2025 Development Report on Philosophical Research
Philosophy is possessed of a sense of the era, and philosophers are always children of their time. True philosophy invariably concerns itself with and echoes the era. Current philosophical inquiry faces the brand-new challenges brought by intelligent technology, while also shouldering the major mission of interpreting tradition within the mutual learning between civilizations and constructing the future through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. Against this backdrop, in 2025, the Chinese philosophical community has persisted in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its guide, deeply cultivating the classics and responding to reality, continuously advancing intellectual innovation, theoretical creation, and discourse construction through dialogue between China and the West and the integration of the ancient and the modern.
Overview of Research Trends
In 2025, Chinese philosophical researchers took the initiative to respond to major theoretical and practical issues, keeping a close pulse on the era, strengthening subjective consciousness, and promoting exchange and mutual learning. They demonstrated a clear orientation toward serving Chinese-path modernization and manifested theoretical vitality and historical self-awareness through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground.
First, leading with the Party’s innovative theories, efforts were made to construct an independent knowledge system for Chinese philosophy. On the one hand, scholars continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, providing fundamental principles and scientific methodology for the construction of an independent philosophical knowledge system. On the other hand, facing the rapid development of emerging sciences and technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), scholars adhered to Marxist stands, viewpoints, and methods, ensuring that Marxist philosophy remains a powerful intellectual weapon for explaining and leading the development of the era. Furthermore, regarding the compilation and use of textbooks, many universities deeply advanced the unified use of key textbooks from the Marxism Theory Research and Construction Project [1], ensuring that these textbooks cover all sub-disciplines, majors, and courses related to philosophy.
Second, taking the "Two Combinations" [2] as the fundamental direction, emphasis was placed on the construction of cultural subjectivity and the refinement and interpretation of "identifying concepts" [3] of Chinese philosophy. Academic research directly addressed the "original" and "primordial" questions of Chinese civilization, clarifying the unique modes of thinking and values of Chinese civilization to establish the basic form of Chinese philosophy. Discussions in 2025 regarding paths such as "Chinese-language philosophy" and "Analytic Chinese philosophy" consciously applied modern logic and analytical methods to study Chinese philosophical texts and thought, enhancing theoretical clarity and argumentative rigor, thereby responding to and participating in the common universal philosophical questions of humanity with a more subjective philosophical methodology.
Third, using interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches as a method, scholars advanced the transformation of philosophical research paradigms, with public concern and practical orientation becoming unprecedentedly prominent. In research areas such as AI governance, the ethics of brain-computer interfaces, and "technology for good," the philosophical community worked to build bridges between science and the public, and between ideas and reality. They actively explored operable ethical norms and governance frameworks, promoting a leap from theoretical foresight to governance practice. In 2025, relying on the joint R&D of interdisciplinary platforms, several universities established Liberal Arts Laboratories aimed at further expanding the deep application of Large Language Model (LLM) systems in scientific research, industry, and education, contributing wisdom to the synergistic development of AI and social ethics.
Fourth, taking the promotion of exchange and mutual learning between civilizations as a professional mission, scholars persisted in conducting Classical Studies and Western philosophy research with an attitude of cultural confidence, openness, and inclusiveness. Scholars strove to break the inherent frameworks of Western Classics, actively constructing an independent discourse system for Classical Studies centered on Chinese classical texts, and conducted comparative mutual learning with Western classical civilizations, providing a window for Chinese academia to actively go global and participate in international dialogue. The study of Western philosophy took "referential absorption and critical reflection" as its basic principle, clarifying the research positioning of Sinicized interpretation, and emphasizing the deep cultivation and reconstruction of important issues in philosophical schools such as phenomenology, German Classical Philosophy, and analytic philosophy from a Chinese perspective.
Grasping Epochal Change on the Foundation of Theoretical Inheritance
In 2025, domestic Marxist philosophical research exhibited strong characteristics of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. It persisted in the deep cultivation of classical texts and core categories while bravely facing real-world issues such as digital civilization and new forms of capitalism, launching academic explorations that combined realistic concerns with theoretical innovation.
First, the contemporary interpretation and methodological reflection of Marxist classical theory. The academic community continued and deepened the textual criticism and reconstruction of Marxist classics, paying particular attention to the methodological clues contained therein. Philosophical categories such as "concrete totality," "concrete universality," l’ordre des catégories ("the method of thinking backwards") [4], and "species-being" were re-examined within new horizons of questioning, aiming to excavate their epistemological and ontological connotations that transcend specific historical contexts. He Lai proposed that, starting from the explanatory principles of practical philosophy, Marx understood "universality" as the "interconnectivity of the life-world" organically unified with "particularity," opening an inspirational theoretical paradigm. Ren Ping argued that, based on the historical coordinates of the New Era and the new journey, to vigorously advance the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, we need to understand the process of Marx’s philosophical revolution from a new perspective.
Second, the digital era and the theoretical innovation of Marxism. Regarding the theoretical response to the intelligent era, scholars worked to deeply integrate AI, digital technology, and their social effects into the core of Marxist theory, transforming them into variables for theoretical construction. Sun Weiping contended that to resolve the basic social contradictions of the intelligent era, one must transform these contradictions into a powerful force for social development. Sun Zhengyu argued that AI is a revolutionary artifact in the history of civilization, posing brand-new epochal topics for reflecting on "man as a species-being" and creating a "new form of human civilization." [5]
Third, the critique of capitalism and civilizational reflection in the intelligent era. Discussions on capitalism in the intelligent era demonstrated a clear characteristic of "totalizing critique," subsuming it under the analytical framework of "digital capitalism" to reveal the logic of power and civilizational crises behind technological appearances. Xie Lixia proposed that intelligent technology and digital capital have jointly shaped an "archive of images" [6] for platform data processing and storage, forming a "spectacle order" under the rule of digital capitalism. Zhang Liang argued that the structural evolution of technological hegemony presents five "atavistic" phenomena, manifesting as the modern functional reorganization of traditional production factors by financial capital.
Constructing an Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Philosophy
Understanding the unique modes of thinking, concepts of order, and principles of "politics and education" [7] of Chinese civilization from their source can provide rich intellectual resources for the theoretical construction of contemporary Chinese philosophy. Yang Lihua stated that one must perform interpretative analysis and demonstration of change, space-time, mind and body, and the self and others within the world of pure experience, revealing the philosophical connotations of objectivity within experience and the totality and universal connectivity of the empirical world. Cao Feng argued that the "severance of communication between Heaven and Earth" [8] must be placed within the ancient Chinese historical view of "order and chaos" and the view of the "Way of Heaven" in the calendar to receive a rational explanation. Jiang Yi opposed the traditional concept of treating Chinese philosophy as a form of comparative philosophy, proposing that only by basing ourselves on the non-comparative characteristics of Chinese philosophy can we deeply explore its independent form.
Since the 20th century, a new trend has appeared in Chinese philosophical research—the conscious use of analytic philosophical methods to study the texts, thoughts, and methods of Chinese philosophy. Regarding this, Wang Zhongjiang argued that the analysis performed by Chinese philosophers of the analytic method is primarily conceptual analysis; they emphasize analytical methods without excluding others, thereby creating a modern form of metaphysics. Han Linhe contended that contemporary Chinese philosophical research should consciously use the methods of modern logical analysis and appropriately draw upon the conceptual and theoretical resources of analytic philosophy.
In 2025, the philosophical community's intellectual contention surrounding "Chinese-language philosophy" [9] continued to expand the understanding of its nature. Han Shuifa proposed that Chinese-language philosophy, using the Chinese language as a carrier to reflect on the general human spirit and its phenomena, is an important driving force for promoting the spiritual activities of the Chinese-language community. In contrast to the advocates of Chinese-language philosophy, Li He argued that some proponents not only talk abstractly about the relationship between "philosophy" and the "linguistic life-world" but also ignore the reality of how the modern Chinese-language life-world has moved from "the opposition of self and other" to a "preliminary fusion of self and other" amidst the clash of Chinese and Western thought.
Throughout the developmental course of Chinese philosophy over thousands of years, many core concepts with "identifying significance" have been formed. Tracing their origins, interpreting them, and even reconstructing them is an important path to understanding the essential spirit of Chinese philosophy. Chen Shaoming stated that xiang (images/phenomena) [10] points toward spiritual creation while transcending the physical to act upon the world; analyzing the abstract structures of different types of cultural phenomena is another intellectual horizon revealed by Chinese philosophy. Chen Yun argued that "Heaven and Man" and "Ancient and Modern"—as the two basic problems of humanity—are expressed in the contemporary era as "transcendence" and "historicity," through which man becomes a "mediator" between Heaven and Man, and between Ancient and Modern. Sun Xiangchen took "Family" as a philosophical motif, arguing that we should not be limited to the study of the family, but should understand the world through the horizon of the family.
Currently, while efforts to construct an independent knowledge system of Chinese philosophy have made significant progress, deep internal challenges remain. For example, the exploration of "primordial questions" relies mainly on traditional resources, and how to understand their connection with the real-world problems facing contemporary China still requires deep elaboration. In the comparative mutual learning between Chinese and Western philosophies, some research remains at the level of superficial, enumerative comparisons or forced correlations, being more descriptive than reflective or problem-oriented. To achieve greater breakthroughs, it is necessary to handle the relationship between "the Ancient, the Modern, the Chinese, and the West" with a more candid and open attitude, realizing the self-renewal and theoretical creation of contemporary Chinese philosophy.
From Tradition to Modern Transformation
Chinese civilization is the only primary civilization in the world that has never been interrupted and has developed to the present day, containing rich and colorful cultural treasures. In the transformation from tradition to modern, the "Two Combinations" have pointed out the intellectual positioning and developmental direction of Chinese-path modernization, reflecting the dialectical unity of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture. Chen Xia argued that Jin Yuelin [11] constructed a philosophical system around the relationship between Dao (the Way) and Wu (things), using rigorous logical reasoning and analytical demonstration to merge Chinese and foreign philosophical wisdom with modern scientific achievements, providing an important reference for constructing our independent knowledge system. Li Lanfen provided a deep review of Tang Yongtong's research on Wei-Jin "Dark Learning" (Neo-Taoism) [12]. She argued that Tang viewed this from the perspective of the "Sinicization of Buddhism," emphasizing the bridge-role Neo-Taoism played in connecting foreign culture with Confucianism.
In the process of the "creative transformation and innovative development" [13] of fine traditional Chinese culture, a group of exemplary "landmark" scholars has emerged. The excavation, organization, elaboration, and study of these scholars and their schools possess significant importance for academic history and methodological value. At the same time, it should be noted that while scholars have discovered many points of convergence between traditional culture and contemporary values, reflection on some more complex thoughts, institutions, and concepts is slightly insufficient. Beyond abstract theoretical analysis, the investigation of how the different characteristics of Chinese civilization changed within specific historical contexts and social structures still needs to be strengthened. Only through more critical, profound, and open research can we more comprehensively understand the vitality and modern significance of fine traditional Chinese culture.
The Modern Mission of Chinese Classical Studies
In November 2024, the first World Conference of Classics was successfully held in Beijing, marking a new stage in the development of Chinese Classical Studies (gudianxue). How to conduct Chinese Classical Studies within the dialogue between Chinese and Western civilizations is a theme of wide concern. Wu Fei argued that stimulating the philosophical power of the "substance-form" (wen-zhi) tradition through hylomorphic thinking, and using the wen-zhi model to correct the potential tendencies of hylomorphism, is one possibility for using Chinese and Western classical philosophy to think through modern problems. Zhang Wenjiang contended that Chinese Classical Studies should not only study ancient classics but also consider how to face reality, balancing universality and nationality, and dynamically seeking its position within history.
To build Classical Studies with Chinese characteristics, one must understand the "source and flow" [14] of Chinese civilization from the perspective of "an ancient state with a new mission" [15], making Chinese Classical Studies face the world and the future. In Dong Ping's view, Chinese Classical Studies should take "returning to the roots" as "opening the new," using the "Two Combinations" as an effective way to arrange "inter-temporality" (gu-jin jian-xing). Tian Feng argued that the mission of Chinese Classical Studies is to activate the primordial spirit of Chinese civilization within the horizon of the ancient, the modern, the Chinese, and the foreign, responding to the questions of the era and providing holistic meaning for human life.
At present, Chinese Classical Studies—whether in terms of disciplinary establishment, academic self-awareness, or theoretical interpretation—is showing a trend of rapid development. Classical Studies is also a discipline with distinct interdisciplinary characteristics, which provides both the necessity and the possibility for breaking down disciplinary barriers, while also bringing some internal debates. There is still no consensus on which texts should constitute the basic content of Classical Studies, which methods should be the primary approach, and which disciplines should serve as its foundation. Compared with other foundational disciplines, the unique advantages and the "basis of existence" of Classical Studies have not yet been profoundly and clearly elaborated. However, in a certain sense, this also reflects the importance and openness of Classical Studies in today’s Chinese academic landscape. It is hoped that more active thoughts will be injected into this discipline in the future, contributing to the "rebirth" of the "classical" toward the "modern."
Promoting the Sinicization and Modernization of Western Philosophical Interpretation
In 2025, the Chinese philosophical community focused on multi-dimensional interactions between the classical and the contemporary, theory and reality, and the local and the global. In the field of Western philosophy, scholars continued to deepen textual interpretation, expand problematic horizons, and strengthen disciplinary dialogue, committing themselves to constructing a system of interpreting Western philosophy from a Chinese perspective within the framework of civilizations learning from one another.
First, the in-depth expansion of phenomenology and the philosophy of consciousness. Zhang Renzhi proposed that by distinguishing the dual meanings of phenomenological anthropology, one can both adhere to essentialist philosophy and simultaneously construct a phenomenological anthropology as a total science of facts. Wang Jiaxin argued that German and French phenomenology, from the perspective of rebalancing consciousness and life, reveals the connotations of life; these theoretical explorations tend toward a philosophical position that could be termed "transcendental vitalism."
Second, the contemporary interpretation of German Classical Philosophy. In 2025, taking the 250th anniversary of Schelling’s birth as an impetus, the academic community saw a new wave of research. Li Kelin argued that the historical encounter between Kantian theory and French philosophy constituted the philosophical event of Europe’s modern turn, demonstrating the dual attributes of reason as both a foundational principle and a mechanism of self-constitution. Bian Shaobin stated that clarifying Kantian political philosophy and its constructivist traits helps to resolve the difficulties or ambiguities existing in the construction of John Rawls’s theory of justice.
Third, the "living water" [16] of Ancient Greek philosophy and the history of philosophy. In 2025, relevant research emphasized methodological significance and contemporary relevance while focusing on excavating deeper wisdom regarding issues such as knowledge, virtue, happiness, and community in classical thought. Nie Minli proposed that universals constitute the essence of individual things, but if they are granted reality, a problem arises: how a singular universal can exist simultaneously in multiple individual things. Ge Tianqin argued that the investigative methods in Aristotle’s Posterior Analytics and On the Soul contain two important differences regarding the divisibility of the object of investigation and the priority of causes.
Fourth, non-Western philosophical horizons and cross-cultural dialogue. The academic community has become increasingly conscious of integrating non-Western perspectives and cross-cultural comparative awareness, promoting a truly globalized philosophical study and breaking the singular narrative of Western philosophy. Deng Xiaomang pointed out that Jacques Derrida believed the "non-philosophical" nature of the Chinese language challenged Western logocentrism, yet failed to perceive that Chinese possesses its own metaphysics "beyond ethics," which hindered a higher integration of Chinese and Western metaphysics. Li Anshan explored five issues involving indigenous discourse in the history of African philosophy, arguing that only by paying more attention to the indigeneity of African philosophy during research can it be better positioned as an integral part of world philosophy.
Philosophical Research Facing Science, Technology, and the Future of Humanity
In 2025, the philosophy of science and technology moved into close linkage and deep intersection with disciplines such as logic and ethics. Together, they faced the future of science, technology, and humanity, striving to break the sense of "estrangement" between philosophy and technological development. Relevant research is no longer merely a post-hoc interpretation or pure critique of technology, but is actively embedded in the entire chain of R&D, ethical governance, and public perception, becoming a "thought engine" guiding the healthy development of technology. While frontier technology influences or changes the objects, problems, concepts, theories, and methods of philosophical research, philosophy—through its capacity for problem excavation, horizon manifestation, logical construction, and value speculation—brings unique perspectives to the development of fields such as artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and quantum technology.
The first is the new development of philosophy in the age of technology. Philosophy is the manifestation of the spirit of the age; philosophical research in the technological era must also strive to grasp the pulse of the times and produce frontier explorations that lead or at least keep pace with the era. Qiu Renzhong argued that with today’s rapid development of science and technology, many philosophical, ethical, and governance problems arising in scientific research and emerging technologies require deep participation from philosophers to explore paths for resolution and development. Liu Dachun argued that, from the urgent need to promote the healthy operation of science and technology, the study of the philosophy of science and technology should strive to achieve a transition from simple defense or ruthless critique to comprehensive scrutiny.
The second is philosophy and technology advancing hand in hand. Scholars generally believe that in the technological age, the value of the humanities, and philosophy in particular, becomes increasingly prominent, potentially becoming the key variable determining what kind of future humanity moves toward. Cheng Sumei argued that technology and philosophy are the two wings of human cognition; their trajectory from integration to separation and then to a new conscious reintegration constitutes the complete wisdom of humanity in responding to the Great Changes [17] of the era. Lei Huanjie argued that on the path toward making technology better enhance human welfare, it is a necessary requirement to properly handle the relationship between "technology moving upward" (technological advancement) and "technology moving toward the good" (ethical alignment).
The third is philosophy empowering technological development. Continuously expanding the possible boundaries of science from a conceptual dimension to achieve a "mind-opening" effect is an important mission for philosophy, especially the philosophy of science and technology. From the perspective of the history of philosophy and the history of science and technology, this is an inherent part of philosophy itself. Ma Yinghui argued that the manifold not only demonstrates the connective structure between artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and the philosophy of consciousness, but also reveals a genetic construction sequence of its own cognition: from the foundational existence of the intentional manifold, to the material existence of the neural manifold, and finally to the formal existence of manifold learning. Li Yaming argued that "reason alignment" can provide an important explanation for "value alignment," offering practical and operable ideas for the ethical design of artificial intelligence. Many of the philosophical studies in 2025 attempting to empower technological development were quite practical and operable, but how to effectively empower such development remains the true challenge. Only through more dialogue and exchange with the scientific and technological community, particularly through collaborative research based on interdisciplinary platforms, can the goal of philosophy empowering technological development be better realized.
Ethics Bridging the Gap Between Ideas and Reality
Ethics research and practice in 2025 demonstrated a proactive stance in responding to the challenges of the times, bridging the gap between ideas and reality. At the theoretical level, it constructed an independent knowledge system for Chinese ethics; at the practical level, it committed to solving real-world problems and responding to technological challenges. The ethical community is no longer satisfied with borrowing Western theories or restating traditional ethics; it is striving to build a disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system for ethics with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese spirit. Jiang Chang argued that under the era-defining conditions of human globalization and civilization, it is imperative and urgent to return to the long-standing eudaimonistic outlook on life characterized by self-strengthening and profound virtue, while imbuing it with the spirit of the times. Deng Anqing argued that ancient Chinese sages independently founded world-class ethical thoughts during the Axial Age; following over a century of introducing and absorbing Western learning, contemporary Chinese ethics should achieve a coherent resolution to the "debate between the ancient, the modern, the Chinese, and the Western" through conceptual integration and innovation, firmly grasping the balance between "subjectivity" and "openness."
Applied ethics research showed a trend of rapid development in 2025, with a clearer disciplinary positioning and more profound social influence. Fan Hao argued that ethicists must uphold humanistic and civilizational idealism within "application," fulfilling the dual mission of cultural inheritance and serving national strategies through the dialectical interaction between ideals and reality, and values and facts. Ren Chou argued that applied ethics is a practical normative ethics formed in the process of negating absolutist fallacies and facing moral conflicts—a frontier discipline with historical foundations and realistic demands. Research in applied ethics in 2025 carried a strong problem-awareness and practical orientation, striving to make ethics a key link connecting ethical concepts with social governance. Future research needs to further clarify disciplinary positioning to better empower technological progress and social development, assisting in the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life.
In 2025, as the impact of emerging technologies grew more profound, technological ethics received increasing attention from the ethical and philosophical communities, as well as society at large. Wang Guoyu argued that the essence of technological ethics is the "ultimate insurance policy" for the survival of civilization; only by adhering to the principle of "ethics first" can innovation truly become a bridge to a sustainable future. Li Lun proposed that artificial intelligence governance should, on the basis of technical ethical governance, achieve the open sharing of AI welfare and the collective consultation and governance of AI ethical risks to ensure world peace and the future of humanity. Technological ethics research demonstrated a distinct attitude of "proactive prevention" and "humanistic persistence," seeking a dynamic balance between technological innovation and ethical governance, and proposing targeted ethical solutions for specific fields such as artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces. Presently, several research branches are collaborating with the scientific community to better facilitate a consensus on solving technological ethics problems. However, there is still a lack of "sympathetic understanding" [18] within these research efforts; future dialogue can enhance exchange between different approaches and better explore solutions to technological ethics issues.
Deepening the Study of "Adhering to the Direction of Sinicizing Religions in China"
The law of religious development lies in "harmony" (hé). The survival and development of any religion must adapt to the society in which it exists; this is a universal law of the development and spread of religions worldwide. In 2025, the academic community focused closely on the New Era theme of "adhering to the direction of Sinicizing religions in China and actively guiding religions to adapt to socialist society." Scholars conducted in-depth discussions across multiple levels—historical context, theoretical logic, governance practice, and disciplinary construction—systematically presenting a multi-dimensional picture of contemporary Chinese religious studies. Zhang Zhigang argued that "adhering to the direction of Sinicizing religions in China" is the "inevitable path for guiding religions to adapt to socialist society." Zeng Chuanhui noted that in recent years, the horizon of the Taoist community has gradually expanded to focus on themes such as how to uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, leverage its own advantages, promote the spirit of patriotism, and adhere to the direction of Sinicization. Wang Qilong argued that promoting the Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism in the New Era requires taking contemporary China as a reference, adhering to the principles of advancing with the times and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, and building a Chinese religion with Chinese style, Chinese characteristics, and Chinese spirit.
"Conferences and Publications" in the Philosophical Community
In 2025, the discipline of philosophy moved forward steadily, driven by the dual forces of era-defining changes and academic inheritance. The academic community used major conferences as platforms for exchange and high-quality works as carriers of thought, achieving significant progress and substantial results in areas such as Marxist philosophical innovation, the construction of subjectivity in Chinese philosophy, and the localized interpretation of foreign philosophy. To briefly list a few (aware that this selection represents only a fraction of the whole):
First, consolidating disciplinary consensus through platforms. From April 26–27, 2025, the "Academic Seminar on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and the Innovative Development of Marxist Philosophy & 2025 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society for the History of Marxist Philosophy" was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi. The conference held productive discussions on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, the significance of the "Two Combinations," and Marxist cultural theory and views on civilization. From November 1–2, 2025, "'Philosophy Amidst Knowledge Transformation' & 2025 Annual Meeting of the China Association of the History of Foreign Philosophy and the Chinese Society for Modern Foreign Philosophy" was held in Jinan, Shandong. The meeting focused on reflecting on the problem of the legitimacy of the philosophical discipline in the present age and explored the developmental path of philosophy under knowledge transformation. On the same dates, the Second Philosophy Frontier Forum of the Social Sciences in China Press was held at Heilongjiang University. This forum focused on the theme of "Philosophy in the Intelligent Age: Creative Transformation of Concepts and Methods," exploring the profound challenges and historical reshaping of traditional philosophical conceptual systems, core propositions, and research paradigms by the new technological wave of AI. From November 29–30, 2025, the "Past, Present, and Future of Philosophy in China: Academic Seminar Commemorating the 130th Anniversary of Mr. Feng Youlan’s Birth" was held at Peking University. Scholars systematically reviewed Feng Youlan’s contributions to modern Chinese philosophy and discussed paths for the inheritance and innovation of Chinese philosophy.
Second, strengthening the theoretical foundations of the discipline through high-quality works. An Introduction to Frontier Issues in Marxist Philosophy (3rd Edition) (Beijing Normal University Publishing Group, 2025), edited by Zhang Liang and Sun Leqiang, provided a systematic explanation of frontier issues in Marxist philosophy. Chen Jiaming’s Philosophical Narratives: China and the West (Oriental Publishing Center, 2025) provided a theoretical bridge for the mutual learning and integration of Chinese and Western philosophical thought. Chen Shaoming et al.’s Techniques of Thought: How to "Do Chinese Philosophy" (SDX Joint Publishing Company, 2025) provided a methodological reference for Chinese philosophical research that is both operable and instructional. Yuk Hui’s Thinking at the Edge of Machines (Guangxi Normal University Press, 2025) focused on philosophy, technology, and art, attempting to help us understand this rapidly changing technological era. Meanwhile, the translation and introduction of classic foreign literature remained an important desktop task for the academic community, with new translations of works by major Western thinkers constantly appearing. For example, the new translations of Kant’s "Three Critiques" (The Commercial Press, 2025) received widespread attention.
Reflections and Outlook...
In 2025, Chinese philosophical research produced a series of research outcomes characterized by theoretical depth and practical concern in fields such as the contemporary interpretation of Marxist classics, philosophical reflections on the age of intelligence, mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilizations, the construction of an independent knowledge system, and the governance of science and technology ethics. However, beneath these achievements, there are points worthy of profound reflection. First, discussions in certain subfields of research bear traces, to a greater or lesser extent, of the "flat-shifting" of Western discourse [19]; while absorbing and drawing on the international avant-garde, they have failed to transcend existing research paradigms and propose original concepts or frameworks with global philosophical significance. Second, the sense of reality and mission in philosophical research needs to be strengthened; profound theoretical reflection has not yet been transformed into effective resources for nourishing the human spirit and heart or for participating in social governance. Third, while emphasizing Chinese subjectivity and cultural dialogue, there is a tendency to occasionally fall into an "either-or" [20] cognitive framework. Overall, current philosophical research work still falls considerably short of the requirements of the times and the people.
Looking to the future, Chinese philosophical research can continue to exert effort in the following directions: First, deepening the exploration of the contemporary form of "praxis philosophy" [21]. Researchers should not only focus on the construction of theoretical systems but also delve deep into the great practice of Chinese-path modernization to refine "identificatory philosophical concepts" [22] that possess world significance. Second, strengthening prospective and predictive research. In particular, it is necessary to construct empowering and leading analytical frameworks regarding the philosophical foundations and ethical norms of disruptive technologies. Furthermore, we must explore models for philosophers to participate in social governance linkages, such as science and technology ethics reviews and the evaluation of policy values. Third, expanding the depth and breadth of global philosophical dialogue. We must take the initiative to set the agenda, elaborating and sharing the traditional wisdom and contemporary development of Chinese philosophy within the context of the fundamental problems faced by all of humanity, thereby contributing China’s light of thought and light of truth.
(Drafted by: Mo Bin, Chang Da, Shao Xianman, Cui Jin) Source: Chinese Social Sciences Today (January 21, 2026) Editor: Huihui