Recommendation Ⅲ
To love wisdom, and develop a good conscience
Shuoning was a person who stood out among his peers.
When we first met, I immediately invited him to join Project Agora.
We have, since then, often talked about philosophy. We shared with each other thoughts on which course to follow, and which path our society is on.
Gradually, I realized that Shuoning essentially belongs to Project Agora,he loves wisdom, and he seeks perfection and thoroughness.
It's quite lucky for Shuoning to know himself and find a lifelong cause that he loves in his prime.
It's quite difficult for Shuoning to maintain himself and keep researching what he loves in the midst of all the problems.
It's also quite admirable for Shuoning to transcend himself and share what he loves and learns with the world in the midst of all the complexity.
Through his own “both empirical and transcendent life”, Shuoning discovered that the study, reflection, and practice of philosophy can offer a possible and reliable way out of the confusion of today's young people, and provide values, meanings, or motivations for them. The existence of human being is the most surprising thing. And only when one crosses the threshold and begins to introspect can he begin to realize his surprising existence. And the deeper one knows himself, the more everlasting he transcends himself.
Based on his own enquiry and experiences, Shuoning thinks that philosophically moral realism can create a space for dialogue and communication in order to reconstruct common grounds for extremely different values in our society today. As Shuoning puts it, “Through moral discourse and rational reflection, perhaps people can constantly revise their views in the future, and go beyond the limitations of culture, history, and society to approach the picture of moral agreement.”
Shuoning quoted from James Stephen's work Liberty, Equality, Fraternity in his book. It is also my favorite.
Here I conclude this draft preface with these words:
“We stand on a mountain pass in the midst of whirling snow and blinding mist, through which we get glimpses now and then of paths which may be deceptive. If we stand still we shall be frozen to death. If we take the wrong road we shall be dashed to pieces. We do not certainly know whether there is any right one. What must we do? ‘Be strong and of a good courage.’ Act for the best, hope for the best, and take what comes…If death ends all, we cannot meet death better.”
And I hope every member of Project Agora could be strong and of a good courage with a love for wisdom, and could learn by practicing to develop a good conscience.
Dr. Jing Qian
Co-founder of Agora Project