Research On Albert Schweitzer’s Cultural Philosophy

In the20th century, the common cultural dilemma in European calls for holisticthinking of the cultural patterns. Albert Schweitzer concerned about the fate of thehuman culture in his lifetime and “The Philosophy of Civilization” was the fruit ofthinking about the theory of crystallization of his whole lifetime. To use culturalphilosophy and hermeneutic methods, centered around Schweitzer’s masterpiece“The Philosophy of Civilization” which is the West very unique and original classic ofthis20th century, combined with its related writings, this thesis is a comprehensiveand systematic exposition of the Schweitzer culture philosophy thoughts for the firsttime, explores the ideological origins, culture and its essence, ethics turn of culture,cultural world view of reverence for life, the construction of the cultural nation, andreveals contribution of his thought, the immanent contradictions and its modernenlightenment.This paper argues that Schweitzer who insight into the civilization, reverence forlife, benevolent, perseverance, practice medicine to save the pepole, fully reflectswisdom, humanity and courage(Zhi Ren Yong)in his life as a Western saint, fromwhich we can glimpse into the profound philosophical issues of culture from theproposed to answer of the development. The rationalism in Western philosophy, theirrationalism of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, Cultural Philosophy in the20th century,the Christian principle of universal love, Confucianism and Taoism, the Buddhist ideaof “Existence Being Equal” and “Non-killing” exert a profound influence on theforming stages of Schweitzer’s thoughts. Albert Schweitzer’s cultural philosophyexperiencs five steps: cultural critical to cultural reunification, cultural reunificationto inner kinetic energy—ethics, general ethics to construct cultural world view ofreverence for life,and its final implementation is the cultural country. The profoundcritique of the Western culture of the20th century constitutes a logical starting pointof Schweitzer’s cultural philosophy. The philosophy of negligence, the ideologicalfailure and the ethical ideals was lost all declined the20th century Western culture.Cultural and ethical turns are the logical expandedness of his cultural philosophy. On the holism-based perspective, Schweitzer understood cultural to be progress, as theethical and spiritual progress, further deepening the grasp of the nature of culture andturn to ethics. Reverence for life and cultural worldview is the core of Schweitzer’scultural philosophy, it represents a new cultural pattern. This is a rationalistworldview of culture which affirms the world and life, its logical starting point is thewill of life and self-division, the inherent basis of the solidarity of life, the ultimategoal is to achieve all possible progress in the knowledge, ability and humansocialization, and to promote the inherent perfection of the individual humanself-improvement. This cultural worldview is featured with religion, infinity of ethicalresponsibility, absoluteness, equality, etc. Cultural nation is a realistic destination forof Schweitzer’s cultural philosophy. Cultural nation built on the conviction ofreverence for life of individual, on the adhere to the ideal of human culture, on theconstant pursuit of cultural and ethical progress, the pursuit of permanent peace in theworld is a community of all life and the highest ideal of human culture. Schweitzer’soptimistic spirit and his exploration of the cultural reconstruction is valuable ofhuman civilization. His cultural philosophy is immortal and still charming, which hassignificance in guiding and methodological of the contemporary cultural philosophyand cultural construction can not be ignored.