts lies in words. Each concept grows within the linguistic system of a specific socio-historical environment, deeply embedded in the living culture of its era. This prompts seekers of wisdom to explore the intricacies and reach the limits of language. Philosophical concepts abstractly encapsulate the essence of the spirit of the times, distinct from ordinary words. Detached from reality and the era, it becomes a tree without roots and a flow without source. Without an understanding of Ancient Greek, one cannot fully enter the paradigm of ancient philosophy, let alone attempting to comprehend the greatness of Plato through crude and flawed interpretations. This is nearly impossible, just having "good intentions" in vain. This perspective arises from the interpretation of historical context and paradigms.

In the vast world of diverse thoughts, where myriad voices mixed, hundreds of schools contend, and various gods assert their own truth, it is exceptionally challenging to finding a legitimate path to understand ancient philosophers amid traditional debates and contradictions. The true difficulty of independent thinking lies here—broad research in the history of philosophy empowers you to seek help from other strong personalities to establish yourself independently in the process of supporting or opposing them, avoiding the dominance of any one personality or tradition. When doubting the reliability of various interpretations, removing one or more traditional crutches which you used to rely on, not knowing the source language means losing the sole criterion for judgment and discrimination.

In summary, mastering the source language is not only rooted in "rational honesty" (from Socratic teachings, we acknowledge that philosophy estranges familiar things to us, making those who claim to possess the truth lose it, and making us humble, acknowledging our ignorance—philosophy is not about providing new information but inviting and inspiring new ways of seeing), but also arises from the "will to power" (Wille zur Macht) for each philosophy to establish itself, stemming from the spirit of establishing autonomy to speak and think, providing credible and legitimate judgment standards that can serve as external resources when facing doubts and disagreements. This is discussed from the perspective of standards and legitimacy of measuring truth.

Authenticity. Integrity. Empowerment. — These are the three driving forces behind my undertaking, which I interpret as follows: Authenticity (of undisputed origin; genuine; faithful to the original way of creation; purely based on facts; accurate and reliable), Integrity (rational honesty; inseparable wholeness), and Empowerment (empowering authority; self-validation). Truth lies in constant "unveiling". In the eternal movement of thought, no being can permanently occupy the seat of truth.

In a world where "the system of Tao is scattered in fragments" ("道术[将]为天下裂", see Zhuangzi, translated by Herbert A. Giles, Chapter XXXIII. The Empire), lacking consensus and conscience, it is particularly crucial to be faithful to the original way of philosophical creation, returning to the origin of philosophy. Not to be trapped in dogmatism or blindly following authoritative figures or sophists (which would cause deep damage to the clarity of reason) — but to have the ability to think about the truth, observe the truth, and have the courage to speak the truth. Only standards with credibility, outstanding knowledge and ability, and the conscience inherent in everyone’s heart can become the criteria for measuring the value of thoughts, rather than falling into sectarian disputes. A good academic community encourages honesty and authenticity.

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