「價值哲學與過程哲學國際學術研討會」大會致詞
程石泉
主席，各位貴賓，各位女士，各位先生：很榮幸大會給我這個發言的機會，我代表中國人在這裡歡迎大家參加這個歷史性的盛會。今天，在這個廿一世紀開始的時刻，我們來自世界各國，聚在這裡，參加國立北京師範大學「價值與文化研究中心」和美國加州「克來蒙歷程研究中心」合辦的「價值哲學與過程哲學國際學術研討會」，討論「懷特海與中國在新的千禧年」這項課題，的確別具意義。我生於1909清宣統元年，今年已九十三歲了。不足一百年，我已見證了兩次世界大戰，以及中國在面對西方文化衝擊之後產生的混亂變局。回想一百年前1902年的北京，正經歷過了1900八國聯軍的戰禍。那時中國與西方列強之間的關係，包括美國在內，充滿敵意，非常不友善。像今日這樣大家聚在一起舉行友好的學術討論，在那時簡直是無法想像的事。再回想過去的一千年，中國曾獨立於西方文明主導的世界歷史之外。我們所在的北京自元朝以來曾是八百年的帝都，它見證了元、明、清各朝的興衰，卻無視於西方基督教化的中古世紀，以及其後的文藝復興、科學興起、宗教改革、啟蒙運動、美國獨立革命、法國大革命，乃至英國工業革命等等驚天動地的歷史大事。中國曾在世界歷史中自行其是，使她成為人類歷史文化中的奇葩，也使她在遭遇西方文明與武力侵略時，受盡磨難。在未來的一千年，中國文化必然要和世界文化接軌，中國與西方建立理性的對話管道也是刻不容緩的事。我們很欣慰懷特海先生正是一位提供這類管道的中國友人。在《科學與現代世界》一書中他曾說：
我們越了解中國藝術，中國文學，和中國人生哲學，我們越仰慕中國文明的高度成就。幾千年來，中國有許多聰明睿智的學者致力於學問。就時間之長，人口之眾而言，中國文明體系龐大是世所僅見。
在《歷程與真際》一書中，他曾說
機體哲學採取的立場似乎更接近某些印度或者中國的思想，而不接近西亞或歐洲的思想。
中國人累積了五千年的民族智慧，一定有所貢獻於世界。今天正當這冷戰之後的世界新局，我們看到現實的世界再次面對恐怖主義的威脅，而科技文明以及全球化的商業活動傳播了庸俗低級的大眾文化，使傳統的人道理想與價值文化受到忽略，甚而受到嚴重的斲傷。在這個時刻，歷程研究中心闡揚「多元文化論」，為尋求世界各文化間和平共處之道，以及追求世界各民族共同的福祉所做的努力，令人欽佩。個人深信中國固有文化具有創化生生、機體圓融的哲學理念。中國人一向將這個宇宙視為創化的歷程，乃一有價值的宇宙，視文化為出於創化的天地人三才之道，這些與懷特海先生的思想都息息相通。最後我要引用懷特海先生在《思想的形態》中的一句話作結論：
每個存在對其自己、對其他的人、對於整體都具有其一定的價值。這就是實現性的意義之所在。
相信這次大會對於懷特海先生與中國思想之間的對話，也將有很大的實質意義。祝大會成功！大家與會愉快！
Address to the First International Conference on “Whitehead and China in the New Millennium”
Shih-chuan Chen
Mr. chairman, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:
It is my honor to be given this opportunity to welcome you from all over the world on behalf of the Chinese people. Today is a historic moment! At the beginning of the twenty-first century, we are gathering here to attend the First International Conference on “Whitehead and China in the New Millennium” held in Beijing, China.
Born in 1909, the first year of Hsun-tung Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, I am now ninety-three years old. In my life span I have witnessed two World Wars, and the social disintegration, turmoil, and chaotic changes happened in China. I may recall that the City, Beijing, in one hundred years ago, 1902, just survived the war waging between the joint force of Eight Western Powers and the rebellious Chinese Boxers. At that time the relation between the Chinese people and the Western Powers, including America, was a bellicose one, and they were, of course, full of hostility, distrust and even hateful feeling toward each other. In retrospect, China developed her own culture independently and was isolated from the influence of the rest of the world. Taking the City of Beijing for example, Beijing had been the capital city of three Dynasties, the Yuan, the Ming, and the Qing for eight hundred yeas. In the past millennium, this City had witnessed the rises and falls of those Dynasties and, however, it was impervious to what had taken place in the West, such as the Christianized Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Rise of Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the American Independence, the French Revolution, British Industrial Revolution, and so far, and so forth. In the development of world history, China seemed to be self-content and always had her own way, by which China had made her the most distinguished cultural entity. But this also caused Chinese people the most exquisite pain and tremendous sufferings in facing the military and cultural invasions from the West. It is unavoidable that in this new millennium the Chinese culture must become an integral part of the world culture. And therefore, the need of some channels for rational conversation between China and the West has become more urgent than ever. I am gratified that Mr. Whitehead’s thought has revealed such a channel. As a friend of China, he remarks in the Science and the Modern World,
“…the more we know of Chinese art, of Chinese literature, and of the Chinese philosophy of life, the more we admire the heights to which that civilization attained. For thousands of years, there have been in China acute and learned men patiently devoting their lives to study. Having regard to the span of time, and to the population concerned, China forms the largest volume of civilization which the world has seen.”
Also in the Process and Reality, he says,
“In this general position the philosophy of organism seems to approximate more to some strains of Indian, or Chinese, thought, than to western Asiatic, or European, thought.”
We Chinese, with a national experience and wisdom of five thousand years, must have made some important contributions to the world culture. Today, while standing on the crossroad of human history, we are rejoicing at the end of the Cold War, and yet we are still under the threatening of global terrorism. At the same time the supremacy of science and technology over the other aspects of human activities and the prevailing trend of low-taste pop culture promoted by consumerism still undermine the traditional human values. At this moment, the endeavor to propagate the ideal of Multiculturalism and to seek for the common good made by the Center for Process Studies should be highly praised. It is to my belief that the ideas of creativity and organicism had long been inherent in the Chinese culture. In the Chinese view, the universe is a creative process, as well as a horizon of values. Human participation is indispensable for the process of the universe. All this should not be too far from the Whiteheadian thought. In the end I would like to quote one sentence from Whitehead’s Modes of Thought,
“Everything has some value for itself, for others, and for the whole. This characterizes the meaning of actuality.”
And I think this conference definitely will have some meaning of actuality in promoting the dialogue between China and Mr. Whitehead. May the Conference be a success, and my Best Wishes for all of you!
2002.6.18. Beijing, China