Thomas Traherne,Thomas Hobbes,and the Rhetoric of Realism

Abstract

Thomas Traherne has often been seen as a mystic detached from the turbulence of his period. Recent scholarship has attempted to place him more firmly in context. This article contributes to this trend in arguing that Traherne's late works, especially Commentaries of Heaven, were shaped by the pressure of responding to Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan. Though Traherne makes only one direct reference to Hobbes, his idiosyncrasies in thought, argument, and mode of expression are all fundamentally influenced by the need to counter Hobbes's account of ethics, metaphysics, and language. Traherne is particularly concerned to assert and display an ardent realism against Hobbes's nominalism. In doing so, he creates a complicated play of rhetorical figures, especially abusio or catachresis, as embodying theological commitments. This both places Traherne more clearly against the background of the intellectual history of the period in which he lived, and demonstrates his particularity as a writer.     

Revolution and the Jews

Taking the public demonstrations in France after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo as its starting point, the essay considers the active role Jews played in shaping the relationship between religion and politics in modern Europe to argue that this history can allow us to think more expansively about the position of Islam in current discussions of theo-politics in France and Europe more broadly.     

革命与生意——以辛亥革命时期的上海为例

From 1911 to 1913, in big streets and small lanes, in famous parks and thriving stores, and in tea houses and grand restaurants located in such cities as Shanghai, Nanjing, Beijing and Wuchang, numerous business opportunities were born out of the Revolution of 1911. By using the political giants and military leaders around Shanghai, business firms skillfully dealt with the difficulties of the continually changing political situation and managed to keep their businesses afloat, succeeding in their response to the consumption demands of the public. It can be argued that the Revolution of 1911 played a distinct role in the development of businesses in Shanghai during that time. __________ Translated by Zhong Chen from Shilin 史林 (Historical Review), 2008, (3): 137–150     

宗教与美国革命

长期以来,国内史学界在研究和探讨美国革命时,大多从政治、宪法、经济、贸易、黑奴和民族等视角阐述美国革命的渊源和意义,鲜有宗教因素方面的考量。北美殖民地与英国宗主国在两大宗教问题上存在着冲突,宗教在推动殖民地走上美国革命之路方面发挥了重要作用。法印战争结束后,随着英国在宗教和政治上加大对北美殖民地的干预和控制,宗教自由和政治自由成为一枚硬币的两面,两者不可须臾缺一。正是在这个意义上,殖民地争取宗教自由的斗争促进和推动了美国革命的爆发和发展。     

柏文蔚与二次革命

辛亥革命后,柏蔚亲统“中华民国陆军第一军”坐控津浦线,改任安徽军政府都督后,多次婉拒袁世凯的拉拢、收买,表现了坚定的革命立场。宋教仁案发生后,他力主武装讨袁,提出了一些很好的建议,并通电反对善后大借款,却因革命党人意见分歧,步调不一,而错过了讨袁大好时机,终被袁世凯免职。二次革命爆发后,柏蔚先被黄兴委任为安徽讨袁军总司令,至蚌埠督师,旋又被任命为安徽都督,回安庆平息皖省政潮,辛勤奔走于苏、皖之间,亦未能挽回二次革命之败局。柏蔚对二次革命作出了巨大贡献,但对袁世凯抱有不切实际的幻想,事先未作必要的准备,临事因过于依赖领袖人物而未能当机立断,事发后又未能真正掌握军事指挥权,对二次革命的失败造成了难以估量的影响。     

李四光与辛亥革命

在近代中国仁人志士探索国家出路的大背景下,李四光作为一位新式知识分子,在时代的号召下亦曾投入到革命洪流之中,参与辛亥革命。这充分体现了时代与个人的互动关系。在时代的号召下,他接触革命党人,接触革命思想,实现思想转变,走上革命救国道路,而革命党人的思想也对李四光的一生产生了深远影响：在辛亥革命后,面对辛亥革命的失败,他积极参与实业建设,力图实业救国,走上了科学救国之路。